Coming Soon: Beyond the Battle A Gettysburg Experience Like Never Before

Originally published June 2022 · p. 35

ADAMS COUNTY, Penn.— Imagine millions of rare Gettysburg artifacts, letters, diaries, photographs, records, battlefield relics, and souvenirs, all at dire risk of destruction. This is the reality for the Adams County Historical Society (ACHS), a nonprofit headquartered in a weathered Victorian house on the edge of Gettysburg. There is no climate control, nor is there fire protection; a stunning reality for “Gettysburg’s Historical Society.” The ACHS collection, amassed over a dozen decades since the organization was founded in 1888, is a treasure trove of rare materials. To name just a few: a rifle owned by civilian hero John Burns; an original program from the Gettysburg Address, the first Gettysburg town lot map drawn on animal hide in 1785, and personal items that belonged to notable Americans including Francis Scott Key, Thaddeus Stevens, and the Eisenhowers; all of whom had a connection to Gettysburg’s storied past. A gem of the Society’s holdings is its civilian accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s November 1863 visit. Over 300 in number, they provide a fascinating and often underappreciated dimension of the Gettysburg story. Imagine what it was like for ordinary citizens who witnessed dramatic, and often traumatic, events during the battle. Some were active participants, dropping everything to care for the wounded, bury the dead, and rebuild a shattered community. Their stories matter. In 2020, ACHS launched a capital campaign to fund construction of a new Gettysburg home. Adams County’s Commissioners donated land and $1 million to get the project moving. The initial goal of $5 million would have allowed ACHS to build a large storage facility with room for a few exhibits and public programming space, but when ACHS staff and volunteers began talking about the project, Gettysburg enthusiasts from around the country responded. Gifts poured in and the initial fundraising goal was surpassed. The excitement and enthusiasm allowed ACHS to dream bigger. As of this month, May 2022, the Society has brought in over $8.5 million with a goal of raising at least $2 million more to complete the project. There is a lot to be excited about. With help from national figures such as Ken Burns, author Jeff Shaara, and filmmaker Jake Boritt, the ACHS team is bringing an experience to Gettysburg like nothing ever imagined. The history center, located north of town, is already under construction; it will include an artifact-packed museum, a research library and archives, and a spacious event center. The museum, Gettysburg Beyond the Battle, will be a must-see for Civil War buffs from around the country. Starting with the early history of Gettysburg and surroundings, the exhibits take a deep dive into the stories of local families during the battle. The feature gallery is an immersive room where visitors will enter a home caught between the Union and Confederate lines. Here, you’ll feel floors shake, hear shells burst overhead, and listen as one family grapples with life-or-death decisions from a dark cellar below. This is just one moment in a museum full of stories and artifacts you’ve never seen or heard before. They are stunning, representing a side of Gettysburg that helps us better understand the significance of the battle and its impact on real people in a small American community. These are the same scenes playing out today in other parts of the world, where innocent civilians, especially children, encounter the horrors of war every day. Beyond the Battle will help visitors understand that it happened here, too. In addition to the museum, ACHS hopes you will take advantage of its frequent program offerings featuring some of Gettysburg’s top historians: Tim Smith, Sue Boardman, and William A. Frassanito, to name just a few. All three are playing key roles in the development of the new history center. ACHS will formally open to the public in 2023, ahead of the summer tourist season. To learn more about the project, please visit achs-pa.org, where you can sign up for our newsletter, program updates, and find information about donating to the new building campaign. Every dollar will be put to good use, so please consider becoming part of this historic effort! Donations can be made online or by mailing checks to ACHS at PO Box 4325, Gettysburg, PA 17325. Other giving options are available on our website https:// www.achs-pa.org. Some of the Society’s rare artifacts, including a bulletridden sign that hung in Gettysburg’s main square in 1863.

An original program from the Gettysburg Address, in the collections of ACHS.