Visitors to Gettysburg are immersed in history. On just three days in July 1863, more than 51,000 soldiers lost their lives, in and around the Pennsylvania town just north of the Mason-Dixon Line, in what was to become the Civil War’s bloodiest battle. Hundreds of original buildings and landmarks have been preserved as a result and many believe they aren’t the only remains of the past.
Countless well-documented books and documentaries recount personal experiences, real stories of hauntings, over the last century and a half since the infamous battle, in and around Gettysburg. Many visitors’ photographs capture orbs, ghosts, and other unexplained phenomenon, arousing further popularity in Gettysburg ghost hunts.
Ghosts of Gettysburg
Most Gettysburg ghost tours are conducted at night by the light of candles or lamps, led by staff in traditional Civil War-era dress, both throughout the town and on the battlefield. Many tours are based on book series’ such as Ghosts of Gettysburg and Haunted Gettysburg. For the most part, tours are conducted year-round with special events scheduled during peak season. Reservations are recommended to avoid disappointment.
Favorite Gettysburg Haunted Places
The center of Gettysburg contains a town square from which four primary routes extend. Although the town does not sit on the Gettysburg National Military Park battlefield, much of the fighting spilled over into its streets.
Baltimore Street sites of interest include the courthouse and church which both served, as hospitals for thousands of wounded and dying soldiers. Another favorite is the Jenny Wade House. There, Gettysburg’s only civilian casualty was claimed, the third day of battle, in the kitchen while baking bread for Union troops. Bullet holes can still be seen in the door.
Carlisle Street takes visitors on campus at Gettysburg College where elevator doors opened to show faculty the scene of a Civil War hospital, complete with the surgeon inviting them to help. Actors also frequently report seeing The General during theatre productions.
Robert E. Lee's headquarters can be found along Seminary Ridge where buildings of the Lutheran Seminary served as hospitals and the grounds were temporary burial plots.
Steinwehr Avenue is home to the National Cemetery, site of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and final resting place for more than 3,500 Union soldiers. Nearby, the Soldier’s National Museum is another spirit hot spot. Once an orphanage, it housed children whose fathers perished in battle. Just down the street, the oldest building in Gettysburg and a stop on the Underground Railroad, the Dobbin House, also boasts paranormal activity.
The adventurous can go to the site of Hospital Woods as well as the ill-fated field of Pickett's Charge on the Codori Farm, or visit nearby Sachs Covered Bridge, where three Confederate soldiers were hung. Other areas include Devil’s Den and the grove next to Culp’s Hill, considered two of the most haunted places on the battlefield.
The Farnsworth House: One of America's Most Haunted Inns
Documented on A&E and Travel Channel, the Farnsworth House on Baltimore Street has a reputation for great food, hospitality, and a haunting or two. Their book documents 14 spirits over a period of 200 years including Civil War soldiers, a nurse, a mischievous little boy, and a curious calico cat.
Tours include nightly ghost hunts with high-tech night vision sensors, thermal digital recorders, and infrared viewers. Traditional candlelight walks also are available. A trip to the attic reveals where Confederate sharpshooters spent time during the battle, and continue to do so.
A unique attraction is the Mourning Theatre in the basement of the Farnsworth House. The turn-of-the-century, Victorian viewing parlor presentation tells tales of 1863 by candlelight.
Information on ghost tours, the battlefield, attractions, books, and the general area can be found by contacting the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Debbie Henry - Debbie Henry has been writing and editing for more than 23 years, most recently as a publications designer/editor at a state university. ...
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