2024 News

Visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center can add the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital to their itinerary throughout the 2024 summer season. The meticulously restored and rehabilitated historic site will be open for visitors to explore Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. until 3:20 p.m. beginning Friday, June 7, 2024. The historic site is open for the summer season through Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024.

Visitors to the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital will have opportunities to see Civil War era encampments, interact with living historians to learn about Civil War medicine and the role of surgeons and caregivers, hear stories of soldiers’ experiences, the humanity of citizens and the Spangler family, and discover the role of civilians during and after the Battle of Gettysburg. Docents will be available on-site to greet visitors and answer questions. Living historians from across the U.S., who provide guests a glimpse of what happened here in 1863, encamp on-site throughout the summer on weekends.

June 2024: Friday, Saturday & Sunday Programming

• 11:15 - 11:45 a.m.      The Spangler Farm in 1863
• 2:00 - 2:45 p.m.          An Army Field Hospital: The George Spangler Farm

Sunday Special Programming

Historic Gettysburg-Adams County (HGAC) will be on-site each Sunday. HGAC interprets the design, construction and use of the stunning expression of an iconic, vernacular architectural form—the Pennsylvania Bank Barn. Representatives of HGAC will discuss the restoration of the George Spangler Farm in the past decade—from a dilapidated structure in danger of collapse to a visage of its original glory, which revived this important, tangible component of American history.

June 2024 Living History Schedule

June 7-9:

• Civil War Historical Impressions: See Union and Confederate soldiers, Gettysburg civilians, generals and surgeons. A Confederate field hospital includes a portrayal of surgeon Hunter McGuire. Guests can walk through the encampments on the grounds of the historic site, interact with living historians and experience history come alive.

June 14-16:

• Blue & Gray Hospital Association: Civil War living history and educational organization teaches the public about Civil War medicine and the roles of caregivers, medical staff, orderlies and ambulance corpsmen, as well as the civilian nurses and field relief.
• The Healing: Conversations Between Nurses North and South: A unique and moving portrayal of women who pioneered professional nursing and served during the American Civil War. True accounts based on diaries and first-person references reflect the profound impact these Civil War nurses had on the soldiers they treated that went beyond the battles and the war.

June 21-23: Closed

June 28-30:

• Civil War Historical Impressions: Living historians portraying approximately 100 Federal troops will be on-site, with wounded and medical personnel around the historic barn and on the grounds of the farm and field hospital. Approximately 20 Confederate wounded soldiers and prisoners will be found n the wagon shed. Five US surgeons along with hospital stewards will be seen caring for the wounded. General Meade and staff will be camped on the grounds. Civilians will be stationed in the summer kitchen and tending to the wounded. Visitors can walk through the encampments on the grounds of the historic site, interact with living historians and experience history come alive.
• Madam Lauer Fashionable Dressmaker: A Civil War reenactor for 26 years portrays a dressmaker in her endeavor to educate the public on several facets of life during the Civil War that are not typically found in school textbooks. A member of the 150th PA Bucktails, Jan attends re-enactments and living histories traveling throughout Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, and has lectured in towns throughout Pennsylvania, including Indiana, State College, Titusville and Gettysburg.

The living history schedules for July and August will be released in the coming months.

Shuttles and admission to the historic site is included with the purchase of a Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience  ticket at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. Visitors also have the option to purchase single shuttle and admission tickets for the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital. Friends of Gettysburg members receive complimentary shuttle and admission tickets to the historic site during summer weekends, Friday through Sunday.

Shuttles depart the Museum & Visitor Center Friday through Sunday every 20 minutes starting at 10 a.m., with the last shuttle departing the Museum & Visitor Center at 1:40 p.m. The last returning shuttle to the Museum & Visitor Center departs the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital at 3:20 p.m. For shuttle and admission tickets, call the Gettysburg Foundation’s Guest Relations team at 877-874-2478 or 717-334-2436 or visit GettysburgFoundation.org.

Updated June 18, 2024.