2026 News

This week, Gettysburg Foundation opened ticket reservations for the 2026 Sacred Trust Talks taking place July 1– 3. Admission is free, and tickets are required for programs on July 1 and July 3 at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center.

On July 2, Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation, in partnership with Seminary Ridge Museum and community organizations, will present special Independence-themed programming in recognition of the nation’s 250^th anniversary. Programs on July 2 will take place at the United Lutheran Seminary Campus.

“We are proud to present programs that challenge, inspire and connect people to the stories that have shaped our nation,” said Britt Isenberg, Vice President of Community and Civic Engagement at Gettysburg Foundation. “Sacred Trust Talks invite audiences to explore the enduring legacies of American independence, the Civil War and the individuals whose courage, sacrifice and leadership continue to inform our understanding of service and civic responsibility today.”

Sacred Trust 2026 presents engaging talks centered on the American Revolution and the Civil War, exploring history, cultural impact and ongoing relevance. The schedule includes the following presenters and topics:

• July 1 Talk – From Pangea to Pennsylvania: The Geological Battle Beneath the Battlefield 
  Jesse Reimink, Ph.D. and Chris Bolhuis 
  6:30–7:30 p.m., Museum & Visitor Center

• July 2 Talk & Book Signing – A Hell of a Regiment: How the Twentieth Maine Created Their Gettysburg Story 
  Jared Peatman, Ph.D.; moderated by Codie Eash, Seminary Ridge Museum
  2 p.m., United Lutheran Seminary Chapel (directly next to Seminary Ridge Museum)  
• July 2 The Great Anniversary Festival: A July 2^nd Independence Celebration at Seminary Ridge 

Reading of The Declaration of Independence by Codie Eash, Seminary Ridge Museum
6:30-7 p.m., United Lutheran Seminary Chapel (directly next to Seminary Ridge Museum)

Panel on Historical Legacy
Tom McMillan, Jake Wynn, Erin Pearce, Dan Vermilya; Moderated by Judy Morley, Ph.D.
7:30-8:30 p.m., United Lutheran Seminary Chapel (directly next to Seminary Ridge Museum) 

Screening of “Independence” (HBO miniseries, John Adams) – Supported by the Gettysburg Film Commission 
9–11 p.m., United Lutheran Seminary Chapel (directly next to Seminary Ridge Museum)

• July 3 Talk – Above and Beyond: The Legacy of the Medal of Honor
  Featuring Medal of Honor recipient, Dwight W. Birdwell with Jessica Loring, author, and Maranda Wilkinson, Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center; Moderated by Dan Vermilya, Eisenhower National Historic Site

6:30–7:30 p.m., Museum & Visitor Center

Sacred Trust Book Signings will take place daily, July 1–4 at the Museum Book Store in the Museum & Visitor Center. Featured authors will be available during daytime hours on the following schedule:

Visit GettysburgFoundation.org/Sacred-Trust for updates on the schedule of book signings.

The July 2 free programs will take place in partnership with Seminary Ridge Museum at the United Lutheran Seminary Campus and no tickets are necessary. Programs will take place indoors - United Lutheran Seminary Chapel (directly next to Seminary Ridge Museum). CJ’s Food Truck will be on site.

Free, required tickets for the July 1 and July 3 talks at the Museum & Visitor Center are now available. Ticket reservations are limited to four per transaction and are expected to go quickly. Reservations are strongly encouraged and available at GettysburgFoundation.org/Sacred-Trust. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sacred Trust 2026 complements ongoing programming at the Museum & Visitor Center, the Seminary Ridge Museum and Gettysburg National Military Park’s Battle Anniversary observances. Complete schedules, presenter biographies and program details are available at GettysburgFoundation.org/Sacred-Trust.

Updated June 29, 2026