Overnight in Gettysburg Part I
One of our favorite places to visit is Gettysburg, PA. Steeped in history, this town offers something for everyone. This will be broken down into two parts to do justice to all the locations and businesses we visited. But what did we do while we were there? Read on to find out.
Brief history lesson
The town of Gettysburg is more than the site of a famous Civil War battle. The land that comprises the center of Adams county was purchased in 1736 by the William Penn family. Settlers moved in and began farming.
In 1761 Samuel Getty established a tavern. Twenty five years later, Samuel’s son James laid out a town of 210 lots with a central town square. By 1860 Gettysburg was the county seat and a bustling town consisting of ten roads and a railroad. The town then had approximately 450 buildings consisting of shoe makers, tanneries, merchants, banks, taverns and several educational institutions.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee was tired of fighting in the south, especially in his home state of Virginia. He made the decision to take the war to the North. He began leading his armies north early in the summer of 1863. On July 1, 1863 the two armies met at Gettysburg. What ensued was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War.
Fighting lasted three days and resulted in casualties estimated up to 51,000 men. Casualties include dead, wounded and missing. There were also around 3,500 horses and mules killed in the battle. One civilian, Jenny Wade, was accidentally killed as well.
Gettysburg transforms from town to National Park
Once fighting ended and the Confederate army withdrew on July 4th, the town was left tending to the dead and wounded. The Soldiers’ National Cemetery was created and dedicated on November 19th, 1863. President Abraham Lincoln delivered the now famous Gettysburg Address.
In 1864 a group of citizens founded the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association to preserve portions of the battlefield. The Association transfered over their holdings to the federal government in 1895. It was then designated as a National Military Park and a Federally appointed commission began to oversee the park’s development. The commission consisted of Civil War Veterans. The goal of the commission was to develop a memorial to both armies by identifying and marking the lines of the battles.
Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior, National Park Service during 1933. The National Park Service continues in its mission to protect, preserve and interpret the Battle of Gettysburg.
Our Gettysburg Trip
Where did we stay?
This trip we stayed at The Dobbin House. Around 1774 Reverand Alexander Dobbin purchased 300 acres and built his home. Rev. Dobbin helped establish Adams County and Gettysburg as the the county seat. His house was large to hold his many children. He also built a secrect crawl space to hide runaway slaves, establishing his house as a stop on the Underground Railroad. After the battle, his home served as a hospital.
Our room was located in the Leister House, located next to the Historic Dobbin House Tavern. The Leister House has a fascinating history. To read more about it’s history, visit here.
The bed was very comfortable and the room was very spacious. Our breakfast was delicious. We would definitely recommend a stay at the Dobbin House.
Where did we eat?
Country Fox ate at three restaurants during our visit. We ate lunch at The Garryowen Irish Pub upon our arrival inn town. We ate dinner at the Dobbin House Tavern that night. Before we left we ate at Hoof, Fin and Fowl.
The Garryowen Irish Pub
The only Irish-owned pub in Gettysburg, the Garryowen offers a wide variety of food including several authentic Irish dishes. GO also has a selection of 120 Irish whiskies. We have eaten here many times. I ate a Reuben and fries and Jason had a Garryowen Banger Sandwich.
Dobbin House Tavern
The Dobbin House offers fine dining in their dining rooms and casual dining in the Springhouse Tavern. We opted for the Tavern. We have eaten in the Springhouse Tavern many times. They have a nice selection of sandwiches. Jason ordered a Crabcake Sandwich and I went for a Blackened Chicken Sandwhich. Both were tasty.
The Hoof, Fin and Fowl
The Hoof, Fin and Fowl opened a few years ago. They offer refined casual dining. The menu has some unique items not found in other restaurants in the area. They offer seasonal fair, so their menu is always rotating. While they offer some unique meals, they also have some tried and true favorites. I ordered the Fish and Chip plate. Jason ordered the Duck Breast and Goat Cheese Flatbread. Both were very good. This was our first stop here, but we would definitely eat here again.
Thus ends Part I
So far, dear reader, you have learned a small amount of history of the town. You have seen where we stayed and places we have eaten. In my next post, I will take you to a few of our favorite sight seeing locations. Each one will contain a picture and a small amount of history. Then I will give a quick overview of a few stores in which we like to shop.