1. Little and Big Round Top from the Valley of Death Then & Now

From this angle, it is easy to see why many soldiers called Little Round Top, ‘the mountain’. With its steep incline and rocky ground, one can only imagine how daunting it would be to try and ascend the slopes while under fire. On July 2, the Union army would gain the upper hand with their claim on this valuable piece of geography.

• A grassy field facing a large hill with grass on its front side. A line of trees follows the summit of the hill with a larger tree-covered hill to the left.

140th New York Infantry Regiment Monument

• The granite monument stands just over eight and one half feet high at the spot where Colonel Patrick O’Rorke was killed. The Maltese Cross symbol of the Fifth Corps in incised into its front cap. Bronze tablets are set into each side and a bronze bas-relief of Colonel O’Rorke is set into the front of the monument.

16th Michigan Infantry Regiment Monument

• The monument to the 16th Michigan Infantry Regiment is on the southwest slope of Little Round Top. It is a granite monument that rests on top of a medium sized boulder. The monument has a design on its cap of a carved relief of a rifle below the Maltese Cross symbol of the Fifth Corps surrounded by laurel leaves. The Michigan State Seal is on a bronze tablet in the center of the front.

1st Massachusetts Battery Monument

This artillery, along with the other cannons and monuments located throughout the cemetery, not only mark the specific locations of US artillery and infantry during the fighting, but also reflect the importance of Cemetery Hill during all three days of the battle. This high, open hill dominated the surrounding countryside in 1863. By posting artillery here, the US Army could control a large part of the battlefield.

1st New Jersey Cavalry Monument

Discovering no sign of Stuart, the 1st New Jersey Cavalry moved forward around 2 pm from the Lott House to this position to investigate Rummel’s Woods. Within moments, dismounted Confederates from Brig. Gen. Albert Jenkins’ Virginia Brigade appeared from behind the Rummel house and barn, formed a line and opened fire. The US troops held their ground and repelled the Confederates.

20th Maine Infantry Regiment Monument

• A stone monument on the southeast side of Little Round Top. The monument has various engravings. On the front of the monument: Twentieth Maine, Volunteer Infantry, Third Brig. First Div., Fifth Corps. The right side has a description of the historical event that took place near the monument and the left and rear have the names of the officers and individuals who fought as part of the regiment.

20th Massachusetts Monument

44th New York Infantry Monument

• A large stone monument, 44 feet high and 12 feet wide, rests on the side of a hill near large groups of boulders. The monument features a staircase that gives it a "castle" like appearance.

5th United States Artillery, Battery D (Hazlett's Battery) Monument

• A stone monument about five feet tall stands next to cannon on the summit of Little Round Top.

69th Pennsylvania Monument

This monument to the 69th Pennsylvania, dedicated in 1887, is unique in that it is the only regimental monument on the field to include markers for each of the ten companies in the regiment. The company markers are connected to each other by a chain to symbolize that the 69th’s line bent, but did not break, during Pickett’s Charge.

72nd Pennsylvania Monument

During Pickett’s Charge, after Confederates drove the 71st Pennsylvania from the Angle, the 72nd advanced and came under heavy fire. The regiment remained in this position and suffered heavy losses. In 1888, the veterans of the 72nd requested permission to place a monument near the stone wall. After some controversy about the monument's placement, in was erected and remains one of the more evocative monuments on this part of the field.

91st Pennsylvania Monument – 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Then & Now

Veterans of the 91st Pennsylvania infantry and friends pose for a photo in front of the regiment’s monument during the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in July, 1913. Erected in 1889, the monument honors those from this regiment who fought and sacrificed their lives at Gettysburg. The regiment brought with it 258 men to the field—of those, 3 were killed and 16 were wounded.

• A tall stone monument seated on gravel with a valley of leafy trees behind.

ANNIVERSARY ATTENDEES LOUNGE ON THE PENNSYLVANIA MEMORIAL STAIRS Then & Now

The Pennsylvania Memorial was dedicated in 1910 and stands 110 feet tall, making it the largest monument at Gettysburg. A spiral staircase inside the northwest column takes visitors to the top of the monument where a sweeping view of the battlefield can be seen. On the base and interior of the memorial are bronze tablets which list the regiments and batteries that fought at Gettysburg. There are also two statues on each side of the memorial—these include notable figures such

• A view of the granite staircase leading to the Pennsylvania monument from the upper landing. Cannons and monuments sit past the stairs.

Abraham Brian Farm

The home of Abraham Brian sits along the northern end of Cemetery Ridge. The area around the farm would become the scene of heavy fighting on July 3, 1863. Abraham Brian and his family were part of the African American community of Gettysburg. The family left their home when Confederate troops entered Pennsylvania, fearing capture and enslavement. Following the battle, they returned to find their home greatly damaged by war.

Battery L, 1st Ohio Artillery Monument

This monument stands on the position of Battery L of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery who defended the northern slope of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863

• A rectangular granite monument with carved cannonballs on top. Inscribed with information about the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery L who fought on Little Round Top on July 2nd and 3rd 1863.

Battery M, 2nd US Artillery Marker

On the morning of July 3, this ground was occupied by a brigade of four Michigan regiments and a battery of horse artillery under the command of newly promoted Brig. Gen. George A. Custer.

Bivouac of the Dead Plaque

This plaque is one of many dotted throughout the cemetery that contains lines from the poem, "Bivouac of the Dead."

CONFEDERATE “SHARPSHOOTER” IN ORIGINAL LOCATION NEAR DEVIL’S DEN Then & Now

This photograph, taken by Alexander Gardner's assistant Timothy O'Sullivan, depicts a dead Confederate soldier at the likely location of his death on the western side of Devil’s Den. The body of this soldier would be moved by the photographers from this location to another one some 40 yards away, where he would become the subject of one of Gettysburg’s most indelible images.

• A large boulder seated on other smaller boulders in a grassy field.

Confederate Dead Near the Edge of the Rose Woods, Gardner Stereo #256 Then & Now

Another image from Gardner and O’Sullivan’s Rose Woods series. By comparing the bodies, one can see that the first Then & Now photograph of the same group was taken just a few steps northeast of this photo, facing west. The photographers’ darkroom wagon can be seen in the background of the original photo.

• A grassy field with a leafy tree line on the right. Boulders lay scattered in the field to the right and to the distant left.

Confederate Dead near Plum Run in the Slaughter Pen Then & Now

This photograph depicts two dead Confederate soldiers in the Slaughter Pen. Years of weather and traffic have shifted some of the rocks in this area, but enough has remained unchanged that the location can be easily determined. The terms “Slaughter Pen” and “Devil’s Den” were often used interchangeably following the battle, making some photographs difficult to place based on title alone.

• Boulders sit in a grassy field with a large hill in the background. A small wooden bridge sits just past the boulders in the field.

Confederate Dead near the Edge of the Rose Woods, Gardner Stereo #235 Then & Now

Another image from Gardner and O’Sullivan’s Rose Woods series, this photograph depicts a group of Confederate dead gathered for burial. These men were likely from either Georgia or South Carolina regiments, which fought in and around the Rose Woods on July 2, 1863.

• A grassy field with a dense leafy tree line past it. A wooden fence sits tucked in the woods with boulders scattered in the grass.

Confederate Dead near the Edge of the Rose Woods, Gardner Stereo #257 Then & Now

This photo was one of a series of well-known photographs taken by Timothy O’Sullivan and Alexander Gardner on July 5 or 6, 1863, near the edge of the Rose Woods. The dead soldier nearest to boulder is lying in a shallow grave.

• A grassy field with a few scattered leafy trees in the distance. A large boulder sits to the left.

Confederate “Sharpshooter” near Devil’s Den, Gardner Stereo #263 Then & Now

There were six separate images produced by Gardner and O’Sullivan of this “sharpshooter” on July 5 or 6, 1863. At a time when a single photograph required time and expensive materials to produce, there must have been something about this particular body which captured the photographers’ attention. Notably, the man’s youthful features and the lack of gore on the body present a somewhat sanitized and romanticized version of death at Gettysburg.

• A grassy field with a few boulders sticking out of the field.

Cress Ridge

From this commanding position on Cress Ridge, General Stuart prepared his cavalry and artillery to attack Gregg’s and Custer’s position. Stuart arranged his 19 regiments, numbering 5,000 in a line behind and to the northeast of Rummel’s Woods to keep them hidden from enemy scouts.

Culp's Hill Observation Tower

From the top of the Culp’s Hill Observation Tower you can view most of the battlefield. To the north and west, across from town, is the First Day’s Battlefield. To the west and south is the United States position, from the Round Tops, up Cemetery Ridge, to Cemetery Hill and the Gettysburg National Cemetery, and into town. Across the field from Cemetery Ridge is the Confederate position at Seminary Ridge.

• This steel tower is sixty feet high. It is sixteen foot square at the platform railing and twenty-five foot square at the base. It has pier foundations, a steel platform, and a hip roof.

Cyclorama Focal Point Wayside Exhibit

French artist Paul D. Philippoteaux visited the Gettysburg battlefield in the spring of 1882 and hired William Tipton, a local photographer, to shoot a series of landscape photographs from this location. The final painting, which depicts Pickett's Charge, is a monumental work that enabled people to envision the battle in an immersive environment. Today, the cyclorama is on display in the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center.

David Wills House

The home of Gettysburg attorney David Wills was the center of the immense clean-up process after the Battle of Gettysburg and where President Lincoln put the finishing touches on his Gettysburg Address, the speech that transformed Gettysburg from a place of death and devastation to the symbol of our nation's "new birth of freedom."

Devil's Den

Devil's Den illustrates how the geology and topography of the land itself profoundly influenced the battle. Devil's Den is a rock outcrop located between the main Federal and Confederate lines during the Battle of Gettysburg. The boulders here were hotly contested on July 2, 1863, when fighting swirled around this spot.

EVERGREEN CEMETERY GATEHOUSE Then & Now

The Evergreen Cemetery Gatehouse, built in 1855, stands at the summit of Cemetery Hill. The house was used to shelter wounded and suffered damage from the fighting that raged in front of it on the evening of July 2. On the night of July 1, Elizabeth Thorn, wife of then-absent cemetery caretaker Peter Thorn, served supper to General Sickles, General Slocum and General Howard. Photographer Matthew Brady photographed the gate house approximately two weeks after the battle.

• Three cannons sit in a grassy field with a monument to the right. A brick building with an open archway in the middle and a white porch to the left sits across a road.

East Cemetery Hill

At dusk on July 2, 1863, US forces repelled a Confederate assault that reached the crest of this hill. By day’s end, the Army of Northern Virginia had attacked both flanks of the Army of the Potomac, but did not break through the US lines.

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site preserves the farm of General and 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield, the farm served the president and first lady as a weekend retreat and as a meeting place for world leaders. With its peaceful setting and view of South Mountain, it was a respite from Washington, DC, and a backdrop for efforts to reduce Cold War tensions.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Gettysburg

This electric vehicle charging station located at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is available for public use.

• These charging stations have 4 parking spaces, 2 near a DC Fast Charging station and 2 near the AC Level 2 charging station.

Eternal Light Peace Memorial

The Eternal Light Peace Memorial sits atop Oak Hill on the First Day's Battlefield. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the memorial in 1938, on the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Fortifications on Little Round Top Then & Now

Little Round Top was not only a valuable defense point because of its height, but also because of its natural geography. The ‘mountain’, as some soldiers called it, was littered with large boulders which provided Union soldiers shelter from Confederate bullets. The three large boulders in this photograph would have given protection to the soldiers taking aim from behind them. Temporary stone walls would have been easy to build with the vast number of rocks nearby.

• Boulders stacked on top of each other with a gravel path in front of them. Leafy trees sit just behind the stack of large rocks.

Gardner & O'Sullivan: Confederate “Sharpshooter” in Original Location near Devil’s Den Then & Now

This photograph, taken by Alexander Gardner's assistant Timothy O'Sullivan, depicts a dead Confederate soldier at the likely location of his death on the western side of Devil’s Den. The body of this soldier would be moved by the photographers from this location to another one some 40 yards away, where he would become the subject of one of Gettysburg’s most indelible images.

• Large boulders sit in a grassy field with a hill of trees in the background.

General George Meade Equestrian Statue

The equestrian statue of United States General George Gordon Meade, mounted on his favorite horse, “Old Baldy,” depicts the “quiet, resourceful commander” of the Army of the Potomac.

Gettysburg National Cemetery Entrance

The Gettysburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for over 3,500 United States soldiers who lost their lives at the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as 3,307 post Civil-War United States soldiers and veterans. The cemetery is famous throughout the world as the site of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, delivered at the cemetery’s dedication ceremony four and a half months after the battle.

Gouverneur K. Warren Monument – 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Then & Now

General Gouverneur Kemble Warren was Chief Engineer of the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Gettysburg. His monument stands on a large boulder at the summit of Little Round Top. Warren recognized how valuable Little Round Top was for the Union Army’s line on Cemetery Ridge, and discovering it unoccupied, directed Colonel Strong Vincent’s brigade to the hill’s defense followed later by General Stephen Weed’s brigade.

• A bronze statue of Gouverneur Warren sits atop a boulder. Behind the monument are leafy trees and other boulders.

Grave of Charles Parker, Gettysburg National Cemetery Section 1

HOME OF BASIL BIGGS & FAMILY Then & Now

Basil Biggs was a free African-American who made Gettysburg his home in 1858. With the approach of Confederate troops before the battle, Biggs, his wife Mary and their seven children, fled town. Biggs and his family returned soon after the battle ended and worked to repair damage to his property and that of John Fisher, whose farm on the Taneytwon Road would become Biggs’ home that fall. Biggs was hired to work the exhumation of Union dead from battlefield graves for burial.

• A two-lane road with a stone home to the left and a red barn to the right partially blocked by a green leafy tree.

High Water Mark Monument and Copse of Trees

High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument Then & Now

Dedicated in 1892, the High Water Mark of the Rebellion monument represents both the Union and Confederate units that took part in Pickett’s Charge on the third day of battle. It sits in front of the Copse of Trees on Cemetery Ridge.

• A large metal monument in the shape of a book on top of a granite pedestal with trees and a wrought iron fence behind it.

In the Footsteps of the 4th Texas Infantry

• The winding dirt trail leading up to the 16th Michigan stone monument goes through the rocky slopes of Little Round Top. This follows the perspective the advancing Texas and Alabama regiments would have followed during the battle for Little Round Top.

Jimmie Pickett

Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area

The Journey is a unique historic, natural and scenic region, with farms and orchards; woodlands and forests; rivers and streams; rolling hills and mountain views; and unspoiled landscapes that can be explored by car, bike, canoe, foot or on horseback The region is alive with vibrant historic downtowns, rich agriculture and an abundant bounty of wineries, inns and unique cultural events.

Lincoln Address Memorial

The Lincoln Address Memorial commemorates the Gettysburg Address. It is one of the few memorials in the world dedicated to honor a speech. The bronze bust of Lincoln, by sculptor Henry Bush-Brown, reveals the heavy toll the war and the nation’s suffering had upon him. Inscribed in bronze on the right is the Gettysburg Address. On the left is the letter Lincoln received inviting him to speak at Gettysburg.

Little Round Top

On July 2, 1863, US General Dan Sickles left Little Round Top open, exposing the Federal line along Cemetery Ridge to Confederate attack. Quick actions by Brigadier General Gouverneur K. Warren alerted US officers to the threat and brought reinforcements to defend this high ground. The fighting here on July 2 became some of the most famous of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Lutheran Theological Seminary Then & Now

Built in 1832, the Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary was the first Lutheran seminary in the country. Students studied for the ministry and religious education and continues to operate today. The ridge where the seminary was built would be named Seminary Ridge and this prominent location would become the jumping off point for thousands of Confederate soldiers throughout the battle. Schmucker Hall was used to house wounded from both armies during and after the battle.

• A grassy field with a large red brick building with a tall white cupola in the distance. A few leafy trees sit on either side of the building in the distance.

Lydia Leister Farm: Meade's Headquarters

This was the home of Lydia Leister and her four children in 1863. During the Battle of Gettysburg, US General George G. Meade established his headquarters here, and from this location coordinated the the Army of the Potomac's response to Confederate offenses on July 2 and 3, 1863. After the battle Mrs. Leister repaired the property and lived here until 1888.

McPherson Farm Then & Now

The Edward McPherson Farm, which lies west of town, was the scene of heavy fighting on the first day of battle, July 1, 1863. While Confederate General Henry Heth’s Division advanced towards Gettysburg against defending Union cavalry commanded by General John Buford, Union reinforcements from General John Reynolds’ First Corps arrived. The fields swarmed with soldiers of opposing forces and the McPherson barn quickly became a sanctuary for the wounded.

• A grassy field with a stone and white siding building to the left. A few leafy trees block the building's view from the field.

David Wills House

• David Wills House
• The home of Gettysburg attorney David Wills was the center of the immense clean-up process after the Battle of Gettysburg and where President Lincoln put the finishing touches on his Gettysburg Address. The museum features six galleries, including two rooms that have been restored to their 1863 appearance: Wills' office, where he planned for a Soldiers' National Cemetery after the battle; and the bedroom where Lincoln stayed and prepared the Gettysburg Address. Admission to the Wills House is free.

Museum and Visitor Center

• Museum and Visitor Center
• Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your visit to the battlefield. Here you will learn how to visit the park and what to see around Gettysburg. For visitor safety, all bags are subject to inspection. Bags prohibited inside the Museum & Visitor Center building include cooler bags, luggage, and bags with wheels. The Museum and Visitor Center is privately owned and operated by the Gettysburg Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service.

• Eisenhower Ranger Programs
• Join Eisenhower National Historic Site Park Rangers for free tours of the Eisenhower home and other engaging and free ranger programming in Gettysburg.

• Campfire Programs at Gettysburg
• Rangers present evening campfire talks on a wide variety of topics on the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War. Programs take place at 8:30 PM at the Pitzer Woods Amphitheater, near Auto Tour Stop #6.

• Ranger Programs at Gettysburg
• Spring Ranger Programs have been scheduled and are every Saturday and Sunday from April 26 through June 1, 2025. Our Summer program schedule will be announced soon. We will update our website and social media platforms once all details are ready. Thank you for your patience.

• Gettysburg Living History Schedule
• From the roar of artillery to the flash of bayonets, living history demonstrations at Gettysburg National Military Park help bring the past to life. On select days, Civil War living historians encamp on the Gettysburg battlefield. Explore their camps, interact with these knowledgeable historians, and witness as they demonstrate the tools, tactics, and firepower of the two armies that waged war across these now hallowed fields.

• Gettysburg Battle Walks
• Throughout the Summer, Gettysburg National Military Park staff lead special battle walks that explore aspects of the history of the battlefield in more detail than the usual daily ranger programs. Our 2025 Summer program schedules will be announced soon. We will update our website and social media platforms once all details are ready. Thank you for your patience.

• 3D Virtual Tours
• Want to take a virtual behind the scenes tour of historic buildings at Eisenhower National Historic Site and Gettysburg National Military Park? Access our 3D Virtual Tours here. 

• Eisenhower Junior Ranger Program
• Become a Junior Ranger at Eisenhower National Historic Site!

• Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center
• The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is the place to begin your visit to the battlefield. Here visitors will find information on how to visit the park and what to see around Gettysburg. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is privately owned & operated by the Gettysburg Foundation (in partnership with the National Park Service).

• Horseback Riding Trails at Gettysburg
• Horseback Riding tours on the southern half of the Gettysburg Battlefield

• Gettysburg Junior Ranger Program
• Discover the history of Gettysburg National Military Park through the Junior Ranger Program, a project for our young visitors to have fun while they learn about the importance and and history that is Gettysburg. The Junior Ranger program is an opportunity for children to apply what they discover on their visit to Gettysburg to make their visit one they will not soon forget!

• Bike Rules and Regulations on the Battlefield
• Biking

Auto Tour of Gettysburg

The complete 24-mile auto tour starts at the visitor center and ends at the National Cemetery. The route follows the major events in the 3-day battle and gives an overview of the actions that took place here, in what would become one of the most significant battles of the Civil War. Allow a minimum of 3 hours to complete the tour.

Cemetery Ridge Walking Tour at Gettysburg

The Cemetery Ridge trail will take approximately 90 minutes to complete and is slightly over one mile in distance. It will take you from the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center to Cemetery Ridge, where the center of the front line of the Union Army of the Potomac was located from the evening of July 1 through July 3, 1863. Heavy fighting occurred along the ridge on July 2, and on July 3, it was the scene of “Pickett’s Charge,” which determined the outcome of the battle.

East Cavalry Battlefield Auto Tour at Gettysburg

On July 3rd, 1863, Union Cavalry were sent east of town to prevent Confederate Cavalry from attacking the Union right flank. This tour will cover the action between J.E.B Stuart's Cavalry and Union Cavalry under the command of Brigadier General George Custer and Brigadier General David Gregg.

Gettysburg National Cemetery Walking Tour

This tour of the Gettysburg National Cemetery starts at the Taneytown Road entrance. You may follow the path from the Visitor Center to this point or park at the Cemetery parking area adjacent to the Taneytown Road. From the parking lot follow the short walking path up the hill and carefully cross the Taneytown Road to enter the Cemetery. Please be wary of vehicular traffic. The principal tour consists of five main stops (although you are encouraged to explore other elements of the cemetery at your leisure)

Little Round Top Tour

This trail guide will take you through the scene of heavy fighting on July 2, 1863. The battle waged across these boulder strewn slopes helped decide the outcome of the clash at Gettysburg. During your tour, please help us preserve and protect the battlefield. Please do not climb or sit on monuments, markers, wayside exhibits, stone walls, or cannons. Monuments and cannon mark positions and honor great sacrifices.

On Freedom’s Tenuous Edge: Gettysburg’s African American Community Before, During & Immediately After the Battle

On this narrated audio tour, you will discover stories from the Gettysburg Campaign and Battle that have been relatively under told; stories of Black men, women, and children whose lives were forever changed by the events of the summer of 1863. Along the way, you will discover the many ways in which African Americans impacted and were impacted by the Battle of Gettysburg. This tour consists of six stops and covers approximately one mile of ground, some of which is uneven and some of which is uphill.