It’s natural that most folks, upon hearing any mention of “Gettysburg” tend to think of the significant role the quaint community played during the American Civil War. That is, after all, the borough’s most enduring historical claim to fame. But what about all that other Gettysburg history predating the Civil War? More often than not it gets overshadowed, overlooked, and remains in complete obscurity. That’s why in this Flashback Friday Feature, I’m shedding a little light on Gettysburg’s foundational history before the Civil War.
Precolonial Times
Thousands of years before European colonization came to the New World, Native Americans inhabited much of the region. Many lived in the area that is now Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, specifically. However, the vast majority had moved on long before the first Europeans settled here.
Several animals that are no longer known to frequent the area also roamed these parts in great abundance at one time. Such creatures included the lynx, cougar, wolf, wolverine, and even the moose, among other diverse animal species.
Early Settlement
It was in 1736 that the Penn family first authorized European settlement on the land that would later comprise Adams County. One of the area’s early settlers, Samuel Gettys, even established a tavern in these parts, in 1761. It was just 25 years later in 1786 that his son, James Gettys, went on to lay out an entire town. This included 210 lots consisting of a central town square on the property surrounding the original tavern. As a result, both commerce and town population increased dramatically throughout the region around this time.
The Formation of Adams County
Before 1790, Gettysburg was considered part of York County. But with all the rapid growth throughout the area, it was eventually decided that a new county would be established. Named for the current present at the time, John Adams, the newly formed “Adams County” was approved by the state legislature in 1800. Gettysburg was eventually chosen as the official county seat.
Made Into a Borough
On March 10, 1806, Gettysburg was incorporated as a Borough under the Pennsylvania Constitution. The first elections here took place on May 7 of that year with the borough’s first official Council Meeting being held in the home of William McClellan on May 21, 1806. Reynolds Ramsey was elected as the first Mayor of Gettysburg, with George Kerr serving as President of the Council. Emanuel Ziegler, James Dobbin, Walter Smith, and William Garvin were all named Members of the Borough Council. James Gettys served as Town Clerk and Treasurer.
Growth as a Community
The community continued to thrive and grow throughout the first half of the 19th century and beyond. The year 1826 saw the founding of the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Then, just a few short years later in 1832, Gettysburg College was established. Another broadening community development that took place was the construction of the Gettysburg Railroad. A line connecting Gettysburg to Hanover was completed in 1858, and the Gettysburg Railroad Station officially opened in 1859.
By 1860 Gettysburg boasted somewhere around 250 buildings, serving multiple purposes in business and commerce. These included tanneries, carriage manufacturing operations, shoemaker shops, stores, banks, taverns, educational institutions, and more. By this time the town was also home to 2,400 citizens.
Of course, it was the prominence and outcome of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg three years later during the American Civil War that went on to seal the town’s renown in the history books. But the records continue to show that Gettysburg has historically boasted so many other claims to fame both before and since the Civil War. The community’s later prominence in furniture manufacturing throughout the early 1900s, for instance, is not by any means common knowledge to most folks today.
For better or worse, Gettysburg’s fame and popularity today are forever intertwined with Civil War history. But like all communities, both popular and obscure alike, there is an intricate foundational past that is up for consideration as well. That past, no matter how lackluster it may appear in the shadow of the bigger picture of popularity, is equally worth learning more about and exploring in depth. Every place has more than just one unique story to tell, and Gettysburg offers the perfect example.