The George Spangler Farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has two upcoming Family Farm Day events to take note of. The first one’s coming up this weekend, August 30, in conjunction with Labor Day.
Presented by the Gettysburg Foundation as a free, family-friendly event, Saturday’s fun follies will all get underway at 10 a.m. sharp. Throughout the day, visitors of all ages and interests are more than welcome to explore the 80-acre scenic farm for some low-key, self-paced touring.
Living history demonstrations, knowledgeable historians, and numerous ongoing activities will carry you through the day. You’ll also find no shortage of educational demonstrations and other enticing hands-on experiences. Features to look forward to include presentations by the Officers & Ladies for the Union. Vintage games and doll-making will be presented by Colonel Roberts, and Lucy Cadwallader will be on the scene for demonstrations of Victorian hair jewelry.
The main event ends at 3 p.m., but take note of another free Family Farm Day slated for October 11 in honor of Columbus Day weekend. Specific features for this fall folly include Civil War medicine with the Blue & Gray Hospital Association, meet and greets with the Detachment US Engineers and the Officers & Ladies for the Union, and a reprisal of vintage games and doll-making with Colonel Roberts.
While each event provides distinguishable, unique experiences for attending visitors, both incorporate commonalities to be enjoyed across the board. These include non-firing cannon demos, a Civil War Wheeling (Rosecrans) ambulance on display, talks by Historic Gettysburg Adams County (HGAC) on barn preservation, and delicious ice cream from Mr. G’s—a hometown classic among highly sought-after contending local dessert treats.
The George Spangler Farm stands out today as one of the best-preserved field hospitals from the Battle of Gettysburg. Both during and after the 1863 Battle, the once-modest farm was transformed into a bustling Union Army field hospital, caring for over 1,900 wounded soldiers from both sides. In addition to serving as a field hospital, the grounds also fulfilled the role of artillery and ammunition reserve, provost, and even that of a temporary cemetery.
Thanks to the Gettysburg Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site, the George Spangler Farm has been meticulously maintained, all the way down to the original buildings. This allows visitors a unique, transcendent opportunity to look through a window into the past and learn firsthand about the history that unfolded here.
The Gettysburg Foundation is comprised of community professionals, volunteers, philanthropists, and members of Friends of Gettysburg. As a committed team, they are dedicated to acquiring and preserving authentic battlefield lands, artifacts, and buildings, while improving the visitor experience and educating the public about the significance and relevance of Gettysburg then and now. In addition to preserving the George Spangler Farm, the Gettysburg Foundation operates the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in partnership with the National Park Service at Gettysburg. They’re also the ones behind the Children of Gettysburg Museum, Ticket to the Past—Unforgettable Journeys, and others.
In addition to the aforementioned Family Fun Days happening at the George Spangler Farm, the site plays host to several other great seasonal events and activities.
This weekend’s Family Farm Day will begin at 9 a.m. and run through 3 p.m. Admission is free, with limited parking available onsite at 488 Blacksmith Shop Road, Gettysburg. For more information, visit the website.