The Dobbin House Tavern will celebrate both the 250th anniversary of the historic 1776 Dobbin House and the 250th anniversary of the United States with a community Independence Day celebration on Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event, presented in partnership with the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution, will take place at the Dobbin House Tavern, 89 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg. It is an official America250PA Adams County event.
The celebration begins at 10 a.m. with a patriotic program featuring a town crier, community sing-along, an invocation by “Rev. Alexander Dobbin,” presentation of the colors by Revolutionary War reenactors, and a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by “Thomas Jefferson,” recreating the way the document was first proclaimed to settlers in the region in 1776. The ceremony concludes with a performance of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes.
Visitors can also enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities throughout the day, including:
- Self-guided tours of the historic 1776 Dobbin House
- Colonial music performed by troubadour John Durant
- An opportunity to sign a replica of the Declaration of Independence
- Colonial costume photo opportunities
- Revolutionary War trivia with prizes
- Colonial games and a children’s scavenger hunt
- Colonial-themed coloring activities
- Living history reenactors
- The opportunity to sign the official Dobbin House 250th Birthday Book
Built in 1776 by Rev. Alexander Dobbin, one of Gettysburg’s earliest settlers, the Dobbin House is the oldest building in Gettysburg and shares its birth year with the nation. Today it continues to welcome visitors as a destination for dining, lodging, shopping, and experiencing early American history.
About the Dobbin House Tavern
Since opening as an authentic colonial tavern in 1978, the Dobbin House Tavern has become one of Gettysburg’s best-known historic landmarks. The property includes the Springhouse Tavern for casual dining, the Alexander Dobbin Dining Rooms for fine dining, the Abigail Adams Ballroom for banquets, the Gettystown Inn bed and breakfast, the Country Curiosity Store, and guided four-century history tours.
Carefully restored to reflect its 18th-century appearance, the Dobbin House features original stone walls, seven fireplaces, hand-carved woodwork, period furnishings, authentic china and flatware, and staff dressed in historically accurate colonial attire, offering visitors an immersive glimpse into America’s earliest years.
For more information, visit www.dobbinhouse.com.