Gettysburg Borough Council heard a request Monday for $75,000 in borough support for the new Hopkins House museum devoted to Gettysburg’s Black history, while also approving plans for the Gettysburg Station transit center and welcoming the new parking manager Joshua Mallernee.
The council met Aug. 10 at the Gettysburg Municipal Building. The agenda included presentations from the Adams County Library System and Adams County Historical Society, along with planning, historic preservation and departmental business.
Black History Museum Seeks Borough Support
Andrew Dalton, president and CEO of the Adams County Historical Society, asked the borough to commit $25,000 annually for three years toward the museum being developed at 219 S. Washington St.
The historical society purchased the property in 2023 when the building was in danger of condemnation and demolition. Renovation has exposed a circa-1843 log structure built by free Black property owner William Dennard. The property was later associated with Abraham Bryan, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and Jack and Julia Hopkins. Their son Edward Hopkins served in the United States Colored Troops and in 1880 became Gettysburg’s first Black elected official, serving as inspector of elections for the Third Ward.
Dalton said the historical society has raised more than $2 million toward a project now estimated to cost between $3 million and $3.5 million. The museum is expected to open in February 2028.
Jean Green, president of Lincoln Cemetery and a partner in the project, said the museum will provide a physical place to tell a part of Gettysburg history that has often been overlooked.
“Prior to that, Lincoln Cemetery was the only concrete evidence that there was a Black community here,” Green said. She described Gettysburg’s Black history as having been “hidden in plain sight.”
Dalton said the restored Hopkins House is the only surviving Civil War-era building in Gettysburg built by and lived in by Black residents. The museum is expected to draw 10,000 to 15,000 visitors annually, and Dalton said he believes the borough could recover its investment over roughly 10 years through amusement-tax revenue generated by the attraction.
Council took no action Monday on the funding request.
Library Makes Case for Continued Funding
Earlier, Adams County Library System trustee Julie Ramsey asked council to continue its financial support for the county library system.
Ramsey said approximately one in five Adams County adults lacks basic literacy, math and problem-solving skills and that more than 44% of Pennsylvania third graders score at basic or below-basic levels on state assessments.
Ramsey said Gettysburg Borough residents saved an estimated $700,000 in 2025 by borrowing physical books instead of purchasing them. She said the library receives support from 22 municipalities, with an average municipal contribution of about $2,000 annually.
Council Approves CDBG Projects
Council unanimously approved a series of Community Development Block Grant actions. Several were administrative measures associated with the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Brighter Tomorrows Center project.
Council also authorized Adams County to include a $127,226 ADA curb-compliance project for intersections in Gettysburg in the county’s 2026 CDBG application.
Transit Center Receives Historic Preservation Approval
In historic preservation business, council approved seven recommendations from the Historic Architectural Review Board, including a certificate of appropriateness for the proposed transit center at 111 N. Stratton St.
The approved structure is a 16-by-32-foot building with a canopy extending the total covered area to 16 by 80 feet as part of the Gettysburg Station development.
Planning Director John Whitmore clarified that the approval covered the building and facade materials. Other site features, including fencing, may require additional HARB review. Council subsequently approved the transit center certificate without opposition.
New Parking Manager Introduced
Council also welcomed new Parking Manager Joshua Mallernee, who told council he came to Gettysburg after working in Asheville, North Carolina, and has about 28 years of experience in parking.
Mallernee said he plans to establish a financial baseline and review the borough’s parking program before making recommendations.
Street, Bridge and Police Updates
Public Works Director Robert Harbaugh reported that the borough’s street-preservation contract is substantially complete. He said crews expect to begin annual street and crosswalk painting in mid-August, with most of the work conducted at night to reduce traffic disruption.
Borough officials also reported that the East Water Street Bridge project has received structural adequacy approval and will move into bidding. Construction may be delayed until spring because steel for the project has an approximately 90-day lead time.
Police Chief David Snyder said the department is emphasizing training ahead of what is expected to be a busy fall. Officers have participated in trauma-informed policing and basic homicide investigation training, with Snyder saying the latter is intended in part to develop the department’s next generation of investigators.
Borough Finances and November Events
Borough Manager Charles Gable said the general fund is running several hundred thousand dollars ahead of expenditures year-to-date, although significant expenses remain later in the year.
The borough is also preparing to close out its federal American Rescue Plan Act fund by the end of 2026. Gable said the remaining funds will be drawn down and used as previously directed by council for reimbursement of certain municipal salaries.
Gable also said the borough is completing plans for the large Lincoln at Gettysburg events scheduled for November. The plans include a series of maps detailing street closures, traffic detours, shuttle routes and the timing of the various activities. Those maps are expected to be released to the public as preparations continue.