As part of the America 250 celebration, Gettysburg College will host “Gettysburg College and Community: A Shared History” on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated College Union Building Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public.

The special panel discussion will explore the longstanding relationship between Gettysburg College, the Borough of Gettysburg, and the broader Adams County community. Through a moderated conversation featuring College historians, scholars, students, and staff, the program will examine how the institution and surrounding community have influenced and shaped one another across generations.

Discussion topics are expected to include the founding of Gettysburg College, the Civil War and Battle of Gettysburg, student contributions to the local community, historic spaces shared by the College and community, discoveries made on campus with broader local significance, and the cultural and social connections that have developed between campus and the community over time.

The program will feature approximately 60 minutes of moderated discussion, with plans for a 15-minute public forum following the conversation. Visual and historical materials related to the panelists’ topics may also be incorporated throughout the program.

Presented in connection with America 250, the event offers an opportunity to consider the nation’s anniversary through a distinctly local lens. Gettysburg College’s history and educational mission have long been intertwined with the community it calls home, making the program an opportunity to reflect on that shared past while also considering how the relationship continues to evolve.

The College plans to livestream and record the program for broader and future audiences.

Source: Gettysburg College