Americans know how to celebrate, and Gettysburg proved it with our 250^th Fourth of July events!

Our historic town came alive with living history, music, seminars, reenactments, and fireworks. The Daniel Lady Farm hosted three days of battle reenactments with cavalry and artillery demonstrations. The Shriver House shared the stories of Gettysburg civilians. Seminary Ridge Museum featured storytellers from descendants of the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson delivered the Declaration of Independence at the Dobbin House Tavern, both on their 250^th birthdays. The Gettysburg Rec Park welcomed thousands to enjoy live music, crafts, food, and activities; and after a thunderstorm intermission, an unforgettable fireworks display capped off an epic day.

These grand celebrations of America’s 250^th will become history themselves. People will remember where they were and who they were with. They will remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance together, hearing the National Anthem from a talented local voice, watching fireworks illuminate the Gettysburg sky, and meeting people from across the nation and around the world. These shared experiences renew our patriotism and become the stories and traditions we pass from one generation to the next.

Celebrations happen in real time. Legacy is what we leave behind.

Gettysburg is already preparing for America’s Tricentennial in 2076.

Several transformational projects that were born during America’s 250^th will grow to be celebrated as legacy projects for America’s 300^th.

The Gettysburg Welcome Center will soon become the front door to downtown Gettysburg. Located between Lincoln Square and Steinwehr Avenue, it will provide public restrooms, changing stations, drinking water, tourism & business information, and a welcoming place for residents and visitors. Businesses will benefit from this centralized hub that encourages visitors to stay and explore. Fifty years from now, people celebrating America’s Tricentennial will begin their Gettysburg experience there – in the heart of the historic district.

Another important investment is the restoration of the Hopkins House, which will be Gettysburg’s first-ever permanent Black history museum. Adams County Historical Society is preserving the original 1840s cabin of Jack and Julia Hopkins, a free Black couple who raised their children in the shadow of the Civil War. Creation of a modern, accessible museum will ensure that the stories of Gettysburg’s Black residents, the Underground Railroad, and the United States Colored Troops will educate future generations.

The Charters of Freedom Park at Dobbin House Square will be home to life-sized replicas of our nation’s founding documents. People will have year-round access to this permanent outdoor classroom that will inspire civic education and appreciation for the freedoms they represent.

Together, these projects strengthen Gettysburg both as a well-preserved historic destination and a forward-looking community preparing for future generations.

Now imagine Independence Day in 2076.

Our posterity will gather to celebrate America’s 300^th birthday. They will watch parades, attend concerts, enjoy fireworks, and walk the same historic streets we treasure today.

Many will begin their visit at the Gettysburg Welcome Center; discover once-overlooked stories at the Hopkins House Museum; marvel at the Charters of Freedom; and reflect on the ideals that have guided our nation for three centuries.

Those experiences will happen because we chose to invest in something bigger than ourselves today. As we celebrate America’s 250^th in 2026, let’s commit to building a legacy for America’s 300^th.

Support the projects that preserve our history, strengthen our community, and welcome future generations. Volunteer. Donate. Advocate.

The legacy we build today will serve Gettysburg for generations to come – for America’s Tricentennial in 2076 and beyond.

Please contact me anytime: (717) 337-3491, or jsellers@mainstreetgettysburg.org.

Jill Sellers is President and Chief Executive Officer of Main Street Gettysburg. She lives in Adams County with her husband Shane, and their two sons, Joshua (21) and Caleb (17).