The campaign is underway to restore the 1840s Hopkins House at 219 South Washington Street and transform it into Gettysburg’s first museum dedicated to Black history. The effort is led by Gettysburg History in partnership with The Lincoln Cemetery Project Association. Organizers say more than $1 million has already been committed toward a $2 million goal.
The modest log dwelling—once home to Jack and Julia Hopkins, a free Black couple—survives as one of the town’s last tangible links to its early African American community. Jack Hopkins, a respected janitor at Gettysburg College, bought the property in 1857 from Underground Railroad conductor Abraham Brian. The couple’s eldest son, Edward, served in the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War and later became Gettysburg’s first Black elected official.
After years of neglect, the house faced condemnation. Project leaders say they have stabilized the structure and confirmed that its original pre–Civil War logs remain intact and can be salvaged. The campaign will fund a full restoration to the home’s Civil War-era appearance and build a modern, accessible visitor facility large enough to host school groups.
Plans call for immersive exhibits and rare artifacts highlighting stories of the local Black community, the Underground Railroad, and the USCT. The site will also include shared offices for the two nonprofits coordinating the project, creating what organizers describe as a center for preservation, education, and community pride.
Supporters can contribute by credit card, by mailing checks to Gettysburg History, 625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325 (memo: Hopkins House), or through IRA distributions and stock transfers by emailing info@gettysburghistory.org. Pledges, naming opportunities, and a detailed case for support are available.
For major gifts or multi-year pledges, contact Andrew Dalton, president and CEO of Gettysburg History, at president@gettysburghistory.org or 717-334-4723 ext. 104, and Jean Howard-Green, president of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association, at LincolnCemeteryAssociation@gmail.com or 717-357-9373.
Every contribution brings the Hopkins House closer to welcoming visitors from across the nation to experience stories of courage, resilience, and freedom.
Source: Gettysburg History