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Gettysburg History announces lineup of events for 163rd battle anniversary

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Gettysburg History has announced a wide-ranging schedule of programs and special events to commemorate the 163rd anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg this summer.

The organization’s anniversary programming will blend battlefield history, interactive experiences, live performances and film-related events as Gettysburg also prepares for the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration in 2026.

Among the featured programs is “Fields of Fire: Gettysburg’s First Day Farms,” scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Battlefield Overlook Event Center on Biglerville Road. Historians Jim Hessler, Andrew Dalton and Phil Spaugy will examine the role of the Harmon, Forney and McClean farms during the opening day of the battle.

Another major event, “Behind Union Lines: An Exclusive Tour of the Jacob Weikert Farm and Field Hospital,” will take place Thursday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. Historian Tim Smith and Shriver House Museum director Abbie Hoffman will lead visitors through the historic farm and neighboring areas near the eastern base of Little Round Top, highlighting the site’s use as a Union field hospital during and after the battle.

Gettysburg History will also partner with Gettysburg College for a special evening performance featuring acclaimed playwright and actress Anna Deavere Smith. The July 2 presentation at the Kline Theatre will center on Basil Biggs, the noted Gettysburg resident, veterinarian and Underground Railroad operative who helped bury Union soldiers after the battle. Smith is expected to participate in a question-and-answer session following the performance.

There will be a special opportunity to meet actor Stephen Lang and director Bo Brinkman during a July 3 meet-and-greet at the Shriver House Museum. The event is tied to the upcoming film “Gettysburg 1863,” portions of which were filmed at the museum and other Adams County locations.

Additional events include Civil War rifle and cannon firing demonstrations, a live podcast recording with the American Battlefield Trust, author signings, a screening of “The Gettysburg Book: A Father, Son and The Killer Angels,” and special museum programs throughout the anniversary week.

The events are designed to bring history to life while honoring both the battle anniversary and the approaching semiquincentennial of the United States.

Source: Gettysburg History

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