Citizens and visitors to Gettysburg will have an opportunity to walk in President Abraham Lincoln’s shoes and immerse themselves into the 1863 dedication of Soldiers National Cemetery during the event’s 163rd anniversary in 2026.
Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania Board President Wendy Allen and Gettysburg National Military Park Chief Interpretor Christopher Gwinn told the Gettysburg Borough Council during its workshop on Monday that the organizations are preparing a real-time re-enactment of Lincoln’s historic visit to Gettysburg.
The special event is being billed as Gettysburg’s signature America 250 event. To mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, towns and National Parks across the country are being encouraged to host events that highlight their place in American history.
A Lincoln impersonator will arrive in town via steam train on Nov. 18 as occurred in 1863, Allen said. People will be invited to converge on the town’s square in preparation for the next day’s activities.
The next day, the Lincoln impersonator, people playing his guests, and anyone wishing to join will walk the approximately one mile from Lincoln Square to Soldiers National Cemetery. A ceremony similar to the 1863 event will occur there.
Gwinn said the National Park Service is in full cooperation with the event. It annually supports the Lincoln Fellowship’s Dedication Day Ceremony.
“It’s by far my favorite community event,” Gwinn said. “At the same time, the format is very much like the Bill Murray movie ‘Groundhog Day,’ where it is the same thing year after year.”
In 2026, Dedication Day will be almost identical to the event in 1863. However, it is unlikely that the person playing American politician Edward Everett will recite the entire two-hour speech Everett delivered before Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Allen said the event will be an immersive experience for guests.
“If Lincoln wants to take a selfie with someone, it’s going to happen,” Allen said.
She also said the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania plans to capture content during the two days that it can share with educational institutions that study the Gettysburg Address.
Allen said she will keep council informed as plans are finalized over the next 21 months.
Cameras on the square
When Lincoln comes to the square that bears his name, cameras will likely be watching his every move.
Borough Police Chief Robert Glenny told the council that his department received a federal grant to place two security cameras in the borough’s downtown. The cameras will be installed on the Open Minds office building, 15 Lincoln Square, and Hotel Gettysburg, One Lincoln Square. The buildings’ owners will provide power and network access, Glenny said.
The cameras will capture footage on the square’s four quadrants. Council will soon vote on a proposed memorandum of understanding with the owners of Open Minds and Hotel Gettysburg.
Featured Photo Caption: A crowd gathers for the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg in 1863, where President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln is visible facing the crowd, not wearing a hat, about an inch below the third flag from the left. Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania and Gettysburg National Military Park will recreate the event in 2026. (Library of Congress Photo)
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.
Please clarify which day exactly will the event take place
Who will portray Lincoln? MAx Daniels? Fritz Klein? One of the other Lincolns?