News Release
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Contact: Jason Martz
Beginning April 23, 2022, the historic David Wills House will reopen, free of charge, on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm Effective June 2, 2022, operations will expand to Thursday-Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm National Park Service Rangers will staff the home with support from Main Street Gettysburg.
The reopening of the David Wills House will operate consistent with CDC recommendations and capacity will be limited to meet federal facility Covid-19 standards. Additional details are available at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
The three-story brick house at 8 Lincoln Square was the home of David and Catherine Wills before, during, and after the Battle of Gettysburg. President Abraham Lincoln was one of their house guests the night before the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. Lincoln finished composing his Gettysburg Address in the second story bedroom the evening of November 18, 1863. This historic home features two re-created rooms – Wills’ law office, and the bedroom where Lincoln spent the evening – as well as two short films, a computer interactive on the Gettysburg Address, a diorama of the two-block radius surrounding the home, and virtual identity cards to gain further insight and perspectives into the aftermath of the largest battle on American soil.
“The David Wills House should be a part of any visit to Gettysburg. The National Park Service is excited to be back in the heart of downtown Gettysburg and to make this historic home free to our visitors,” said Steve Sims, superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park. “The David Wills House exhibits provide an opportunity to learn about the Wills family and reflect on the meaning of Gettysburg, the aftermath of the battle, and the legacy of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.”
The David Wills House is part of Gettysburg National Military Park. Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg, the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history. Visit our website for more details: https://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/david-wills-house.htm.
Last updated: April 7, 2022