News Release

The David Wills house to reopen for special days in November

A view from the Lincoln bedroom inside the Wills house.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: October 27, 2021

Contact: Jason Martz

The home where Abraham Lincoln completed the Gettysburg Address will soon reopen to the public. The historic David Wills house will be open, free of charge, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 1 pm to 5 pm, from Thursday, November 4 through Saturday, November 20.

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.

“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. The David Wills House should be a part of any visit to Gettysburg.” 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. National Park Service Rangers will staff the home, with support from Main Street Gettysburg.

Visit our website for more details: https://www.nps.gov/gett/planyourvisit/david-wills-house.htm.

The reopening of the Wills house will be conducted consistent with CDC recommendations. Capacity will be limited to meet federal facility covid standards. To promote our staff and visitors’ safety, masks are required in all National Park Service buildings and on all forms of enclosed public transportation, regardless of location or vaccination status. Additional details are available at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg National Cemetery and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history.