Stay at the Historic Rose House

 

The Rose house.

NPS Photo

 

The Rose house and farm witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the July 2, 1863, Battle of Gettysburg. The property first sheltered Union skirmishers but as Confederate forces advanced, Southern soldiers took refuge inside the barn, protected by its thick granite walls from devastating artillery fire. Many later remembered the sounds of shells striking the stone around them.

After the fighting subsided, the barn, farmhouse, and small outbuildings became improvised Confederate field hospitals. Wounded soldiers crowded the rooms, and those who died were buried nearby. The farmhouse, one of only a few buildings in the park that still bears interior battle damage, offers a rare physical link to those events.

While the tragedy of death in battle spread across the landscape at Gettysburg, it was especially concentrated around the Rose farm. Iconic post-battle photographs show dead Confederate soldiers lined up on the ground awaiting burial. Meanwhile a key map, referred to as the Elliott map, shows the greatest concentration of burials to be at the Rose farm where several thousand souls lay in shallow graves in the nearby Rose Woods. In addition to the loss of human lives, the Rose farm suffered severe physical damage as evidence by the damage claims which exceeded $7,000.

Today the Rose farm features three battle-era structures and a set of ruins. Though a 1930s windstorm destroyed the barn’s roof and time wore down its walls, the National Park Service preserved what remained when it acquired the property in the 1950s. In addition to the house, the ca. 1810 stone summer kitchen, complete with the remains of a bake oven on the north wall is preserved, along with the small wood framed ca. 1815 smokehouse. The surviving stone structures allow visitors to imagine the farm as both a working family homestead and a place forever marked by the human cost of the Battle of Gettysburg.

 

How to make reservations

Step 1

Please visit the historic Rose House page on the Recreation.gov website for all property details and to make reservations.

Step 2 - Short Term Lease Agreement

After completing your reservation on the Recreation.gov website you will be contacted by the National Park Service to sign a Short Term Lease Agreement. When this signed agreement is returned, you will be sent a keycode to access the historic Slyder House. Please note, a security deposit of $250 is included in your reservation fee. Upon inspection of the house after departure, the security deposit will be refunded within 10 days if no damage has been reported.

Have questions? Please send the park an email.

 

 

Facility Information

• Reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance.
• A minimum 2-night stay and a maximum 6-night stay.
• The Lessee shall pay to the Lessor the nightly rent plus a $250.00 refundable security deposit. In the event of the failure of Lessee to keep and perform all of the terms, covenants, and conditions of this Lease, Lessor may apply or use any portion of the security deposit that is reasonably necessary to compensate Lessor for all loss or damage sustained or suffered by Lessor.
• Payment in full required at time you book reservation.
• A $10 cancellation or change fee applies if the reservation is changed or cancelled.
• Customers who cancel within 14 days before the arrival date will also forfeit the first night's use fee.
• Pass discounts are not available.
• A Keyless Access code will be provided prior to scheduled arrival.
• Check-in is 4:00 PM and check-out is 10:00 AM.
• Check out procedures - Lessee shall broom sweep all floors; place all used towels in the provided hamper; empty all trash and leave next to the door outside; clean all used dishes and remove any personal belongings by 10 AM on the termination date of the lease. Door must be locked upon leaving. Vehicles are to be removed from the premises after the termination of the lease, and access to the property is unauthorized after check-out without the express permission of the Leasing Manager or their designee. Violation of this policy can result in ineligibility for future rentals at Gettysburg National Military Park and ticketing and/or removal of vehicles from the premises.
• The Person named on the reservation (Lessee) must be an occupant of the property during the entire term of the lease.
• The maximum capacity for tenancy for the leased premises is 8.
• Maximum number of vehicles is 4.
• Lessee will be responsible for furnishing personal items.
• Parking is limited to the designated area. Lessee must ensure that no vehicles are parked on the drives or outside of the designated area.
• The park is closed from sunset to sunrise. Lessee and all occupants staying are prohibited from exploring areas outside the leased boundaries while the park is closed. During these hours Lessee shall not cause any unnecessarily loud, excessive, or unusual noise, where such noise is plainly audible.
• This is a very old historic house; please be respectful and careful to help preserve its history.
• The house is not wheelchair accessible.
• Pets are not permitted at house. Service dogs are permitted.
• No Smoking.
• Digging on the premises is prohibited.
• Open fires on the premises are prohibited.
• Tents or any type of temporary structures on the premises are prohibited.
• No toiletries are provided. Please be sure to bring your own.
• There are no laundry facilities in the house.
• Free Wi-Fi is available however, there are no televisions in the house.
• Cell phone service is available. There is a phone in the house for emergency and local calls only.
• White-tail deer are abundant in the area, so deer ticks carrying Lyme disease are also prevalent. Be sure to check for ticks and/or wear protective clothing with any outdoor activities.
• Please be advised that there may be ongoing park operations near the Rose Farmhouse during your stay, potentially including permitted special events, interpretive activities, field mowing, use of prescribed fire, and deer management activities. None of these activities will occur within the perimeter of the Rose house yard.
• Driveway access will be maintained as open at all times. The driveway is an authorized trail for horses and pedestrians as well as providing access for maintenance purposes and should never be blocked.
• Any maintenance issues should be reported immediately and repairs will be made as soon as possible.

 

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