There are many homes and buildings located on the Gettysburg Battlefield that witnessed the battle in July of 1863. Many of these homes still stand today exactly as they were or recreated. The Houses are rented out to NPS workers and they actually farm the land and upkeep it. Which brings us to our first question. What is the Battlefield? The Battlefield is actually the whole town of Gettysburg. What many forget or the casual visitor doesnt understand is that the whole town was involved in the Battle. So we will not focus just on homes in the Park but also in the town as well.

The Trostle Home and barn was owned by Abraham Trostle at the time of the battle. It still remains as one of the most sought out attractions on the battlefield and stands pretty much exactly as it did in 1863. The tree directly in front of it also witnessed the battle. The 9th Massachusetts of the Union Army Confederate Mississippians under General Barksdale fought over this ground. The 9th Massachusetts battery's guns stand between the house and barn and one of those guns has "CORA" painted on the breech. It was common for men to name thier guns and this is one example of that.

View one of the Weikert home showing the stone based outer construction. Photo's from Cassie's Gettysburg Trip View two of the Weikert home showing the out buildings to the rear of the Home. Photo's from Cassie's Gettysburg Trip

The homes that are on the battlefield or in the town that were in existance during the Civil War are market with a brass plate that marks the building as a civil war home. Many of the homes and buildings suffered damage from the battle. After the war many homeowners began to correct this damage but some left the battle scars as a type of souvineer of the battle. A few of the homes such as the Schriver House and Wills house even offer tours of the home and a story of what happened witin that hoe on July 1,2,3 1863.Keep in mind that some of the homes are privatly owned and it may be the best thing to knock and ask permission before wandering. Ive done this many times and everyone has been very nice and supportive.Each home has its own story,its own characters involved and its own place within the battle. These are not only places where sharpshooters took up position but hospitals where men took their last breath and shelters where scared civilians huddled in thier basements until the shooting stopped. Visiting these places can be a very moving and emotional experience.

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