The Wills residence in historic Gettysburg (Library of Congress) |
Lincoln completed his speech on Nov. 18, 1863, in a second-floor bedroom
of lawyer and judge David Wills’ house, which is operated today by the National Park
Service. The address transformed
the battlefield from a place of death and devastation to the symbol of the nation's
"new birth of freedom."
Gettysburg National Military Park spokesman Jason Martz told the Picket
the home was last open on Nov. 19, 2019. It then closed for the season but remain shuttered because of the pandemic.
(NPS photo) |
The residence served as a temporary
hospital during the July 1863 battle and citizens huddled in its cellar. It
became the center of the cleanup process after the fighting.
Lincoln was one of David (left) and Catherine Wills’ house guests the night before the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
Earlier this year, Gettysburg National
Military Park launched a page that features three
sites -- including the Wills home -- related to the Civil War and the house and
show barn at Eisenhower National Historic Site.
Each page has a virtual walk-through of the structure and a second smaller image that provides audio. Viewers can choose which floor to look at, obtain a 3D cutaway image of the entire structure and view floor plans.
The tours are available for those using home computers, smartphones or virtual reality headsets, park officials said.
Model of wartime Gettysburg at Wills house (NPS photo) |
The park and community will have events Nov. 18-20 this year to observe
Dedication Day. Among the activities are a parade and illumination of graves at
the cemetery. The schedule can be found here.
Lincoln bedroom in the David Wills home (NPS photo) |
Odd, why would home computers, smartphones or virtual reality headsets want to tour a house?
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