Experience Living History at the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital This Summer
Gettysburg, Pa. (May 20, 2025)—The Gettysburg Foundation invites the local community and visitors to step back in time this summer by exploring the historic 80-acre George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital. This remarkable site, once a thriving family farm transformed into a bustling Union Army field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg, opens its doors for a season filled with living history programs, special events and family-friendly activities.
The George Spangler Farm played a vital role during and after the 1863 battle, serving as a field hospital for more than 1,900 wounded soldiers from both sides, as well as an artillery and ammunition reserve, provost guard station and temporary cemetery. Today, visitors can explore the meticulously restored original buildings and grounds, maintained by the Gettysburg Foundation to preserve its historical integrity.
“The George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital offers a powerful window into the human side of the Battle of Gettysburg,” said Jackie Spainhour, President and CEO of the Gettysburg Foundation. “We are excited to welcome families and history enthusiasts alike to experience firsthand the stories of courage, care and community that have shaped this site over the years.”
The free Family Day event takes place Saturday, May 24, 2025, during Memorial Day weekend. Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic site offers families an opportunity to engage with living historians and preservationists and enjoy educational activities on this special day. Guests can learn about Civil War medicine from the Blue & Gray Hospital Association, enjoy period games and doll-making with Colonel Roberts, discover the art of Victorian hair jewelry with Lucy Cadwallader, and learn about historic barn preservation efforts with Historic Gettysburg Adams County (HGAC). Visitors can also view cannon demonstrations (without firing) and a Civil War Wheeling (Rosecrans) reproduction ambulance display and enjoy treats from Mr. G’s Old-fashioned Ice Cream.
Limited parking is available on-site at 488 Blacksmith Shop Road, Gettysburg for the Family Day event.
Regular summer programming is offered most Saturdays from June 7 through Aug. 9, 2025 (closed June 14). Saturday programs include programming on the farm’s history at 11:15 a.m. and the field hospital at 1:45 p.m. Living historians with various Civil War groups, such as the W.S. Hancock Society, 4th Texas Company B Infantry, The Healing, the Patriot Daughters of Lancaster and Lucy Cadwallader, will be on-site in June for visitor interaction, presentations and demonstrations. Docents and volunteers will be on hand to share stories of the Spangler family and the civilians who lived through the battle.
Admission to the historic site is free for the 2025 summer season. Access is via timed shuttles departing the nearby Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. Visitors can reserve their timed shuttle/admission tickets by phone at 877-874-2478 or 717-334-2436, online at GettysburgFoundation.org/George-Spangler-Farm or in person at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg.