September 2, 2025 by Charles Stangor
The Board of Trustees of Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery today announced a capital campaign for preservation work in and around the cemetery’s historic Gatehouse.
The “Gatehouse Preservation Project” will involve painting of the exterior bricks (which were painted at the time of the Civil War battle in 1863) as well as an improved entrance way, ceremonial gardens and three informative wayside exhibits for visitors.
“The Gatehouse is one of the most famous architectural landmarks associated with the Battle of Gettysburg, but it is now 170 years old, and we want to make sure it is here for many more generations,” said Gettysburg native Brian Kennell, superintendent and caretaker of the cemetery. “It was painted from 1855 through 1966, when, like many brick buildings in Gettysburg it was sandblasted to remove the multiple layers of paint. Deterioration of the bricks since that time led the board to make this preservation decision.”
The Gatehouse was built to represent the gates of heaven as a symbolic entrance to the newly formed cemetery. The Italianate structure of brick and stone was originally painted rustic red with cornice-work of dark chocolate brown. It became iconic to historians and visitors after it was damaged by shot and shell during the battle.
New garden areas will be placed around the Gatehouse property, including the Marianne Moore Garden, honoring Gettysburg’s Pulitzer Prize-winning poet who is buried at Evergreen. Wayside exhibits will inform visitors of the cemetery’s beginnings, the history of the Gatehouse, as well as battlefield preservation work begun shortly after the battle by David McConaughy, Evergreen’s first president.
The goal of “The Gatehouse Preservation Project” campaign is to raise $250,000 to restore the historic Gatehouse, and install informational wayside exhibits and gardens, with additional funds to be held to address the future care of the Gatehouse for generations to come.
Painting of the Gatehouse will begin this fall, and the improved Gatehouse entrance area from Baltimore Street to the parking area is expected to be completed in 2026.
For more information, visit evergreencemetery.org.
Donations to the campaign may be made online.
Checks can be made payable to Evergreen Cemetery Preservation Fund. Mail to Evergreen Cemetery, 799 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.