The George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital Reopens for Spring and Summer Programs
Family Day at Spangler kicks off the season Saturday, May 9, 2026.
Gettysburg, Pa. (April 30, 2026)—Gettysburg Foundation invites the local community and visitors to the historic 80-acre George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital this spring and summer. The site reopens for the season with a range of programs that bring its Civil War history to life through tours, living history and special events.
Once a thriving family farm, the property was transformed into a Union Army field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg, treating more than 1,900 wounded soldiers. Today, the site is preserved to share the stories of those who lived, worked and received care there.
"The George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital holds a unique place in the Gettysburg’s story,” said Billy Griffith, Gettysburg Foundation’s Historic Sites Manager. “Our spring and summer programming offers visitors of all ages an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of one of the most significant events in our nation’s history.”
Season highlights include:
Family Day at Spangler (Free Event)
Saturday, May 9 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Family Day offers living history, exhibits, demonstrations and activities for all ages.
· Engage with living historians of the Blue & Gray Hospital Association, 4th Texas, Co. B, Battery B, 1st Rhode Island Artillery.
· Explore the barn and summer kitchen.
· View artillery demonstrations (non-firing).
· See Civil War medicine, equipment, displays and demonstrations.
· Learn about historic barn preservation with Historic Gettysburg Adams County.
· Enjoy period toys, games and a craft.
· Participate in story times at 11 a.m., Noon and 1 p.m. with the Adams County Library System.
· Savor free ice cream from Cone Sweet Cone, while supplies last.
Reservations are not required. Limited on-site parking is available.
Evening Programs (in partnership with Gettysburg College’s Civil War Institute)
Fridays, May 15 and June 19 | 6 – 8 p.m.
Programs feature emerging scholars and established historians, with topics including the ecological history of the farm’s vernal pool and the 1862 New Mexico Campaign, often referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West.” Tickets are required. On-site parking is provided.
Monday, June 15; Sunday, July 5; and Friday, July 31 | 6 – 8 p.m.
Author Ron Kirkwood will lead presentations and guided walks exploring stories from the site, joined by guest speakers including Carol Reardon, Ph.D. and Carolyn Ivanoff. Tickets are required. On-site parking is provided.
Fridays and Saturdays, May through October
May 22-23, June 26-27, July 3-4, July 24-25, Aug. 21-22, Sept. 25-26 and Oct. 23-24 | 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
In-depth tours exploring the history of the site and individuals connected to it will be offered on select weekends. Timed shuttle and admission tickets are required. Timed shuttles depart the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center at 9:40 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. on the published tour dates.
Saturdays and Sundays, June 12-13, July 10-11, Aug. 7-8 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Interactive weekends feature demonstrations by Civil War era living historians portraying camp life and the experiences of soldiers and civilians. Timed shuttle and admission tickets are required. Timed shuttles depart the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center every 20 minutes from 10 a.m. through 1:40 p.m., with return shuttles on schedule. The final return shuttle departs the historic site at 3:20 p.m.
Timed shuttle and admission ticket reservations are required for Guided Tours and Living History Weekends. Access is provided via timed shuttles departing the nearby Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. Tickets may be reserved by phone at 877-874-2478 or 717-334-2436, online at GettysburgFoundation.org or in person at the Museum & Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg.
All programming is dependent on favorable weather conditions and is subject to change.