Gettysburg Electric Railway Then and Now

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1. The Trolley Passes Next to the Gettysburg National Cemetery Then & Now

Left image
Gettysburg Electric Railway Trolley in front of the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Right image
A modern photo shows the Gettysburg Electric Railway Trolley in front of the Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Credit: NPS Photo

The Gettysburg Electric Railway Trolley operated from 1893 to 1916. The Gettysburg Electric Railway Company operated the trolley through parts of the battlefield so that visitors could easily access the area from town.

 

2. The Trolley Operating on the Battlefield Then & Now

Left image
The Gettysburg Trolley passes across the battlefield.

Right image
Today, the trolley is gone and the roads have changed course, but the monuments still stand where they did in the early 1900s.
Credit: NPS Photo

While some people appreciated that the trolley provided easy access to the battlefield, the trolley construction damaged battlefield resources. The Battlefield Memorial Association opposed the trolley and fought to protect battlefield lands. In 1896, the case ended up in the Supreme Court, where the court determined that Gettysburg National Military Park had the right to acquire the lands from the railway company and to protect those lands in perpetuity.