Last updated: February 7, 2024
Place
Helicopter Landing Pad
EISE NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
Eisenhower National Historic Site
Significance:
President Eisenhower was the first president to use a helicopter during his time in office. This mowed area served as a landing pad for the President and his guests when they landed at the Gettysburg farm.
Designation:
National Historic Site, National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places
Amenities
5 listed
Audio Description, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Pets Allowed, Scenic View/Photo Spot
President Eisenhower was the first president to use a helicopter during his time in office. His inaugural presidential helicopter ride occurred in 1957, ushering in a new era of transportation for our nation’s chief executive. Eisenhower preferred using a helicopter as it saved him time in his trips from Washington, D.C. to his Gettysburg farm. A two-hour car ride to Gettysburg could be accomplished via helicopter in roughly 30 minutes.
The helipad consisted of a mowed section of grass. During Eisenhower’s time it was wide enough to accommodate two helicopters. In addition to mowing a landing area, two paths were mowed from the helipad—one leading to the Eisenhower home, and one leading towards the bank barn and Secret Service office. The Secret Service used portable lights to highlight the landing area, which was also illuminated by nearby lighting among the trees and a spotlight from the top window in the southern exterior wall of the Eisenhower bank barn.
President Eisenhower used his landing pad for both formal and informal visits. In May 1959, Eisenhower greeted Great Britain’s former Prime Minister Winston Churchill during a visit to Gettysburg at the helipad. Churchill and Eisenhower were old friends and allies from World War II, and though the former Prime Minister’s visit to the Eisenhower farm was brief, it was a warm reminder of the friendship between the two leaders—and between their two countries.