Last updated: January 18, 2025
Thing to Do
Gettysburg Winter Programs
NPS Photo
Winter Lecture Series 2025
Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
January 4 through February 23, 2025
Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center
Featuring some of the best Rangers, historians, and authors from across the country, this popular eight-week Winter Lecture Series will once again return to the Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) Museum and Visitor Center in 2025!
The Winter Lecture Series is held at 1:30 p.m. on weekends in the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center from January 4 through February 23, 2025. Seating is available on a first come – first serve basis. Free tickets are available day of at the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center. Schedule is subject to change.
Thanks to the Gettysburg Foundation, all presentations will be recorded and made available on the Gettysburg Foundation YouTube channel at Gettysburg Foundation - YouTube.
No live stream will be available.
Saturday January 4 - Ambrose Powell Hill – The Enduring Mystery of Lee’s Enigmatic Corps Commander - Gettysburg Foundation YouTube Channel.
Matt Atkinson, Gettysburg National Military Park
From wearing a red battle shirt in combat to being placed under arrest during the Maryland Campaign in September 1862, “Little Powell” remains simultaneously well-known and enigmatic. Who was this subordinate that both “Stonewall” Jackson and Robert E. Lee called to on their deathbeds? Explore the remarkable life, personality, and command decisions of Ambrose Powell Hill, Lee’s mysterious general.
Sunday January 5 – “Acting as an agent for Governor Curtin” – David Wills and the Creation of the National Cemetery - Gettysburg Foundation YouTube Channel.
Dan Welch, Gettysburg National Military Park
More than any other, Gettysburg citizen and prominent lawyer David Wills ensured that the Union soldiers who gave their last full measure of devotion had a final and fitting rest place. From its conception in July 1863 until the dedication of the Soldiers' National Monument in July 1869, Wills worked tirelessly on the cemetery project, including the proposition of holding a dedication ceremony and supplying President Abraham Lincoln a quiet room to finish his "few appropriate remarks." Discover Wills' important work in the creation of the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettysburg.
Saturday January 11 – The Pipe Creek Line: Meade Prepares for Battle - Gettysburg Foundation YouTube Channel.
Chris Army, Licensed Battlefield Guide, Gettysburg National Military Park
Appointed to command the Army of the Potomac late during the unfolding campaign, General George G. Meade worked diligently and tirelessly to develop plans for his army. One such plan was the Pipe Creek Line. Examine the various planning activities that were involved in creating the Pipe Creek defensive line and evaluate why it became so important—or maybe it wasn’t—during this program.
Sunday January 12 – Buckeyes at Gettysburg
Wayne Motts, Gettysburg Foundation
The state of Ohio contributed significantly to the Union war effort during the American Civil War. At Gettysburg, some 4,400 Ohioans fought in the Union army during the three-day battle, while some Confederate soldiers in Lee’s army had connections to the Buckeye state. Join historian, author, licensed guide, and president Emeritus and Historian of the Gettysburg Foundation Wayne E. Motts as he explores some unique stories of Ohio during the battle.
Saturday January 18 – The Battle of the Bulge - Hallowed Ground on a Vast Scale
Philip Brown, Eisenhower National Historic Site
In 1945 Walter Cronkite and Robert Musel referred to the Battle of the Bulge as a “Germany Gettysburg- representing the high tide of the enemy’s ability to wage offensive war.…” Their words proved to be true. The grueling fighting took place during some of the harshest weather conditions Europe had to offer and witnessed the last major push the Germans mustered in the Second World War. What legacy did the battle leave behind? How is the ground upon which it was fought preserved? What does this story tell us about preserving places like Gettysburg? Join Ranger Philip Brown as we explore each of these questions.
Sunday January 19 – Principles of Civil War Artillery - Rescheduled for Saturday March 1 due to winter storm
Tom Holbrook, Gettysburg National Military Park
Jennings Cropper Wise, in his authoritative work on Confederate artillery in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, referred to this branch of service as “The Long Arm of Lee.” Some of war’s most dramatic moments, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, are remembered for the devastating use of these guns. Yet, the role that field artillery played in the American Civil War is often underestimated by modern historians. This program will discuss the principles relating to the art of field artillery as put forth by famed artillerists Henry Hunt, William Barry, and John Gibbon.
Saturday January 25 - Dropping Dimes-Holding Britain Accountable for Enabling Confederate Commerce Raiders during the American Civil War
John Fitzpatrick, Licensed Battlefield Guide, Gettysburg National Military Park
Ostensibly a “neutral” country during the American Civil War, Great Britain enabled the Confederate Navy to build eight state-of-the-art ocean-going commerce raiders. Those vessels preyed upon U.S. and Neutral-flagged vessels in international waters throughout the entire American Civil War. How did determined United States diplomats through three presidential administrations ultimately demand either war or actual damages—compensable accountability and liability—from Great Britain? Find out during this gripping narrative on the high seas.
Sunday January 26 – What About Wofford? - The Most Destructive Artillery Impact Documented at the Battle of Gettysburg
Laura Elliot, Historian
In 1878, fifteen years after the Battle of Gettysburg, Major General Lafayette McLaws lamented, "One company...had, by the bursting of a shell in its front as it went into the charge, lost thirty men...." Even a decade and a half after that moment on July 2, 1863, the aging general never knew that savage shell was the single most destructive artillery impact of the entire battle. Failing to identify which regiment that devastated company belonged, or brigade for that matter, nearly 150 years after writing of this episode of war, the mystery has finally been solved.
Saturday February 1 – A Talk with Frederick Douglas and John Brown
The Lincoln Cemetery Association in partnership with Gettysburg National Military Park
Historian, poet, and living historian Nathan Richardson will bring Frederick Douglass to life. Along with Greencastle, Pennsylvania native Doug Dobbs, who will rekindle abolitionist John Brown, these two performers will deliver an inspiring and engaging performance that will bring the tumultuous events leading up to the Civil War to life.
Sunday February 2 – He Is So Slow: Rectifying the Longstreet Myths at Gettysburg
Karlton Smith and Dan Welch, Gettysburg National Military Park
Lieutenant General James Longstreet has been accused of both personal and professional iniquities concerning his performance at the Battle of Gettysburg. The accusations are firmly entrenched in the mythology of the battle. These personal and professional "failures" at Gettysburg, however, were actually generalship traits which showed themselves on other battlefields. Rectify the wrongs of the Longstreet mythology at Gettysburg through the lens of his leadership on other battlefields from Blackburn's Ford to the Wilderness.
Saturday February 8 – Hearth, Hardtack, and Hospital: A Closer Look at Civil War Era Food
Barbara Sanders, Gettysburg National Military Park
Food is a highly experiential element of history that connects us with people and places of the past, while at the same time demonstrating the universality of the human experience. Learn about home cooking in the mid-19th century and how it compared to the typical campaign ration of a Civil War soldier. Then explore the important work of nourishment provided by the United States Sanitary Commission after battles, and the prescriptive cooking at Civil War hospitals such as Gettysburg's Camp Letterman.
Sunday February 9 – “You think I don’t know I am going to be beaten, but I do and unless some great change takes place beaten badly!”— Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1864
John Nicholas, Gettysburg National Military Park
The 1864 Presidential election may have been the most contentious, and at the same time the most crucial, election in American history. The war was going badly with no end in sight, there were doubts that Abraham Lincoln would even be nominated, much less reelected. Even his own party believed he would lose reelection. How did Lincoln beat the odds? Find out during this exciting program!
Saturday February 15 - Marching Still: A Musical Tribute to Civil War Poetry
Ryan Mascilak & the Marching Still Ensemble
In a time when Americans seek to deeply connect with our history, this musical tribute brings the poignant words and emotions of Civil War poetry to life in a beautiful way that resonates with both heart and soul. We invite everyone to experience this unique blend of music and poetry, celebrating the sacrifices and stories that have shaped our nation. Further, this tribute is not just a reflection of history, but also a celebration of resilience, hope, and the enduring human spirit. Ryan is honored to bring "Marching Still" back to Gettysburg.
Sunday February 16 – “Unfit for Service” Unraveling the Story of a Gettysburg Photograph
John Heiser, Historian
Taken in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, the heartbreaking photograph of a shattered artillery limber, scattered shells, horse carcass, and fresh graves is a visual testament of the ferocity of the battle. The exact location of this disturbing image has vexed historians for years, until a combination of photographic evidence and testimony by battle participants led to the discovery of this site in 2023. It was a discovery that revealed more than just a story of death and destruction, but also the desperate stand of a South Carolina battery on July 3, 1863, and a rarely recognized incident in the final hours of the battle.
Saturday February 22 – A Great Dividing Line: Slavery and Freedom in Washington, D.C. during the Civil War
Rachael Nicholas, Gettysburg National Military Park
Freedom began to ring in Washington, D.C. before the end of the war. In 1861 and early 1862, enslaved people from Virginia and Maryland demanded freedom with their feet. They chose Washington as their refuge because it housed Union soldiers and free African Americans sympathetic to their cause. There was just one problem: the Union capital was also a slaveholding region. What followed was a prolonged conflict between enslaved people, soldiers, Congressmen, and enslavers that propelled Washington—and soon the entire nation—toward emancipation.
Sunday February 23 – Backs to the Wall: The Battle of Mine Creek
Andrew Regiec, Gettysburg National Military Park
As Sherman marched to the sea and Lee defended Richmond, Virginia, Confederate General Sterling Price invaded Missouri. Price was checked by the United States Army at nearly every turn, eventually being driven back toward Arkansas. The weather hindered Price's retreat, and a small Union force caught up with over 7,000 Confederates at Mine Creek, Kansas. What ensued dashed Confederate hopes of victory in the West.
Saturday March 1 – Principles of Civil War Artillery - Rescheduled from Sunday January 18
Tom Holbrook, Gettysburg National Military Park
Jennings Cropper Wise, in his authoritative work on Confederate artillery in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, referred to this branch of service as “The Long Arm of Lee.” Some of war’s most dramatic moments, Malvern Hill, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, are remembered for the devastating use of these guns. Yet, the role that field artillery played in the American Civil War is often underestimated by modern historians. This program will discuss the principles relating to the art of field artillery as put forth by famed artillerists Henry Hunt, William Barry, and John Gibbon.
Sunday March 2 – Rain Date if Needed
Details
Duration
45-60 Minutes
Activity
Guided Tours
Pets Allowed
No
Activity Fee
No
Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.
Location
Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center
Reservations
No
Season
Winter
Time of Day
Day
Accessibility Information
Indoor winter programs are physically accessible.