The Welty House in Gettysburg will unveil its first ever historical markers commemorating the events of the Battle of Gettysburg and their impact on nearby civilians and the entire country.
2023 marks the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, and the ceremony will take place on the final day of the battle at 11 a.m. at 452 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA. The Welty House is a part of the Brickhouse Inn, which is operated by US Ghost Adventures and owned by US Ghost Adventures founder and president Lance Zaal.
The Welty House was the site of fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.
“Two families fleeing from the pivotal battle took shelter in its basement, while Confederate soldiers used the home as a sharpshooter position,” according to a representative from the Welty House. “After, the property served as a temporary burial ground for 38 Union and Confederate soldiers.”
At the ceremony, Zaal will unveil two new historic landmark signs, one proclaiming the house as an official historic landmark, and the second which features a detailed letter from John Rupp who writes to his sister sharing how he and the family took shelter and hid in the Welty House basement throughout the duration of the battle. The event is open to the public and will offer refreshments, brief remarks, the unveiling of the two signs, and an invitation to see the basement, which will remain open to the public for a short period after the event.
“The Battle of Gettysburg is such an important event in American History, and it is our honor to commemorate the Welty House with these new historic markers,” said Zaal. “Our goal is to showcase the history of the house and farm, as well as honor the Welty Family, the Rupps, and the soldiers who lost their lives in the horrific battle. The Welty House and its story will now finally take its place among other landmarks in Gettysburg.”
According to US Ghost Adventures, the farmland and house were contested during the first two days of the battle due to their location at the bottom of Cemetery Hill, on the edge of no-man’s land. Union artillery nearly destroyed the home until they were ordered not to because of the possibility of civilians sheltering in the home with Confederate sharpshooters. There is a photo in the home of President Abraham Lincoln riding by the home on his way to deliver his Gettysburg Address a few months after the battle.
The Welty House is open year-round for overnight stays that can be booked through Brickhouse Inn. US Ghost Adventures conducts ghost tours in Gettysburg, as well as ghost hunts in the basement of the Welty House and the land on the property. Junket, the sister company of US Ghost Adventures, provides additional daytime experiences in Gettysburg, including the Gettysburg Battlefield Tour and Gettysburg Brew Tour.
For more information on the restoration and preservation, please visit the Welty House Blog here.
Photo credit: US Ghost Adventures
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