Wheelchair Accessibility at Gettysburg Historic Battlefield
Almost everyone has at least heard of the battle of Gettysburg (usually as part of a history lesson in school). Military enthusiasts love it for the tactical strategies, history lovers adore all of the stories that have come from the battle and there are many more reasons that make this place so special. Given that this civil war era town remains relatively the same as it was during the war, how accessible is Gettysburg?
One of the first things you notice upon arriving is that the town and the battlefield are intermixed. It’s actually amazing that there weren’t more civilian casualties than there were. Many of the town’s buildings still have bullet holes in the walls from the war.
The second thing you’ll notice is just how massive the area is where the battle took place. The best way to see the various sites is to drive around with an audio tour. We bought our audio tour in the gift shop at the visitor center and it was excellent. It was very informative, timed perfectly and very entertaining.
While you’re at the visitor center, be sure to check out the short informative film as well as the 360-degree diorama. The diorama was one of our favorite parts as it depicted the battle of Picket’s Charge. Just be aware that if anyone has sensory issues, it may be a bit overwhelming (lights flash and there are sounds of the battle that may seem loud for some).
The whole driving tour of Gettysburg took us a full day and a half and we still didn’t see as much as we could. I would allow for at least two full days to get the most out of your time here.
Throughout the tour, there are places for you to pull off to the side of the road if you’d like to take a longer look at something. At major points of interest, there are parking areas with accessible parking. Be aware that during peak times, parking lots will fill up fast. Each of these points of interest have some level of accessibility. I actually didn’t feel like I missed anything during my visit.
One of the highlights of our time was watching a reenactment of military formations and a musket firing demonstration. There are several reenactments and demonstrations throughout the summer, so make sure to check times and locations at the visitor center.
Travel Tip: Check your family tree before your visit to see if you had any ancestors that fought at Gettysburg. If you know what regiment they were in, you can look up where the monuments to those divisions are located within the park at the visitor center.
I discovered that my two times Great Grandfather’s brother fought at Gettysburg and was there for both the first and last shots of the battle of Gettysburg. It really made history feel closer to home and gave me a different perspective.
Unfortunately, in my limited time I had to visit Gettysburg I didn’t get to explore much of the town itself. I’d love to go back again and perhaps do an accessible ghost tour as well as see some of the other historic sites.
No matter if you’re a history buff or not, Gettysburg is a place that will give you an appreciation of America’s past. It’s a great wheelchair accessible place to visit that will take you back in time and help you understand just how significant this battle really was.
I’d say that Gettysburg National Historic Battlefield is about 95% accessible, although some of the historic buildings in town will most likely have less accessibility. I would definitely recommend a trip to this historic place and hope to return there someday myself.
