Four months after the Battle, the town of Gettysburg was transformed again—this time for the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. On November 18, 1863, Abraham Lincoln and a trainload of dignitaries arrived in Gettysburg for the dedication on the 19th. Lincoln was here for only 24 hours but it was one of the most historic visits of his presidency. We know today that the highlight of the ceremony was the speech he delivered during the cemetery’s dedication, the short speech that became The Gettysburg Address.

This tour begins at the train station and follows the route that Lincoln walked during the procession to the cemetery. We’ll walk the same streets that saw the Union retreat on July 1st and then the procession to the cemetery a few months later. Along the way, we’ll hear from many of the townspeople that witnessed the famous visit and we’ll stop at some of the places that hosted Lincoln and many of the participants in this historic gathering.

Author Christine Thomas provides us with vivid accounts from diaries and newspapers as we make our way through the town, up Cemetery Hill to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, the site of The Gettysburg Address.

When you take a BrightPath Tour, you tour on your own schedule, walk at your own pace, and spend as much time as you like at each stop. Let BrightPath Tours be your guide as we walk in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg!