Two historic Gettysburg battlefield houses now offer unique overnight lodging

Two historic settings on the Gettysburg Battlefield will soon be available for visitors to stay overnight.

A worn, unpaved road with a grass crown connects the Michael Bushman and John Slyder houses. These preserved 19th century farms are bordered by an orchard, woods and open fields. The architecture of the buildings is locked in a time when horses toiled, electricity was unknown and communication was limited to visiting your neighbor. The stone, brick and log structures are bordered by white picket fences and stone walls. On the horizon, the Pennsylvania countryside rises up in green undulations as it has for a millennium.

Starting May 24, 2024, these two houses and their historic surroundings will be available as short-term rentals.

Walking through these peaceful places preserved by the confines of a national park, you would never guess that you were once standing in the Battle of Gettysburg. More recently, ground zero for one-million visitors a year to the Gettysburg National Military Park. These properties are just a dirt path and babbling brook away from heavily visited sites like Devil’s Den and Little Round Top.

Both houses witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg throughout the day on July 2, 1863. The Bushman farm served as staging ground for Confederate General John Bell Hood’s attack and the Slyder farm was used as a defensive position for Union sharpshooters.

Beneath the historic exteriors, buildings have been used as residences over the years and have been updated with modern HVAC systems, plumbing and electricity.

Each home has an updated kitchen and is fully equipped with dishes, utensils, coffee maker, stove, microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator. Central heating and air conditioning provide comfort year-round. Bed linens, sheets, pillows, and a limited supply of towels are available. Dish soap and dishwasher detergent are also provided, according to the National Park Service

Bushman Farmhouse 

The Bushman Farmhouse, built around 1808, is a two-story half-Georgian stone house with a one half-story brick addition that was built around 1860.

This sturdy building with diabase granite walls, edged with cut stone boulders, a double-pitch span roof, and an elevated porch overlooks Little Round Top.

The farm was positioned in the heat of battle on July 2, a defensive position for Union skirmishers and snipers who were driven out by the Confederate attack against Little Round Top and Houck's Ridge. There is evidence of projectile damage on one of the brick walls of the home..

The house and nearby barn, which still stands,  were likely used as a temporary shelter by wounded Confederates before they could be evacuated to field hospitals west of Seminary Ridge, according to the National Park Service.

The interior of the house retains considerable integrity to the 19th century and was beautifully rehabilitated in 2017.

Slyder Farmhouse 

The Slyder Farmhouse was built in the early 1850s, and is part of the historic Slyder Farm, also known as the Granite Farm. The farm includes the house as well as a barn, a hog, privy and chicken house, and a summer kitchen.

A granite monument to the Companies E and H Second United States Sharpshooters feet from the front door tells a story that unfolded July 1 at 6 p.m. A classic Gettysburg split-rail fence surrounds the farm’s buildings that paint a picture of a working 19th century farm.

The exterior of this relatively small, two-story stone house maintains significant integrity of historic features and materials on the exterior.

Reservations for the homes must be made using the reservation system on recreation.gov by searching for the name of the house.

There are many historic houses on the Gettysburg Battlefield. Listed below are two that have been considered for short-term rental in the past.

Rose Farmhouse 

This house is part of the historic George Rose Farm. Other historic structures at this site include barn ruins, a summer kitchen, and smokehouse, all present at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg.

The house is one of three buildings on the Park that retain evidence of battle damage on the interior. This large two-story stone Georgian style house with a pre-war addition maintains significant historical integrity. A whole house renovation, sensitive to preservation of historic features and materials, is underway.

This farm was the scene of intense combat on July 2, initially held by Union skirmishers and sharpshooters, then controlled by Confederates, who used the house and barn for shelter and as field hospitals. Several men were buried in the yard, with thousands of casualties in the nearby fields, according to the National Park Service.

 Althoff Farmhouse 

The Althoff Farm consists of a house, barn, and summer kitchen, all built after the Civil War in the 1870s or 1880s. It’s long, gravel road entrance is lined with a stone wall, monuments and cannons.

The house is a two-story wood frame house with Victorian influence, typical of late 19th century small Pennsylvania farms.

Other historic Gettysburg homes: Welty House, now a B&B, tells a story about the American Civil War

According to the National Park Service, while this farm was not present during the Battle of Gettysburg, it was built in the immediate vicinity of the Weikert Farm, which figured prominently in the second day struggle for Little Round Top and Devil’s Den area and served as cover for Confederate sharpshooters on the third day of the battle.

The Althoff Farm serves as a visual proxy for the Weikert Farm at a landscape scale, and is visible from Little Round Top within the contested areas of Plum Run, the Valley of Death, and the Wheatfield.

I have captured life through the lens since 1983, and am currently a visual journalist with the USA Today Network. You can reach me at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: 2 historic Gettysburg PA battlefield houses offer overnight lodging