"Gettysburg Train Station" Topic

Doing research for my next PaperTerrain project. Anyone know if the train station at Gettysburg which exists today is the same one (or looks like the one) which existed at the time of the battle? My research is coming up with some contradictory information.

I thought the Gettysburg RR was unfinished at the time of the battle. The RR cut had no tracks. Wouldn't the buildings have come after the tracks?

According to this 1859.

link

William Frassanito's Early photography at Gettysburg includes, on page 104, Alfred R Waud's sketch of a barricade on Carlisle Stree, where it was crossed by the railroad. The sketch is looking north, and shows the railroad station to the right of the road, looking much like it does today. The sketch appears to have been made on 4th or 5th July 1863. Frassanito's notes indicate that the Railroad building was erected in 1858. Its tower also appears in the grand panorama of the town of Gettysburg, taken in August 1863, which is number 22 in the book. For a project such as yours, I can think of no better source book. Good luck!

Mollinary

Actually, Larry, your link says 1858!

Mollinary

fat fingers

Hmm, wonder why I've read references to unfinished railroad? Or am I confusing this with 2nd Bull Run?

I think at the time of the battle, the railroad was complete TO Gettysburg from the east, but it stopped there. The line leading further west (through the famous railroad cut) was not finished yet.

Thanks for the info, gentlemen!

Correct. The line was not finished but the station was operational at the time of the battle.

When I google Alfred Waud Gettysburg Train Station, the sketch is the first image to come up, from a site called Civil War Talk.

Mollinary

William Frassanito's Early photography at Gettysburg includes, on page 104, Alfred R Waud's sketch of a barricade on Carlisle Stree, where it was crossed by the railroad. The sketch is looking north, and shows the railroad station to the right of the road, looking much like it does today. The sketch appears to have been made on 4th or 5th July 1863. Frassanito's notes indicate that the Railroad building was erected in 1858. Its tower also appears in the grand panorama of the town of Gettysburg, taken in August 1863, which is number 22 in the book. For a project such as yours, I can think of no better source book. Good luck!

Mollinary

Indeed, it is a reference that should be on any Gettysburg enthusiast's bookshelf. It is so much more than just photos, it contains a startling amount of information on the town itself both before, during and after the battle. The station BTW has been acquired and will be preserved. The station itself survived the battle intact however IIRC Ewell's men burnt some rail cars that they found in town. The rail line would be completely restored within a couple of days of the battle ending and would play an important part in the evacuation of the wounded and in bringing in medical supplies and rations. Union General and man in charge of the Northern Railroads Herman Haupt never gets the credit he deserves for the Union Victory in the war, the man was a genius.

the railroad was complete TO Gettysburg from the east, but it stopped there. The line leading further west (through the famous railroad cut) was not finished yet.

Light bulb turns on. Thank you.

Isn't there an unfinished railroad cut and a sunken road in every ACW battle?

Hi Scott,
When the American Civil War Railroad Historical Society met a in Pennsylvania a couple of years ago we had an excellent talk by a resident historian at the station. The line was complete from the East connecting through Hannover Junction which also has an intact Civil War Station. The brick station is correct for the ACW. There is an excellent diorama of the station inside the station showing the civil war appearance.
Best
Joel

Doing some further research, it appears that the current paint colors of the station are NOT the color of the station at the time of the battle:

"Dr. Aldrich also performed "carbon dating" to further verify the paint chips he acquired during his testing were not only the original colors of the train station but also the same colors Lincoln saw when he visited Gettysburg 151 years ago. Dr. Aldrich shared his data with Sherwin-Williams who matched his samplings to create "Lincoln Gray" for the exterior walls and "Lincoln Brown" for the trim.

The current yellow and green colors of the Gettysburg Railroad Station were meant to emulate the corporate colors it bore in 1886 when the Reading Railroad took brief ownership of the station."

link

So, it would have been a light gray with brown trim according to this.

Dear Mwindsorfw

You are correct. All civil war battlefields to be authentic must have a stone wall, peach orchard, wheat field, sunken road, and a railroad cut (finished or unfinished, it doesn't matter). It's in the codes.