Pennsylvania Hall (Gettysburg)

Pennsylvania Hall is the central administrative building of Gettysburg College. Constructed in 1838, it is the college's oldest building. During the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863, Pennsylvania Hall was used as a hospital for wounded troops of the Union and Confederate Armies. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Planning and Construction

Gettysburg College was originally known as Pennsylvania College, and shared a building with the Lutheran Theological Seminary on High Street in the town of Gettysburg. Shortly after the founding of the college in 1832, it was decided that a new building should be constructed. The college purchased approximately twelve and a half acres of land from Thaddeus Stevens, a prominent politician and abolitionist. When the building was erected, it stood four stories tall with a cupola in the center. It was convert|150|ft|m long and convert|45|ft|m wide and had a portico on the southern side. ["The College Hospital: Pennsylvania College and the Battle of Gettysburg," Pages 2-3, Craig Schneider, Gettysburg College: 2007.]

In the early years of its existence, Pennsylvania Hall contained the students' living quarters, as well as several offices and recitation rooms. By all accounts, it was the largest building in town. ["Gettysburg College Civil War Tour: Gettysburg College and the Battle of Gettysburg," Page 8, John Rudy, Gettysburg Collge: 2007.]

Battle of Gettysburg

On June 30, 1863, Union signal officers climbed to the top of the cupola to examine the surrounding terrain. The next day, Union troops stationed in town collided with Confederate forces closing from the north, signalling the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg. Michael Jacobs, a professor of chemistry and mathematics at the college, led Union officers to the hall's cupola to observe the battle and locate advantageous areas on the battlefield. ["The College Hospital," Schneider, P. 4]

As Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and George G. Meade's Army of the Potomac became increasingly committed to the battle, casualties mounted. Huge amounts of dead and wounded soldiers were brought into the town, and many buildings in the surrounding area were turned into make-shift hospitals. Pennsylvania Hall, which was a considerably large building, provided enough space for surgeons to set up areas for treatment. Nearly 700 soldiers were treated in the building, and many died on the building and surrounding property. ["The College Hospital," Schneider, P. 5-7]

Soldiers of both armies were treated in Pennsylvania Hall, as control of the College shifted from Union to Confederate forces on the evening of July 1.

Post-Battle

After the battle, the town of Gettysburg endured a lengthy clean-up process, which included the dedication of a national cemetery between the Baltimore Pike and the Taneytown Road. Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address at this dedication ceremony.

Pennsylvania College resumed classes on September 24, 1863. Bullets, bones, human remains and bloody books were found in and around the building for many years after the end of the battle. ["The College Hospital," Schneider, P. 20-21]

Current Use

Today, Pennsylvania Hall contains the main administrative offices of Gettysburg College. The offices of the college's president and provost are located in the building, as well as the human resources and financial services departments. [ [http://www.hallowedground.org/component/option,com_jthg/theme,region/task,view/county,Adams/Itemid,1/id,69/] Journey Through Hallowed Ground - Adams County]

Every year, first-year students attend convocation on the lawn to the south of the building, and walk through the center of the building to the northern lawn, signifyng their entrance into the Gettysburg College community. Graduating seniors attend commencement on the northern lawn and walk back through the building, representing the completion of their time as Gettysburg College students. [ [http://www.gettysburg.edu/commencement/traditions/] Gettysburg College - Commencement Traditions]

References

See also

*Gettysburg College
*Battle of Gettysburg
*American Civil War

External links

*http://www.gettysburg.edu/
*http://visitpa.com/visitpa/details.pa?attractionId=215594
*http://www.hallowedground.org/component/option,com_jthg/task,searchresults/theme,interest/topic,1