The Lincoln Address Memorial is south of Gettysburg in the National Cemetery. This monument commemorates Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863. The Address was delivered about 300 yards from this spot along upper Cemetery drive. That site is now marked by the Soldiers' National Monument. There are bronze tablets inscribed w/Gettysburg Address and David Willis' invitation to Lincoln to attend cemetery dedication mounted on the walls. it is one of the most unique and original monument in the historic district, certainly the most visited.
This monument is dedicated not to Lincoln, but to the speech he gave at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery on November 19, 1863: the Gettysburg Address. Dedicated in January 1912, it is probably the only monument in the world dedicated to a speech. It contains a bust of the president sculpted by Henry K. Bush-Brown, who also created the equestrian statues of Generals Meade, Reynolds and Sedgwick at Gettysburg. Lincoln was not the main speaker at the event. That honor went to noted orator Edward Everett, who spoke for two hours. Lincoln rose afterwards to make "a few appropriate remarks."
The Lincoln Speech memorial is located at the far end of the National Cemetery (if the Baltimore Street is the entrance you walked through - 530 yards as the crow flies) is located on the east side of Sedgwick Avenue north of the Wheatfield Road. The Draw the Sword site helped out by the NPS narrative and the SIRIS site offers the following description: bronze bust of Lincoln rests on a granite pedestal in the center of a curved granite wall. Flanking the bust are two rectangular bronze plaques, one inscribed with the Gettysburg Address and one inscribed with the text of a letter to Lincoln. The memorial cost $5,000. It was designed by Louis Henrick. Disagreements over where to place the monument delayed the completion of the monument which was originally slated to be erected to commemorate the Gettysburg Address as part of the 1895 bill introduced by General Dan Sickles that created the Gettysburg National Military Park. Stars above the plaque symbolize the states which remained loyal to the Union. It has truncated obelisks flanking a central granite slab that back a bronze Lincoln bust mounted on a pedestal. The central slab and obelisks are joined by elliptical granite walls on which are mounted bronze tablets inscribed with the Gettysburg Address and David Wills’ invitation to Lincoln to attend the cemetery dedication. The flanking walls contain a frieze with a relief of five-pointed stars and battle-axes.
The monument was dedicated on January 24, 1912 and rededicated on November 20, 1967. The The monument was sculpted by Henry K. Bush-Brown (1857-1935), who also created the equestrian statues of Generals Meade, Reynolds & Sedgwick at Gettysburg and was fabricated by the Van Amringe Granite Company. The sculpture is made of bronze with the base composed of red Westerly granite and has the following dimensions: Sculpture: approx. 2 ft. 9 in. x 1 ft. 6 1/2 in. x 1 ft. 3 in.; Base: approx. H. 8 ft. x W. 22 ft.; Front plaques: approx. 4 x 5 ft. The text on the monument reads:
(Monument's Right Side Plaque):
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead—who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
(Monument's Left Side Plaque):
"The several states having soldiers in the Army of the Potomac who were killed at the Battle of Gettysburg or have since died at the various hospitals which were established in the vicinity have procured grounds on a prominent part of the battlefield for a cemetery and are having the dead removed to them and properly buried.
These grounds will be consecrated and set apart to this sacred purpose on Thursday the 19th instant. It is the desire that you as Chief Executive of the nation formally set apart these grounds to their sacred use by a few appropriate remarks. It will be a source of great gratification to the many widows and orphans that have been made almost friendless by the great battle here to have you here personally and it will kindle anew in the breasts of the comrades of these brave dead who are now in the tented field that they who sleep in death on the battlefield are not forgotten by those highest in authority and they will feel that should their fate be the same their remains will not be uncared for."
From letter of invitation to Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States who on November 19, 1863 near this place delivered the address at the dedication of the cemetery.
(Plaque on Back):
Erected in compliance with
Act of 53d Congress 3d Session
Introduced by
Major General Daniel E. Sickles
Representative from 10th District
of New York
to establish a military park at
Gettysburg Pennsylvania
approved by the President
February 11 1895
The Lincoln Address Memorial
is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938. The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975. An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004. The monument is identified as structure number MN281.
From the Nomination Form:
Monument to celebrate Gettysburg address, placed near site of original Cemetery Summer House. Located in National Cemetery, but not placed at site of original oration due to location of Soldier's National Monument, but is w/in 300' +/-.
Short Physical Description:
Mn has truncated obelisks flanking a central slab that back a bronze Lincoln bust mounted on a pedestal. Central slab and obelisks joined by elliptical grainte walls that contain frieze w/relief of 5 pointed stars and battle-axes. Bronze tablets mounted on elliptical walls. 22'L x 8' H.
Long Physical Description
Erected on January 24, 1912 on the south side of the Cemetery, this eight-foot monument celebrates the Gettysburg Address. It has truncated obelisks flanking a central granite slab that back a bronze Lincoln bust mounted on a pedestal. The central slab and obelisks are joined by elliptical granite walls on which are mounted bronze tablets inscribed with the Gettysburg Address and David Wills' invitation to Lincoln to attend the cemetery dedication. The flanking walls contain a frieze with a relief of five-pointed stars and battle-axes. The bronze Lincoln bust was designed and sculptured by Henry K. Bush-Brown.
My Sources
1.
Draw the Sword
2.
SIRIS
3.
Historical Marker Database
4.
Stone Sentinels
5.
NRHP Narrative