Evergreen Cemetery - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 49.248 W 077° 13.755
18S E 309206 N 4410245
The Evergreen Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Gettysburg, predating the Nat'l Cemetery by almost a full decade. The cemetery saw action & suffered significant damage during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Several monuments can be found here.
Waymark Code: WMD667
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 11/25/2011
Views: 3
The cemetery and gatehouse are well known in Gettysburg and are always part of any tour. They both are contributing structures to the Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District and are worth visiting. The contributing structures to this district are all marked by small plaques which read Civil War Building 1863. Many famous American's are interred here including John L. Burns (1812 & 1863 soldier), Steve Courson (NFL lineman), Marianne Moore (poet), Eddie Plank (Hall of Fame pitcher), and Oscar Shaw (actor/singer). All totaled, there are 10,585 interments of which 15 are considered famous. SOURCE
The cemetery is open during the daytime until dusk and is completely accessible and free to visit. Parking is available out front along Baltimore Pike, most spots metered along the curb and a few are not. Evergreen Cemetery is across from East Cemetery Hill, an important Civil War battlefield littered everywhere with the most beautiful monuments and restored cannons.
When you walk into the cemetery and first thing which attracts your attention is the beautiful brick gatehouse which serves as the threshold to this historic site. If you look to the right, you will see the cast iron fence which delineates the left or northern most boundary of the cemetery is shared by the southern most part of the Soldiers' National Cemetery. This wrought iron fence once was in Washington D.C. and is an object of some controversy. (There is another waymark available about that story). Inside you will notice several statues, one for Elizabeth Thorn right at the entrance and another for Jennie Wade, the only civilian killed during the battle, which can be found at her grave. Also, there are markers, monuments and memorials relating to the Battle with several refurbished 20-pounder Parrott rifled cannons.
The Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse was the Battle of Gettysburg headquarters of General Oliver Howard and was damaged by nearby military engagements on East Cemetery Hill. The gatehouse's 2 brick towers support a memorial arch, and the structure was repaired in 1885 when an attached lodge was built.
There is not too much documentation on the historical nature of the cemetery and gatehouse which are often referred to and mentioned as two separate entities, even by the Park Rangers I engaged in conversation. Even Wikipedia has them as two separate entries. The cemetery's own website is worthless as well if one should want to dig deeper to learn more of its history. Even more peculiar is the notable absence of the cemetery from the American Guide Series. In fact, it is not even listed on a map.