The Codori Farm is just south of Gettysburg on the east side of Emmitsburg Road. It was the scene of heavy fighting on July 2 and was at the center of Pickett's Charge on July 3. The farmhouse was there at the time of the battle, although a two story brick addition was added to its rear in 1877. The current barn is a replacement for the original was torn down in 1882.
The farm was owned by Nicholas Codori, who came to America from Alsace, France, in 1828 at the age of 19. He bought the 273 acre farm in 1854, replacing the original log house with today's two story frame building. A butcher, Nicholas lived in town at 44 York Street (now the The Brafferton Inn Bed and Breakfast ) and rented the farm to tenants. One of the original parishioners of St. Francis Xavier Church, Nicholas offered his home on York Street for Mass while the church served as a hospital from the time of the battle until January of 1864.
Nicholas died in July of 1878 after a horrific accident with a mowing machine, losing his foot and suffering several other serious cuts. An article from the Gettysburg Times tells how as he was being driven into town to the doctor he remained seated, "saluting with his usual pleasant greeting acquaintances met on the way."
It is not clear who occupied the farm at the time of the battle. One story is that was Nicholas' niece, Catharine Codori Staub, and her husband John Staub, who took refuge in the basement during the fighting. According to Jane Riley, who was a toddler at the time of the battle, it was her parents, John and Talitha Reiley.
It was estimated that over 500 Confederate soldiers were buried on the farm after the battle. The farm today is owned by the National Park Service and the farmhouse is a residence for park personnel.
The Nicholas Codori Farm House 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 034.
From the nomination form:
Located along the Emmitsburg Road about 400 yards in front of the Union battle lines on Cemetery Ridge, the house spent most of the battle within the Union forward skirmish line. On July 2, two regiments of Harrow’s Union brigade moved forward to the road astride the house to confront a major attack by Confederate infantry. Their position was overrun; wounded sought shelter within the house. On July 3, the house proved an obstacle to Garnett’s Virginia brigade as it participated in the Pickett-Pettigrew Assault. Confederate wounded joined Union wounded in the house until the conclusion of the battle. Confederate General Kemper was carried to the shelter of the walls of the building when wounded during the attack, prior to being carried off the field. It is one of three houses in the park exhibiting battle damage to the interior. Indeed, the board interior wall on the south end of the living room may be the only Civil War-era interior fabric still surviving from the battle era. Interior arrangement of rooms on the first floor has also been altered.
Short Physical Description:
2-story, L-shaped building, 43'7"x33'. 1834 portion is 18'4"x33', 1877 cross-gable wing addition 25'3"x14'8", & 1941 L-shaped kitchen addition in crook of L measures 10'2"x24' overall.
Long Physical Description
This house (c. 1834; 1877) is a two-story brick L-shaped building on a granite foundation that measures 43.6 x 33.0 feet. The 1834 section measures 18.3 x 33.0 feet. The 1877 portion is a cross-gable ell addition of 25.25 x 14.7 feet. An 1941 frame addition in the crook of the ell measures 10.2 x 24.0 feet. The gable roof is covered with wood shingles.
My Sources
1.
Draw the Sword
2.
Stone Sentinels
3.
NRHP Narrative