The Rostrum is located just inside the Taneytown Road entrance gates. It is up about fifty feet or so and directly to the left, across from the Lincoln Speech Memorial. The National Park Service is planning on “redoing” the Rostrum in the National Cemetery in time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 2013. I noticed some bricks needed repointing, moss was staining the 'floor' of bricks up top and the wood trellis is in need of replacing or sanding and re-staining. The structure was rehabbed in 1979 for its hundredth birthday. The Rostrum is a very popular site inside the cemetery. There are dozens of various postcards depicting this contributing structure at the turn of the century in a wide array of angles.
Update
I just visited the Rostrum on the 150th anniversary anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 2013. The Rostrum looks amazing and has been cleaned up and repaired. There is a lawn of beautiful grass now inside the rostrum.
A variety of Presidents or future Presidents supposedly have spoken on the Rostrum, including Rutherford B. Hayes, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft & Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower (he lived here!), and Lyndon B. Johnson (when he was Vice President in 1963). What about Lincoln you say? Well, he was here but this thing had yet to be built. That was still sixteen year away. The Rostrum was built by the War Department in 1879.
Parking is available in front of the cemetery (Baltimore Pike) at metered spots along the curb. There is also a lot located to the left of East Cemetery Hill (if facing it) in a tourist-tour business that always has space. I visited this site on Monday, July 1, 2013 on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg @ about midday, EDT & @ an altitude of 601 feet, ASL. As always, I used my trusty and oft abused Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.
The National Cemetery Rostrum 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 133.
From the Nomination Form:
Rostrum is part of the National Cemetery which was commerated by Lincoln's 1863 address, replacing temporary speaking platforms w/ a more public forum. Tied & designed to become integral part of Cemetery landscape.
Short Physical Description:
Elevated speaker's platform, 36'-10"x 22'. Pergola roof sits upon 12, 18"sq brick columns. 2 stairs 9'-11"x6' on E & W ends. 2-1/2" dia metal rails between columns & at steps. Brick floor w/ granite perimeter; spalling brick walls & deteriorating wood pergola
Long Physical Description:
This 32x18 feet speaker’s platform is located in the southern end of the national cemetery. It is elevated about five feet above grade on a brick foundation. The brick floor of the platform has a granite perimeter and is approached by central flights of stone steps on the east and west elevations. Twelve 12-foot high, square brick Tuscan columns arranged in three rows of four surmounted on brick pedestals ascend from the platform. A heavy wooden beam tops each row of columns. A pergola roof crowns the wooden beams to form a trellis. Originally covered with English ivy on the brick and wisteria vines over the pergola, with a sod-covered platform (now masonry).
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
Gettysburg Daily
3.
Gettysburg Times
4.
Wikipedia