Existing comment:
The Iron Horse Comes to Town:
The Gettysburg Railroad Station:
The railroad established Gettysburg as a commercial center and stimulated its economy.
On December 16, 1858, a gala celebration marked the opening of the Gettysburg Railroad Company. Eight thousand people from far and wide attended the day's festivities, the largest crowd ever in Gettysburg's 72-year history. The "iron horse" had arrived!
The event was the result of twenty years of planning and hard work by local entrepreneurs, who saw that railroad access to major metropolitan markets was the key to expanding commerce in Gettysburg and Adams County.
Freight and passenger service began even though the two story passenger depot was not completed until May 1859. The line was an immediate success. New warehouses and retail establishments sprouted on undeveloped lots next to the tracks. Passengers and goods could travel daily to and from Baltimore, Harrisburg and other more distant cities.
The railroad and train station proved to be more than a catalyst to commercial growth and passenger travel. This station was a witness to -- and an active participant in -- the battle, its aftermath, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and the rebirth of a nation. The station is central to the history of Gettysburg, Adams County, and in a way, America. |