My footsteps crunch on a gravel road cutting through a blanket of grass, and in the distance, hay stalks flutter beneath the contours of South Mountain. It’s a crisp morning in December 2024, and I’m visiting the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the home of Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower from 1954 until 1969.
The Eisenhower home is surrounded by pastures framed with white picket fences. Standing in the doorway is National Park Ranger Dan Vermilya, who welcomes me into a wallpapered entryway featuring the seal of every American state.
I scan the elegant living room, admiring a velvet pouf, a pretty-in-pink painting of Mamie Eisenhower, and a marble fireplace that was removed from the White House in 1873 by President Ulysses S. Grant. The Eisenhowers’ White House staff found the hearth and gifted it to the couple for their 38th wedding anniversary in 1954.
Between my love of U.S. history and appreciation for preserving landmarks, I feel tears prickling my eyes.
I’ve liked Ike ever since I studied World War II in college. As supreme commander of the Allied forces, he steered the United States to victory against the Nazi regime. He commanded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Vermilya says, because he wanted to make sure there wasn’t a third world war in his lifetime.
A Republican, Eisenhower served two presidential terms, signing legislation establishing NASA and the Interstate Highway System. He intervened in Cold War crises and signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He pushed for and passed the Admittance Act granting Alaska and Hawaii statehood in the Union.
While Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack in 1955, the Gettysburg farm served as the unofficial White House, hosting world leaders such as Prime Minister Nehru of India and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
Despite his remarkable life, America’s 34th president remained a humble guy from Abilene, Kansas. He cherished Adams County, Pennsylvania’s rural landscape and retired to the farm full time after his presidency. “One of the reasons they bought this property in 1950 was that they had lived in Gettysburg in 1918 when Eisenhower commanded Camp Colt,” Vermilya shares.
The house still contains the family’s belongings, artifacts and mementos, including a lacquer coffee table given to Eisenhower by the first lady of Korea on the first anniversary of the Korean War armistice. “That agreement was one of his proudest achievements,” Vermilya says.
The Eisenhowers lived at the farm until their deaths—Ike’s in 1969 and Mamie’s in 1979—treasuring the sounds of lowing cattle, the laughter of their grandkids and the rhythms of small-town life. They gave the farmstead to the National Park Service.
Most tourists making the trip to this Pennsylvania town come to learn about the Civil War at Gettysburg National Military Park. The Eisenhower site remains a somewhat hidden gem, except during three days in September when more than 7,000 people converge here for the annual World War II Weekend.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory (the Axis powers surrendered in 1945). The Eisenhower site will be converted into a living history camp with World War II veterans riding in camouflage tanks and reenactors in field jackets. “We have American, British, Canadian and Polish living history exhibits,” Vermilya says. “But the focus is on what World War II meant for the Eisenhower family and how the U.S. worked with its allies.”
The free World War II Weekend will be held at the Eisenhower National Historic Site from Sept.19-21. Vermilya recommends visiting on Sunday, which is usually the least crowded day. Check nps.gov/eise/world-war-ii-weekend for a schedule of events.
“We try to keep the tone commemorative because it’s the second world war, a cataclysmic and tragic event,” he says. “Sixteen million Americans served in uniform, and millions more on the home front. It touched everyone. We want to give people a chance to connect with those stories.”
I love exploring small towns, and Gettysburg holds a special place in my heart. I come year after year because it’s only about 85 miles from the D.C. area, and there are always new places to discover. Beyond that, I’m touched by the friendliness of the people who enjoy chatting about their hometown.
The centrally located Hotel Gettysburg on Lincoln Square is an ideal home base within walking distance of restaurants, shops and the wonderful Majestic Theater. Constructed in 1925, the hotel retains its landmark style but with modern decor after a major renovation in 2024.
From my hotel window, I watch tourists pose beside “Return Visit,” a life-size statue of Abraham Lincoln greeting a contemporary gentleman by sculptor J. Seward Johnson. Lincoln waves his top hat in the direction of the David Wills House, where he slept and finalized his famous Gettysburg Address. I myself have taken many selfies there. It’s one of the most iconic spots in a town full of momentous markers.
In the evening, I join friends at the Dobbin House Tavern, where a roving troubadour serenades our candlelit table. A waitress in Colonial attire loads the table with steaks and crabcakes, while general manager Rick Beamer tells us about the Rev. Alexander Dobbin, who built the property in 1776.
Beamer says Dobbin had 19 children between two wives. “For a man of the time, he was quite wealthy. Most Colonial homes were one or two rooms, but the Dobbins had four bedrooms upstairs and four rooms downstairs.” His son Matthew added rooms over the kitchen for a station on the Underground Railroad. After dinner, I climb the stairs to see the hiding places.
In Gettysburg, I feel a deep connection to the past. That feeling is especially keen inside the Shriver House Museum, where a reenactor in a hoop skirt ushers our group from room to room, describing the harrowing experiences endured by the Shriver family during the Civil War. After the family escaped, rebel soldiers took over the property. “Confederate sharpshooters knocked holes in the attic wall, and two soldiers died there,” says Abbie Hoffman, the museum’s director.
Another immersive experience awaits at Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum, operated by the Adams County Historical Society. Exhibits here depict life in the region from pre-Colonial times to Eisenhower’s era. The “Caught in the Crossfire Experience” is a life-size Civil War-era cabin where gunshots and screams fill the air. Soon, I’m shaking as much as the room.
Returning to the town square, The Upper Crust pulls me back to reality with a fun combination of Skee-Ball, billiards, barbecue and wood-fired pizzas. Next, I knock off some stylish gifts from my holiday list at Lark, A Modern Marketplace. The building’s lower level is home to Waldo’s & Co., a bookstore, coffee bar and art co-op where customers type away on their laptops.
The Adams County Pour Tour is a downloadable map of the area’s breweries, hard cider makers, wineries and distilleries. Many are spread around the countryside but some are downtown, including the Adams County Winery’s tasting room, where I sample the wine sorbet. Dinner is at Union Hotel’s Sign of the Buck, a culinary gem with a sophisticated vibe.
At this point I’m tired, but it’s the holidays and I’m not going to miss seeing A Christmas Carol at the Majestic Theater. This peppy and professional production is even more fun knowing the performers are local.
On day three, I refuel at The Ragged Edge Coffee House before visiting the World War II American Experience, a museum that opened in 2022 featuring Jeeps, armored vehicles and a replica of a 1941 living room with furniture from Sears. Collectors Frank and Loni Buck wanted to share their treasures, so they built a museum and education center on their farm near town. My favorite artifact is the American Red Cross Clubmobile, a snack truck that boosted the morale of soldiers. “We even have Hershey’s bars in the exact specs of those distributed overseas,” Loni Buck says.
There are many more places I want to see, but I’ll be back for World War II Weekend in September. I think Ike and Mamie would appreciate that visitors from around the world come to Gettysburg to enjoy all their town has to offer.
Where to Eat, Drink & Stay
Transforming an 1896 high school into the Federal Pointe Inn was no easy task, but owner and antiques collector Pete Monahan executed his audacious vision by furnishing the hotel himself. “I go to auctions, and when I find a bed that I love, I’ll put it in a room,” he says. Monahan kept remnants of the school, such as chalkboards and wall hooks, and he displays photos of students in the cozy Pointe Pub, which features his mom’s pickle dip recipe.
Hotel Gettysburg puts visitors in the heart of the action. This grande dame has welcomed guests since the turn of the 19th century, including U.S. presidents and international heads of state. Some rooms have fireplaces and sitting areas. Considered to be one of the most haunted hotels in America, it’s a place where people have reported hearing the sounds of dying soldiers within its walls. The hotel restaurant, One Lincoln, is a local hot spot.
Go early for a table at 101, a BYOB bistro serving pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and desserts made with scratch ingredients sourced in Pennsylvania.
Chef Josh Fidler’s Sign of the Buck has elevated Gettysburg’s culinary scene. Open for brunch, lunch and dinner, the farm-to-table restaurant housed in the historic Union Hotel is known for its homemade breadboards, tuna crudo and venison chops.
It’s hard to resist the sea salt chocolate chip cookies at Sweeter Than SAP, a bakery near Lincoln Square that opened in 2023. You’ll find those same cookies filled with your choice of ice cream flavors at Mr. G’s Ice Cream.
Fourscore Beer Co. serves soft pretzels and chorizo tacos that pair perfectly with the brewery’s fruity sours and West Coast IPAs.
Where to Shop
Make time to examine the fashionable jewelry, clothing and gifts for pets, kids and everyone else at Lark, A Modern Marketplace.
The stark paintings of Abraham Lincoln at Wendy Allen’s Lincoln Into Art gallery capture the many dimensions of our courageous 16th president, known for his signature top hat.
Peruse the shelves at Gallery 30 for American-made crafts reflecting every season and taste, including the “Jumpies,” a toy inspired by stories, both fairy tale and true.
Where to Play
History aside, agritourism is also a draw in Adams County, famous for its prolific orchards. The circa-1914 Round Barn & Farm Market, one of the nation’s few surviving round barns, is stocked with seasonal fruit, especially apples and peaches, along with baked goods and honey.
Take a wagon ride through the fields at Hollabaugh Bros. Farm & Fruit Market, then pick your own fruit or buy locally sourced produce and other goods at the year-round market.
Check the lineup at Gettysburg College’s Majestic Theater to see classic films, renowned performers and Broadway-style shows.
Bethesda-based travel writer Renee Sklarew is passionate about exploring the mid-Atlantic region and finding enticing stories to share.
