GETTYSBURG, PA—How did Gettysburg and the Great War shape a future five-star general and president? Explore answers to this question and more at Eisenhower National Historic Site’s (NHS) World War I Weekend on May 4 and 5. The National Park Service will host interactive living history displays with exhibits and programs exploring the American experience in World War I.
On May 4 and 5, Eisenhower NHS will partner with the East Coast Doughboys, United States Marine Corps Historical Company, United States Naval History and Heritage Command, and the “Pall Mall Doughboys” from Sargeant Alvin C. York State Park, Tennessee for free exhibits and living history displays. Living historians and park staff will also provide free programming throughout the weekend. The living history displays will be open for the public from 10 am through 4 pm on Saturday and 10 am through 3 pm on Sunday.
In addition to these displays, the Eisenhower home will have an open house. Visitors will be admitted to the home for self-guided tours on a rolling basis between 10 am and 3 pm on both days.
Over four million Americans served in uniform during World War I, with over 100,000 losing their lives in the conflict. In the spring of 1918, Captain Dwight Eisenhower arrived in Gettysburg to command a new tank training camp. While Eisenhower never saw action in Europe during the First World War, his time in Gettysburg training soldiers was part of the larger American experience of that conflict. “The Great War” saw the United States and its citizens emerge as leaders on the world stage, shaping the course of the 20th century.
Admission to Eisenhower NHS is free. Visitors may drive directly to the site. Please use 250 Eisenhower Farm Rd for GPS or visit here for directions. Please follow signs for on-site parking.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 429 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.