Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Welty House

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024

1. The Welty House Marker

Inscription.

The Welty House. . , The Welty House was on the firing line, and many impact marks can still be seen and felt on the brick today. Two Confederate soldiers were killed in the house. A total of 36 Confederates and Union soldiers were buried in the Welty property before being moved to the National Cemetery. President Abraham Lincoln rode past this house in November 1863 on his way to deliver his Gettysburg Address., Today guests may stay the night or take tours with the Welty House. Visit brickhouseinn.com or scan the QR code below to learn more., [Caption:] , November 19, 1863, Welty House and farm on the right. Abraham Lincoln in crowd walking to deliver Gettysburg Address , Built in the 1830s, the Welty house was both a sharpshooter position heavily contested by Union soldiers on one side of the house and Confederates on the other, and a shelter to the seven members of the Welty family and their neighbors, the Rupp family, who hid in the basement with them. There was one house in the farmland district between the Union artillery and defense line on cemetery Hill and the Welty house: the home where Jennie Wade was killed. Union artillery nearly destroyed the house until an officer gave orders to spare the house to save potential civilians inside., On July 2, the Union's 17th Connecticut advanced to the fence on the Welty property to repulse the Confederates attack on Cemetery Hill while under fire from sharpshooters. 9 Union soldiers were killed before they were relieved. Skirmishes continued along the front lines on the Welty property. , Confederates were on one side of the house, Union forces on the other. Capt. John Lutz of the 107th Ohio remarked "The enemy appearing in heavy force, the regiment was ordered to the south end of town, where it posted behind a board fence, holding this position until 7PM July 2 during which time heavy skirmishing was going on between the regiment and the enemy's sharpshooters." The Confederates attacked Cemetery Hill that night and scores of men lay dead in its aftermath.

The Welty House was on the firing line, and many impact marks can still be seen and felt on the brick today. Two Confederate soldiers were killed in the house. A total of 36 Confederates and Union soldiers were buried in the Welty property before being moved to the National Cemetery. President Abraham Lincoln rode past this house in November 1863 on his way to deliver his Gettysburg Address.

Today guests may stay the night or take tours with the Welty House. Visit brickhouseinn.com or scan the QR code below to learn more.

[Caption:]
November 19, 1863, Welty House and farm on the right. Abraham Lincoln in crowd walking to deliver Gettysburg Address

Built in the 1830s, the Welty house was both a sharpshooter position heavily contested by Union soldiers on one side of the house and Confederates on the other, and a shelter to the seven members of the Welty family and their neighbors, the Rupp family, who hid in the basement with them. There was one house in the farmland district between the Union artillery and defense line on cemetery Hill and the Welty house: the home where Jennie Wade was killed. Union artillery nearly destroyed the house until an officer gave orders to spare the house to save potential civilians inside.

On July 2, the Union's 17th Connecticut advanced to the fence on the Welty property to repulse the Confederates attack on Cemetery Hill while under fire from sharpshooters. 9 Union soldiers were killed before they were relieved. Skirmishes continued along the front lines on the Welty property.

Confederates were on one side of the house, Union forces on the other. Capt. John Lutz of the 107th Ohio remarked "The enemy appearing in heavy force, the regiment was ordered to the south end of town, where it posted behind a board fence, holding this position until 7PM July 2 during which time heavy skirmishing was going on between the regiment and the enemy's sharpshooters." The Confederates attacked Cemetery Hill that night and scores of men lay dead in its aftermath.

Topics and series.

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This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln series list. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1863.

Location. 39° 49.477′ N, 77° 13.855′ W. Marker is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is on Baltimore Street (Business U.S. 15) south of Locust Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 444 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: John Rupp (here, next to this marker); The John Rupp House and Tannery Site

The Welty House Marker (reverse) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, October 4, 2024

2. The Welty House Marker (reverse)

(a few steps from this marker); Caught in the Crossfire (a few steps from this marker); The Civil War Comes to Gettysburg (a few steps from this marker); Gettysburg's First Municipal Water Supply (within shouting distance of this marker); In July 1863 this was the site of the Rupp Tannery (within shouting distance of this marker); ...Lincoln passed by... (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wagon Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.

Another marker is no longer nearby. The Wagon Hotel on Cemetery Hill (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

The Welty House marker site image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024

3. The Welty House marker site

The Welty House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, October 4, 2024

4. The Welty House

Ancillary marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, October 4, 2024

5. Ancillary marker

Text of a letter from John Rupp describing his experience.

"Gettysburg, with crowds returning from the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery" image. Click for full size.

via House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, November 19, 1863

6. "Gettysburg, with crowds returning from the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery"

Uncolorized version of wayside photo

Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,556 times since then and 317 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 1, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on October 14, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on March 1, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 14, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.