David Wills House: then and now

About 1930 to 1945 vs 2013 · Gettysburg, PA

NowThen

Then, About 1930 to 1945A colored postcard of the three-story brick house with green shutters, small trees and a horse and buggy out front.Photo: L. E. Smith, Wholesale Distributor (postcard) · Public domain · Source · resized

Today, 2013A restored upstairs bedroom inside the house museum, with a wooden bed, a washstand and a green armchair.Photo: Ron Cogswell · CC BY 2.0 · Source · resized

The story

David Wills was a Gettysburg lawyer. After the Battle of Gettysburg he suggested a national cemetery for the soldiers to Governor Andrew Curtin, who then made him the state's agent to organize it. Because of his work, Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg to speak.

Wills invited Lincoln to stay at his house. On November 18, 1863, the night before the ceremony, Lincoln wrote the final draft of the Gettysburg Address in the large upstairs bedroom he was using. During the battle, local people had sheltered in Wills' cellar.

Today the Wills House is a historic house museum operated for visitors.

Did you know? Lincoln finished the speech the night before he gave it.

Historians argue about this. Many people picture Lincoln scribbling the speech in a rush. Wikipedia says he completed the final draft here, in the Wills House, on November 18.

Fact or tall tale?

SolidLincoln wrote the final draft of the Gettysburg Address in the Wills House.
Wikipedia: the final draft was written in the Wills House on November 18, 1863.
Not trueLincoln gave the speech from the steps of the Wills House.
He delivered it the next afternoon at the Soldiers' National Cemetery.

Sources

More: Look for historic photos at the Library of Congress

Stamp it in person

Go there, answer the question that only someone standing at David Wills House can answer, and add the stamp to your passport. Free, no sign-up.

Play Gettysburg

More in Gettysburg

Next: Pennsylvania Hall. Written from the cited sources, not yet walked on site unless noted.