Thanks to a bipartisan push, nearly $1.3 million in federal funding has been awarded for the Gettysburg Welcome Center planned at 340 Baltimore St.
The facility is to provide visitor information and public restrooms and promote accessibility and walkability in the historic district, according to a borough release.
Last month, on behalf of the Borough of Gettysburg, Main Street Gettysburg submitted a congressional appropriation request to both the U.S. House and Senate. U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-13, and U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, both D-Pa., “jointly forwarded the application for Community Project Funding under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the FY2024 Budget,” according to the release.
On March 6, 2024, the House “passed a ‘minibus’ for six appropriations bills including Transportation‐HUD, by a 339‐85 vote,” and on March 8, “the Senate cleared full‐year appropriations for those six bills, by a 75‐22 vote. President Biden signed the measure into law on March 9,” according to the release.
“All three federal representatives collaboratively pushed this forward. It could not have happened without Congressman Joyce and Senators Casey and Fetterman working together on this,” Borough Manager Charles Gable said.
Joyce personally contacted Gable and Main Street Gettysburg President Jill Sellers to announce the appropriation and Casey’s senior staff contacted Gable regarding the news.
“We are grateful for this generous funding to build a legacy project in the heart of Gettysburg, which will enable the Borough to serve residents and the millions of visitors that come to Gettysburg annually, and it will be completed in time to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday in July 2026,” Gable said.
The $1,272,436 award, combined with local fundraising, will provide for construction to begin later this year in 2024, according to the release.
Plans for the $1.5 million project, include Americans with Disabilities Act‐compliant facilities.
The building site was donated to the borough for development of a welcome center by Tim Shields, founder of Future Stake, Inc.
In July last year, the borough council authorized demolition of a dilapidated house on the site, which the borough owns.
To ensure ongoing operational sustainability after construction is complete, Main Street Gettysburg has partnered with the Adams County Community Foundation to create an endowment fund with a goal of $1 million. To donate, contact Main Street Gettysburg at 717‐337‐3491 or www.mainstreetgettysburg.org/donate or the foundation at or Adams County Community at 717‐337‐0060 or online at www.adamscountycf.org.
