Eisenhower House at Eisenhower National Historic Site

PARK OVERVIEW

Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, preserves the home and farm that Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, purchased in 1950. He often used it as a get-away during his two terms as the 34th President of the United States (1953-1961). In fact, it is estimated that he spent a year of his presidency in Gettysburg. Eisenhower exited the White House when John F. Kennedy was elected, and he and Mamie retired to Gettysburg with plans to live out their lives on the farm.

Eisenhower was connected to Gettysburg long before 1950. When the United States entered into World War I in April 1917, Camp Colt was established on the grounds of Gettysburg National Military Park later that year. Starting in the spring of 1918, Camp Colt was the home of the U. S Army’s Tank Corp and a tank training program. Captain Dwight Eisenhower, 27 years old at the time, was assigned as the commanding officer. He had previously served with the 301st Tank Battalion at Camp Meade in Maryland.

The Eisenhowers donated the house and farm to the National Park Service in 1967 with the caveat that they live out their lives on the farm before it could be turned into a park. Dwight died in 1969 of heart failure and was buried at his home town of Abilene, Kansas. Mamie died in 1979. The next year the property was opened to the public.

Visitors to the park can take a guided tour of Eisenhower’s home and walk the grounds around the house and the farm next door, known as Farm 2, which Eisenhower used for his Aberdeen Angus cattle business.

OPERATING HOURS

Tours of the Eisenhower House are given from April until the end of October on select days of the week. Days and times vary depending on the season. Before heading to the park, be sure to get the current tour schedule on the National Park Service’s Ranger Programs web page.

The grounds of Eisenhower National Historic Site are open every day from dawn until dusk. Rangers do give walking tours of the grounds on select days of the week, but visitors are free to walk around on their own as well. A schedule for the walking tour is posted on the Rangers Programs page.

Those interested in purchasing Eisenhower books and souvenirs must do so at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, which is typically open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM. Nothing is sold at Eisenhower National Historic Site.

FEES

There is no fee to visit Eisenhower National Historic Site or to take the house tour as long as you have less than ten people in your group and are driving a standard-size personal vehicle or small RV / van. Groups of more than ten people and those who have a large RV or are pulling a trailer must take a shuttle bus from the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center. There is a fee for the shuttle.

SCHEDULING YOUR TIME

House Tour
allow 1 hour

Grounds Tour
allow 30-90 minutes depending on your interest level

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