Each November 19th, the town of Gettysburg and the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania honors one of the most important moments in American history during the annual Dedication Day ceremony.
The event commemorates the November 19, 1863 dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, where President Abraham Lincoln delivered his immortal “Gettysburg Address.”
Visitors gather to reflect on the sacrifice of those who fought at Gettysburg and the enduring meaning of Lincoln’s words.
Directions | Time | Admission Fees
The Dedication Day ceremony takes place at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, located along Taneytown Road in Gettysburg.
The event begins with a wreath laying ceremony at the Soldiers’ National Monument at 10:15 am, followed by a keynote speech and the recitation of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
The event is free and open to the public.
History Behind Dedication Day
In the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, the countryside was littered with the bodies of thousands of fallen soldiers.
Fearing disease and wanting to show respect to the dead, the bodies were hastily buried in shallow graves, many of which were soon exposed by rain and wind.
When Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin toured the area, he was horrified by what he saw and resolved to create a proper resting place for the Union dead.
Curtin appointed local attorney David Wills to acquire land for a new cemetery, leading to the selection of Cemetery Hill, near where Union troops had heroically held the line during Pickett’s Charge.
Landscape architect William Saunders was chosen to design the cemetery, laying out semi-circular rows arranged by state, with Soldiers’ National Monument at the center.
The process of reinterment began in October 1863, and the work was still unfinished when the cemetery was formally dedicated that November.
The day’s keynote speaker was Edward Everett of Massachusetts, who delivered a two-hour oration before President Lincoln rose to give his brief but powerful address.
In just two minutes, Lincoln honored the fallen and called for national unity, ensuring that “these dead shall not have died in vain.”
After the ceremony, Lincoln attended a church service and returned to Washington later that day.
Nearly half a century later, in 1912, the Lincoln Address Memorial was erected near the cemetery’s southern gate—the only monument in the nation dedicated to a speech rather than the person who gave it.
Dedication Day in Present Times
Today’s Dedication Day ceremony continues this proud tradition with wreath-laying, patriotic music, a keynote address, and the recitation of the “Gettysburg Address.”
The program also includes a moving U.S. Naturalization and Citizenship ceremony, welcoming new citizens at the site where the meaning of American democracy was so eloquently reaffirmed.
In every respect, Dedication Day stands as a timeless reminder of the nation’s enduring commitment to honor sacrifice, preserve freedom, and strive toward the ideals that Lincoln so beautifully articulated on that hallowed ground.
Nearby Attractions
24 Must-See Attractions in Adams County is your guide to more of the best things to see and do in and around Gettysburg.
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