Dr. Charles H. Glatfelter Research Room and Archives
The Adams County Historical Society (ACHS) proudly preserves over 5,000 square feet of historic materials in its archives and research room. Here, visitors can access a host of records and manuscripts dealing with a wide range of historical topics. From genealogy to historic property research, military history, and Civil War-era accounts, the Dr. Charles H. Glatfelter Research Room is Gettysburg's preeminent archival research facility.
Hours
The Glatfelter Research Room is open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. We highly encourage you to pre-book your research session by clicking here. You may also purchase a research room ticket at the front desk if there is availability remaining.
*Please note that the Research Room will be closed on April 4th, 5th, and 6th due to a special event.
Tickets
FREE for current ACHS members and students (grade 6-12 & undergraduate)
$10 per day for non-members
Location
The Adams County Historical Society is located at 625 Biglerville Road, less than one mile north of the heart of downtown Gettysburg. Free parking is available on site and advanced reservations for research are strongly encouraged.
About Our Holdings
In addition to an artifact collection numbering in the tens of thousands, ACHS houses extensive archival holdings including selective birth and baptismal records, marriage licenses and church records, wills and estate files, death certificates, and compiled genealogical information such as family files, manuscripts, family collections, and published family histories. The collection also includes indexed excerpts from every newspaper published in Adams County, as well as the original bound volumes. For a list of pertinent finding aids and indexes, please click here.
ACHS also preserves a large body of information concerning historic homes and other significant sites around Gettysburg and Adams County. These resources include annual tax assessment books for each borough and township dating from 1800 through the mid-1950s, as well as original deed books and a large collection of unrecorded deeds and other land-related documents.
ACHS is perhaps best known for its Battle of Gettysburg Research Library, which includes a large collection of rare books and manuscripts that have been widely consulted by authors and enthusiasts of the Civil War Era. A notable highlight is the Society's collection of more than 300 civilian accounts of the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
