Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse

The Evergreen Cemetery gatehouse is a stone structure showcasing Renaissance Revival architectural details located at 799 Baltimore Pike in Adams County. It continues to serve as an administrative office and entrance point to the cemetery within the Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District.

Philadelphia architect Stephen Decatur Button designed this structure in 1855, and it served as Union headquarters during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Local masons George and Henry Chritzman completed the construction in under three months.

The gatehouse reflects the civilian experience during the Civil War, where Elizabeth Thorn, the groundskeeper's daughter, worked to help Union generals while protecting her family. The buildings around the cemetery grounds tell stories of people who lived in this area during the battle.

The gatehouse is easy to access from the cemetery parking area or directly from Baltimore Pike near the historic battlefield grounds. Visitors can view the exterior anytime, but interior access depends on administrative office hours.

The structure was built by masons George and Henry Chritzman in less than three months, which was remarkably fast for such a carefully designed building. This rapid construction timeline reveals the urgency and efficiency with which important structures were built during that era.