The Ghosts of Gettysburg's Streets: Where the Battle Still Marches On
When people think of haunted Gettysburg, their minds often wander to the battlefield—a sprawling, solemn expanse where over 50,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing in just three days of brutal combat in July 1863. It's easy to understand why the battlefield is considered one of the most haunted places in America. But if you're only ghost hunting in the fields and forests around town, you're missing half the story.
Because in Gettysburg, the dead don't stay behind fences. They march through the streets. They wait in the shadows of downtown buildings. They linger by the train station. This is a town where the past has not only left a mark—it's still walking around.
A Town That Became a Battlefield
To understand why Gettysburg is so haunted, you need to understand what happened here.
From July 1 to July 3, 1863, Gettysburg was transformed from a sleepy Pennsylvania town into a scene of unimaginable horror. Thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in what would become the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Homes, churches, and businesses in town were turned into makeshift hospitals. The dead and dying lined the streets. The sounds of gunfire and cannon blasts echoed day and night.
And when the smoke cleared, Gettysburg was left with a death toll and a psychic wound that the centuries have yet to heal.
Ghost Sightings in the Streets of Gettysburg
While most ghost hunters head straight for the battlefield, locals and visitors alike know the truth: the town itself is just as haunted—if not more so. Ghost sightings have been reported on sidewalks, in alleys, behind shops, and even in front of diners. These aren't ghost stories passed down through the grapevine—they're ongoing, chilling encounters that happen every single year.
Baltimore Street cuts straight through the heart of town and was a major thoroughfare during the Battle of Gettysburg. Union troops used it to move cannons and wounded soldiers. Locals sheltered inside their homes, peeking through windows as war unfolded outside.
Today, people walking along Baltimore Street at night have reported the sound of footsteps—heavy, booted, and marching in formation—with no one around. Some have seen shadowy figures moving in lockstep, vanishing as they reach the corner. One shop owner claims he regularly hears whispers in his back hallway after closing up for the night, even though no one else is there.
One of Gettysburg's oldest roads, Chambersburg Street, is no stranger to spectral sightings. During the battle, the area saw countless troop movements and skirmishes. In the aftermath, buildings were overrun with wounded soldiers and civilians trying to help them.
Today, people have seen a lone Confederate soldier, his uniform ragged and bloodstained, standing under one of the old streetlamps. Witnesses say he looks lost, confused—until he disappears completely.
One couple staying at a nearby bed and breakfast woke up to see a man in uniform standing at the foot of their bed, staring blankly before vanishing as they screamed.
Located just off Carlisle Street, the Gettysburg Railroad Station played a critical role after the battle. Abraham Lincoln arrived here in November 1863 to deliver the Gettysburg Address. But before that, this depot was the point of departure for thousands of wounded Union soldiers being evacuated to hospitals farther north.
Many of them never made it.
Today, the station is beautifully preserved—but its ghosts haven't left.
Beyond the Battlefield: Gettysburg's Downtown Hauntings
From Lincoln Square to Steinwehr Avenue, downtown Gettysburg is alive with ghost stories. Some of the most haunted buildings in the country stand proudly on street corners here—restaurants, bookstores, taverns, and inns that look charming by day and chilling by night.
Locals tell of a headless soldier seen wandering near Lefever Street, believed to be a casualty of cannon fire. Another legend speaks of a woman in black seen crying on a bench in the early morning hours before disappearing with the sunrise.
Even the alleyways of Gettysburg aren't safe. "Strange silhouettes" are often spotted behind the Dobbin House and near the Farnsworth House Inn. Paranormal investigators have captured EVPs of gunfire, voices whispering names, and even the faint strains of fife music late at night.
Many believe the spirits seen on Gettysburg's streets are residual hauntings—moments from the past that play over and over like a record stuck on a loop. Others suggest that these ghosts are intelligent, aware of the living and occasionally interacting with them. Whatever the case may be, it's clear that something lingers here.
Gettysburg was a town caught in the jaws of history. It was soaked in blood, trauma, and tragedy—and ghosts, as it turns out, don't need a battlefield to stick around. They roam the places they died, the roads they marched, and the stations where they hoped to escape.
Walk Where the Ghosts Still March
If you're planning a trip to Gettysburg, don't just head for the fields—walk the streets after sundown. Listen closely in the silence. Feel the temperature shift as you pass the alley behind an old tavern. Glance at the window of a historic inn—you might not be the only one looking out.
And when you're ready to experience these hauntings up close, join one of our Gettysburg Ghost Tours. At Ghost City Tours, we take you into the heart of haunted Gettysburg—the places where the dead are still keeping watch.
Gettysburg's ghosts aren't confined to the past. They're part of the town's present—and they're waiting for you.
A phantom Union regiment continues its eternal march down Baltimore Street
A Confederate soldier's spirit forever flees through York Street
A wounded cavalryman seeks help that will never come
Ghost soldiers continue their eternal street battles
