GETTYSBURG WELCOME CENTER RECEIVES CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION

GETTYSBURG WELCOME CENTER RECEIVES CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION

Gettysburg, PA (March 15, 2024) -
The Borough of Gettysburg is honored to announce the award of $1,272,436 in Congressionally Directed Funding for the construction of the Gettysburg Welcome Center project.

In February 2023, on behalf of the Borough of Gettysburg, Main Street Gettysburg submitted a Congressional Appropriation Request to both the House and Senate. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, and Representative John Joyce, M.D. jointly forwarded the application for Community Project Funding under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the FY2024 Budget. 

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a “minibus” for six appropriations bills including Transportation-HUD, by a 339-85 vote. On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Senate cleared full-year appropriations for those six bills, by a 75-22 vote. President Biden signed the measure into law on March 9, 2024 - clearing the way for the construction of the Gettysburg Welcome Center.

Congressman Joyce personally contacted Gettysburg Borough Manager Gable and Main Street Gettysburg President Sellers to announce the appropriation. Senator Casey’s senior staff also contacted Manager Gable regarding the news. “We are grateful for this generous funding to build a legacy project in the heart of Gettysburg, which will enable the Borough to serve residents and the millions of visitors that come to Gettysburg annually,” said Borough Manager Charles Gable, “and it will be completed in time to celebrate our nation’s 250^th birthday in July 2026.” The award, combined with local fundraising, will provide for construction to begin later this year in 2024.

The Gettysburg Welcome Center is a $1.5 million public facility project, which will create greater accessibility and walkability throughout the historic district. The project is in the center of downtown and will provide tourism, transportation, event, and volunteer information, as well as public restrooms. Plans include ADA-compliant facilities. The building site at 340 Baltimore Street was generously donated to the Borough for this purpose by Tim Shields, founder of Future Stake, Inc.

To ensure ongoing and perpetual operational sustainability after construction is complete, Main Street Gettysburg has partnered with the Adams County Community Foundation to create an endowment fund. The endowment goal is $1 million.

To donate to the Gettysburg Welcome Center Endowment Fund, contact Main Street Gettysburg at 717-337-3491, or online at www.mainstreetgettysburg.org/donate; or Adams County Community Foundation at 717-337-0060 or online at www.adamscountycf.org.

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ABOUT BOROUGH OF GETTYSBURG
Gettysburg was founded in 1786 and named after Samuel Gettys, an early settler and tavern owner. The Borough was incorporated on March 10, 1806. The confluence of ten major roads of the period caused it to be attractive to travelers and settlers alike.  Although known primarily for its proximity to the battlefield, the Borough of 7620 residents is also known for its institutions of higher learning.  The Lutheran Theological Seminary was founded in 1826 and Gettysburg College was established in 1832. Harrisburg Area Community College also has a campus just outside the geographical boundary of Gettysburg. Centrally located in Southern Pennsylvania, Gettysburg is 52 miles from Baltimore, 90 miles from Washington, DC, and 102 miles from Philadelphia. The main thoroughfare is US Route 30 (The Lincoln Highway), which was the first trans-continental highway. For three days in July of 1863, a costly battle raged between the Union and Confederate armies in and around the Borough. Over 51,000 casualties occurred during this battle. Although the Civil War continued two years following the battle at Gettysburg, the battle is viewed as the turning point of the American Civil War. In the 21^st Century, Gettysburg is a full-service municipality with the following mission statement: “Elected officials and staff of the Borough of Gettysburg strive to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of residents and visitors, while pursuing a sustainable community that attracts a diverse and thriving residential, business, and tourist community to this historic, yet modern small town. Actions taken in the pursuit of the mission statement will be in accordance with the Constitution of the United States of America, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the principles of a representative democracy”.
www.gettysburgpa.gov

ABOUT MAIN STREET GETTYSBURG
Main Street Gettysburg (MSG) was founded in 1984 as a non-profit organization to unite and lead the Gettysburg community in successful economic- and community-development projects to enhance the quality of life for Gettysburg and Adams County residents. The Main Street Gettysburg mission is to work with community partners for the historic preservation, economic revitalization, and overall enhancement of Gettysburg, and the organization oversees ambitious initiatives and economic-development strategies. Major accomplishments include a 10-year interpretive plan for historic preservation in the Borough of Gettysburg, which resulted in more than $55 million of downtown projects; the $7.5 million Steinwehr Avenue Revitalization Project, resulting in 29 new businesses in a five-year period that offered new jobs, additional ADA improvements and a safer, and more beautiful neighborhood with updated infrastructure. Current projects include the Gettysburg Welcome Center, Baltimore Street Revitalization Plan, David Wills House Volunteer Program, From the Ground Up Program, Façade Improvement Grants, America250PA-Adams County Commission, and A Gettysburg Christmas Festival.
www.mainstreetgettysburg.org

ABOUT ADAMS COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
The Adams County Community Foundation was created to promote and facilitate charitable giving and to build a permanent civic endowment for Adams County. While the Community Foundation’s Adams County Grants are focused locally, the Community Foundation also provides a home for charitable funds created by donors which may make grants anywhere in Pennsylvania or across the country. The Adams County Community Foundation works to inspire people and communities to build and distribute charitable funds that will benefit Adams County for generations.
www.adamscountycf.org