The Steps to Gettysburg
In 1783, James Gettys bought 116 acres of land from his father Samuel Gettys. Gettystown was built by James Gettys in the mid 1780s. James established a central square known as the Diamond. Several streets dispersed from the Diamond, like the spokes of a wheel. James then divided the acreage into 120 individual lots. The streets were named to show where people were traveling to and from. This included names such as Baltimore Street, York Pike, Harrisburg Road, Chambersburg Pike, Taneytown Road, and Hagerstown Road.
James officially named the town Gettystown after his father Samuel Gettys. In the year 1800, the town’s name was changed to Gettysburg, as it also became the county seat. After a few years, two colleges were built northwest of town. Lutheran Theological Seminary opened in 1826 and Pennsylvania (now Gettysburg) College in 1832. Soon businesses such as tanneries, ironworks, and blacksmith shops opened up to supply horse-drawn carriage production. People passed through Gettystown on their way to much larger and more exciting cities.