GETTYSBURG, Pa. — Visitors to Gettysburg National Military Park will begin seeing changes this weekend as the National Park Service launches a major restoration effort near two of the battlefield’s most recognizable landmarks.
Beginning Friday, crews will start work on a 160-acre grassland restoration project surrounding the Pennsylvania Monument and the Eternal Light Peace Memorial along Hancock and North Confederate avenues.
The project, part of the Eastern Grasslands Initiative, is intended to restore the battlefield’s historic appearance while improving environmental conditions across the park.
According to the National Park Service, the work will replace non-native grasses and invasive woody vegetation with native grasses and wildflowers that more closely resemble the agricultural landscape present during the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg.
Officials said preserving open sightlines across the battlefield remains a central goal of the project, allowing visitors to better interpret troop movements and battle conditions during the Civil War’s pivotal clash.
The restoration effort also is expected to improve habitats for birds and pollinators, strengthen soil health and reduce erosion throughout the area.
Visitors may encounter temporary trail closures as the work progresses in phases. The project will begin with invasive species removal before moving into native seeding and long-term vegetation management.
Park officials said the native grasslands could take three to five years to become fully established.
“Once complete, these restored grasslands will provide enhanced opportunities for visitor experiences like wildlife observation and battlefield interpretation, while reducing invasive plant species and supporting grassland resilience,” the National Park Service said in a statement.
The Gettysburg battlefield remains open daily from sunrise to sunset with no admission charge.
The project area includes the Eternal Light Peace Memorial on Oak Hill, northwest of Gettysburg. The monument was dedicated July 3, 1938, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
More than 250,000 people attended the dedication, while thousands more were unable to reach the event because of overcrowded roads. More than 1,800 Civil War veterans, all at least in their 90s, participated in what became the final large reunion of Union and Confederate veterans.
During the dedication, Roosevelt emphasized national unity, honoring soldiers from both sides of the conflict “thankful that they stand together under one Flag now.”
The 47 1/2-foot memorial features a granite base from Maine and a limestone shaft from Alabama. Its eternal flame originally was gas-lit before being converted to electricity in 1979 and restored in 1988.
The memorial later inspired the eternal flame placed at President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery.
