War Time Owner: James Wills.

Location: Buford Avenue

Extant Buildings: The house was built in 1868. The barn dates to 1860.

About the Farm: The house is a Greek Revival Style. Was the scene of first day’s fighting w/ occupation by CSA forces, used probably as CSA field hospital. Building post-dates 1863 Battle of Gettysburg but falls with period of significance for park. House occupies approximate site of original 18th Century settlement homestead that was extant at time of battle. Building contributes to historic spatial organization of farmstead, an organization that provided cover for Confederate infantry and artillery and became an obstacle to movement on July 1. This post-1863 building serves as placeholder for previous house extant at time of battle. The barn is located between Herr’s Ridge an McPherson’s Ridge on battlefield of first day, and is only remaining building from battle era on Wills farm. Confederate artillery used shelter of barn for cover of limbers, horses, and ammunition chests during battle July 1. Most likely was used for temporary hospital and emergency aid purposes by Confederates who fought over grounds of farm during the first day of battle.

Access Roads: Located off of Stratton Street near Stevens Street.

Part of Auto Tour? No.

Description: Located in a very hidden location in the middle of town, Coster Avenue is named for Colonel Charles Coster and marks the position of his brigade of the Eleventh Corps on the afternoon of July 1, 1863. At the time of the battle this area was farmland; adjacent to the area was a brickyard owned by Kuhn. Post-Civil War growth in the town eventually swallowed up everything except this small strip of land. The 80-foot long mural was dedicated on July 1, 1988 – the 125th anniversary of the battle. It was conceived and designed by Mark H. Dunkelman and painted by Rhode Island artist Johan Bjurman. It received restoration work in 2001.

Additional Photographs: More Photographs of the area (will open a pop up window).

Owner: Private museum; not owned by the National Park Service. During the battle, the house was owned by a widow, Mary Thompson. The museum operates as the General Lee’s Headquarters Museum. The house has long been used as a museum; in the Spring of 1922 the house was opened to the public as the Lee Museum by Mr. C. F. Daley.

Location: Seminary Ridge, on the Chambersburg Pike, west of Gettysburg.

Built: Dates to the early 19th century. Built circa 1833-1834.

Description: The interior of the house burned in 1896, but the stone structure was preserved. This house is best known as General Lee’s headquarters. Although it is unclear whether Lee actually used the house, he did hold meetings here. Lee’s headquarters marker is located across the Thompson House at the newly replanted apple orchard.

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s Red-winged Blackbirds.

Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are abundant birds. The showy, glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches; the female is a subdued, streaky brown that could be mistook for a large sparrow. Male Red-winged Blackbirds do everything they can to get noticed, sitting on high perches and belting out their conk-la-ree! song all day long. In fact, the conk-la-ree sound is often the first harbinger of spring.

Best Places to See Them: Red-winged black birds can be found all over the park in the summer. Look for them on fences and on top of monuments. Excelsior Field, the areas around the McPherson farm, and the Peach Orchard are some good places to see these guys. Look for red-winged blackbirds on fences or on top of monuments. This bird was photographed sitting on top of the monument to the 12th Illinois Cavalry near the Railroad Cut on the First Day battlefield. They like marshy land and can sometimes be spotted in the cattails near the pond on the McPherson barn.

Additional Photographs: More Photographs of the area (will open a pop up window).

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s red headed woodpeckers.

The Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is a striking bird. An aggressive bird, they do not like to be spotted and if they catch you looking at them, they will take off quickly. Look for the bright red head and the black and white back.

Best Places to See Them: Gettysburg boasts a large population of these often very elusive birds. The best place to see them in my experience is 1) The woods between the Tennessee Monument and the Virginia Monument; 2) the Loop near the Rose Farm and the Wheatfield; 3) the witness tree in Devil’s Den. The bird pictured here was photographed in the Devil’s Den witness tree.

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s White Tail Deer.

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is also known as the Virginia deer. They are very common throughout the military park.

Best Places to See Them: Look for deer both in open fields and in the woods. I have seen them most frequently in the field of Pickett’s Charge in the winter and during the summer along Confederate Avenue. This doe was photographed near McMillian Woods on Seminary Ridge, West Confederate Avenue.

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s American Kestrels.

The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a very colorful small falcon that is quite common. They sometimes engage in “hover-hunting” — the bird hovers, then drops on prey. Kestrels eat mainly small rodents on the battlefield.

Best Places to See Them: Kestrels can be found all over the battlefield, but are most common along fence lines and in open fields. This American Kestrel male was photographed sitting on top of the 153rd Pennsylvania Monument on Barlow’s Knoll.

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s Northern Mockingbirds.

The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is a slender-bodied gray bird with a ton of personality. They sing almost endlessly and they don’t tend to be shy — you’re likely to not have to work to see these guys!

Best Places to See Them: Mockingbirds are abundant on the battlefield. This bird was photographed on Little Round Top, but you can see mockingbirds virtually anywhere on the battlefield. They are more common in the open fields and like to perch on top of the park’s many monuments. In fact, that’s often an excellent place to look for them!

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s Cooper’s Hawks.

Agile and skillful fliers, Cooper’s Hawks mainly hunt birds. A medium sized hawk, Cooper’s Hawks are significantly smaller than the park’s much larger red-tail hawks. A very adaptable bird, Cooper’s hawks can be found everywhere from subdivisions to deep forests. Smaller and stealthier, they are harder to find, but keep your eyes open and you may be rewarded by getting to see this amazing hunter. In flight, Cooper’s use a flap-flap-glide flight style. You can also pick them out by their long tails in flight.

Best Places to See Them: I have seen Cooper’s Hawks most frequently at Gettysburg on South Confederate Avenue and in the D-Shaped (Slyder) Field. This bird was photographed near Kilpatrick’s Cavalry Division monument on South Confederate Avenue near Bushman Hill. I have also occasionally seen them hanging around town where they probably pick off birds from bird feeders (Cooper’s are notorious for this).

Offering a variety of habitat ranging from mature forest to open pasture, the Gettysburg National Military Park is home to many species of animals including amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. This post focuses on the park’s red tail hawks.

The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a bird of prey. They are probably the most common hawk found in North America and Gettysburg boasts a health population of red-tails. Red-tails can vary significantly in coloration. Females are about 25% larger than males.

Best Places to See Them: Red-tails can be seen virtually anywhere in the Park, but some common locations include Reynolds Woods near the McPherson Barn (this bird was photographed on the McPherson Farm right on the edge of Reynolds Woods), the fields of Pickett’s Charge between Seminary and Cemetery Ridge, and the Excelsior Field near the Klingel Farm. Red Tails like open fields near woods. They often will perch on the park’s wooden fences. They can also be frequently seen flying in the skies over Gettysburg. Red-tailed Hawks like to soar above open fields, slowly turning circles on their broad wings.

Additional Photographs: More Photographs of Gettysburg red-tail hawks (will open a pop up window).