2026 American Battlefield Trust Hikes, Tours & Lectures
Join Us In the Field and Online in 2026
The American Battlefield Trust proudly presents our 2026 History Hikes, Tours, and Lectures series. This year's lineup can be experienced in-person or online from the comfort of your living room.
Join fellow American Battlefield Trust members in the field at Antietam, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Great Bridge, Manassas, and Spotsylvania for in-person tours and hikes led by renowned historians and guides.
Are the tours you'd like to attend full? Join the waitlist.
Can't make it in person? We're also offering a variety of online lectures covering topics from Washington's Crossing of the Delaware to the Siege of the Alamo to Culp's Hill at Gettysburg...and more!
Join us on July 1, 2026, at the Adams County Historical Society for a live recording of Boom Goes the History! A podcast by the American Battlefield Trust. We'll have prizes, surprises, and a ton of Gettysburg guests.
Don't miss the in-person lectures at the Adams County Historical Society. They're the perfect kickstarter for our June, August, and September tours.
Registration
Each hike, tour, and lecture has a registration fee. These fees support the American Battlefield Trust's education efforts and cover the permits required for the tours. They also help us offer members more quality programming worldwide.
We look forward to seeing you online and in the field and online in 2026! Please visit our event website to register for anything you see here.
Are the tours you'd like to attend full? Join the waitlist.
Please Note
- The HIKING tours are not for the faint of heart. Please read the description of each tour before choosing to join us.
- Lunch and buses will not be provided on these tours. Participants are expected to bring their own water, food, and supplies for each hike.
- Check back later this year as we will announce more lectures and tours!
We look forward to seeing you in the field and online this summer and fall!
Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Clash of Cavalry at Brandy Station-Buford's Knoll at Brandy Station
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Dan Davis
Cost: $30.00 Per Person
Exertion: Please expect a MODERATE walk of less than 2 miles. We will follow park trails that may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles.
Description: On June 9, 1863, Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton splashed across the Rappahannock and struck Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart. Fighting raged across the rolling hills and fields around a lonely rail stop named Brandy Station in the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War. Join Dan Davis, the Trust's Principal, Interpretation and Special Projects, for an exploration of Buford's Knoll. We'll trace the history of this hallowed ground and relive the stories of valor from the opening engagement of the pivotal Gettysburg Campaign.
Sunday, April 26, 2026 | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Defining Liberty: Antietam 86 Years After Independence
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Sarah Kay Bierle
Cost: $37.50 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this tour as MODERATE. It involves some 3.5 miles of walking and several stops. We will mostly follow mowed and grassy trails, but may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles.
Description: The Battle of Antietam exploded on September 17, 1862. It became infamous as the single bloodiest day in American history and led to the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, an important step toward ending slavery in the nation. Looking at the long timeline of the American pursuit of liberty, Antietam’s battle is poised 86 years after the founding of the United States and exactly 75 years after the signing of the Constitution. This history hike will explore the 1862 combat near Dunker Church, the West Woods, and Miller’s Cornfield, while tracing how Civil War soldiers in blue and gray remembered the American Revolution. For many, legacy stories of the Revolution and perceptions of liberty shaped why they fought in their own history-changing moment.
Saturday , May 16, 2026 | 10:00 am – 12:15 pm
The Eastern Flank at Spotsylvania: With Special Access!
Type of Event: Walking Tour
Guide: Chris Mackowski
Cost: $25.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this walk as EASY, with less than 2 miles of walking and several stops. We will follow trails that may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles.
Description: The Eastern Flank at Spotsylvania: Special Access at Stevenson Ridge with Chris Mackowski
For two weeks in May of 1864, the Union and Confederate armies clashed near Spotsylvania Court House. While the famous actions took place at the Bloody Angle or the Brock Road, the battle raged east of the village along the Fredericksburg Road.
Join American Battlefield Trust Copie Hill Fellow and Historian-in-Residence at Stevenson Ridge, Chris Mackowski, for a member-only special tour of some of the best-preserved earthworks at Stevenson Ridge. You'll access private property on a walk through the woods of Spotsylvania while learning about the role of the 9th Army Corps and the death of General Thomas G. Stevenson.
Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 1:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Myers Hill: Spotsylvania’s Overlooked Action
Type of Event: Walking Tour
Guide: Chris Mackowski
Cost: $25.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this hike as EASY-MODERATE, with 2-3 miles of walking along pathways and uneven terrain.
Description: Step off the beaten path and explore one of the most overlooked pieces of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during this walking tour of Myers Hill. Often forgotten and rarely visited, this rugged ground played an important role in the brutal fighting of May 1864 during Grant’s Overland Campaign.
As we traverse terrain that few battlefield visitors ever see, we’ll uncover the story of the desperate Union effort to hold this commanding high ground against repeated Confederate attacks. Soldiers from both sides clashed across fields, woods, and ravines in a hard-fought struggle that demonstrated the campaign's intensity and complexity. Despite its significance, the fighting at Myers Hill remains one of the least explored actions on the battlefield today.
Sunday, June 28, 2026 | 8:45 am – 12:45 pm
The Grandest Charge Ever Seen: In the Footsteps of Barksdale’s Brigade at Gettysburg
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Garry Adelman & Kris White
Cost: $50.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this hike as MODERATE, with 3 miles of walking and several stops. We will follow park trails that may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles. We will also follow park roads that contain active vehicular traffic.
Description: Follow one of the most dramatic attacks of the Battle of Gettysburg as we trace the path of William Barksdale’s Mississippi Brigade during the fierce fighting of July 2, 1863. Led by Garry Adelman and Kristopher White, this tour will walk the ground from the Confederate lines across the fields toward the Peach Orchard, where Barksdale’s men surged forward in one of the most powerful assaults of the battle.
Along the way, we’ll examine how Barksdale’s fiery leadership and the momentum of his brigade shattered Union positions in the Peach Orchard and sent Federal troops reeling. Participants will follow the brigade’s advance across the Emmitsburg Road and into the maelstrom, culminating at the desperate clash with the 9th Massachusetts Battery, whose gunners fought bravely as the Mississippians closed in.
Standing on the very ground where the attack unfolded, we’ll explore the terrain, tactics, and human drama of this pivotal moment in the battle.
Sunday, August 2, 2026 | 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
The Fight for Culp’s Hill: A Battlefield Hike Along Gettysburg’s Right Flank
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Garry Adelman & Kris White
Cost: $50.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this hike as DIFFICULT. It involves some 4-5 miles of walking up and down steep hills. We will follow park trails that may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles. We will also follow park roads that contain active vehicular traffic.
Description: Step into one of the most dramatic and often underappreciated sectors of the battlefield on this engaging hiking tour across the rugged slopes of Culp’s Hill. Guided by Garry Adelman and Kristopher White, participants will explore the ground where Union soldiers fought desperately to hold the right flank of the Union line during the climactic fighting of July 2–3, 1863.
We'll follow the Confederate attack from near its starting point, and we’ll work our way along the park roads and wooded slopes that witnessed some of the most intense combat of the Battle of Gettysburg. We'll hike along areas with sweeping (and not so sweeping) views of the famous “Fishhook” Union defensive line and discuss why this terrain proved so vital to the battle’s outcome.
From Spangler's Spring to the summit of Culp's Hill and beyond, we'll cover all aspects of the July 2-3 fighting. This strenuous hiking tour covers varied terrain and offers a deep dive into the landscape, photos, tactics, and human stories that defined the fighting on Culp’s Hill.
Join us for an exploration of one of Gettysburg’s most fascinating sectors—where terrain, determination, and endurance combined to help shape the Union victory.
Sunday, September 6, 2026 | 8:30 am – 1:15 pm
Hood Attacks! From Warfield Ridge to Little Round Top
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Garry Adelman & Kris White
Cost: $50.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this hike as DIFFICULT. It involves some 4-5 miles of walking up and down steep hills. We will follow park trails that may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles. We will also follow park roads that contain active vehicular traffic.
Description: Join Garry Adelman and Kristopher White for an extended hiking tour that follows the path of one of the most ferocious assaults of the Battle of Gettysburg. On the afternoon of July 2, 1863, the men of John Bell Hood’s division surged forward from Warfield Ridge, beginning a chaotic and brutal advance toward the Union left flank. This tour traces that dramatic attack step by step across the rugged ground that helped shape the fight.
Starting along Warfield Ridge, we’ll explore the Confederate jump-off point and discuss the plan for the assault that sent Hood’s Texans, Alabamians, and Arkansans crashing into the rocky wilderness ahead. From there, we’ll hike across the slopes of Big Round Top. Participants will see how terrain, confusion, and opportunity shaped the battle as the attack splintered across the landscape.
The tour culminates at Little Round Top, where Union soldiers rushed to defend the hill in one of the most famous episodes of the entire battle. Standing on this commanding height, we’ll discuss how close Hood’s men came to turning the Union flank—and how the desperate struggle for this ground became legendary.
Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 9:00 am – 11:15 am
The Revolution Comes to Virginia: The Battle of Great Bridge
Type of Event: Walking Tour
Guide: Mark Maloy & Rob Orrison
Cost: $20.00 Per Person
Exertion: Please expect an EASY walk of roughly one mile along pathways and trails.
Description: Step onto the ground where one of the first decisive Patriot victories of the American Revolution took place. This walking tour explores the site of the Battle of Great Bridge, fought on December 9, 1775, when Virginia Patriots clashed with British regulars and Loyalist forces in a short but dramatic engagement that helped secure control of Virginia for the revolutionary cause.
Walking the ground, we’ll trace the positions of both armies and discuss the tense standoff that developed as British and Loyalist troops prepared to attack the American defenses. The story builds to the morning of December 9, when British regulars launched a bold but costly advance across the narrow causeway toward the Patriot lines.
The victory at Great Bridge forced the royal governor, Lord Dunmore, and his forces to abandon the interior of Virginia and retreat toward the coast, marking a turning point in the struggle for control of the colony. Often called the “Bunker Hill of the South,” the Battle of Great Bridge demonstrated that Patriot forces could successfully stand up to British regulars.
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 9:00 am – 12:45 pm
“All Things Ready For Battle”: Longstreet’s Attack at Second Manassas
Type of Event: Hiking Tour
Guide: Sarah Kay Bierle
Cost: $25.00 Per Person
Exertion: We rate this tour as MODERATE. It involves some 3 - 3.5 miles of walking and several stops. We will mostly follow grassy or dirt trails, but may include rocks, mud, branches, tree roots, and other obstacles.
Description: Come walk some trails at Second Manassas and explore Longstreet’s Attack on August 29-30, 1862. As the high winds across wooded and open terrain, view the topography where Union troops made desperate stands as they were forced to retreat. This boots-on-the-ground experience allows a deeper understanding of the decisive movements in this determined fight that altered the course of the Civil War in the East in 1862.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
"We Fight, Get Beat, Rise and Fight Again": Nathanael Greene and the Reconquest of South Carolina
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Dan Davis
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: By December 1780, Continental efforts in the South lay in tatters. Disasters at Charleston, Waxhaws and Camden opened the door for the British army under Charles, Lord Cornwallis to carry the war into North Carolina. The new American commander, Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, faced a massive task of rebuilding an army and stopping Cornwallis. In just three, Greene executed a strategy that swung momentum to the Continentals and forced Cornwallis to shift his operations to Virginia. Rather than pursue, Greene set out to drive the British from South Carolina once and for all.
Join Dan Davis, the Trust’s Principal, Interpretation and Special Projects, for an exploration of this closing chapter in the American Revolution. We will discuss the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, the Siege of Ninety Six and the Battle of Eutaw Springs, among others as we trace Greene’s campaign to free South Carolina from British control and secure Independence.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Nathan Hale: Schoolteacher, Revolutionary, Spy
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Sarah Kay Bierle
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: “Let us march immediately and never lay down our arms until we obtain our independence,” declared Nathan Hale at a town meeting in 1775. A young schoolmaster from Connecticut, Hale volunteered earlier to fight for the American cause. He kept a journal through the winter weeks of the Siege of Boston, heard about the Declaration of Independence while with Washington’s Army in the New York Campaign, and volunteered for an important, ultimately fatal, spy mission. Though usually remembered for his final moments (and probably mythic last words about one life and one country), Nathan Hale urged and supported liberty and independence in a revolutionary way during his lifetime.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
All That Can Be Expected: The Battle of Camden and the British High Tide in the South
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Rob Orrison
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: The Battle of Camden was one of the worst military defeats in American history. On the heels of the surrender of Charleston, American prospects for victory in the South were never dimmer. This talk will review the events of summer 1780 leading up to the battle and the decisions and field situations that led to an overly confident Horatio Gates fleeing the field.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Atlas of Independence: John Adams during the Revolution
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Chris Mackowski
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: Before he became the second President of the United States, John Adams was one of the most energetic and influential leaders of the American Revolution. Join Chris Mackowski as he traces Adams’s journey from a Massachusetts lawyer to a central architect of American independence. From the debates of the Second Continental Congress to diplomatic missions across Europe, Adams helped shape the political, military, and international strategy that secured American freedom.
Through letters, political maneuvering, and tireless advocacy, Adams pushed the colonies toward independence and helped build the alliances necessary to win the war. We will also explore his partnership and occasional rivalry with figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin as they worked to secure recognition and support from foreign powers.
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Weapons & Tactics of the Revolutionary War
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Bert Dunkerly
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: Rifles and Muskets, how were they different? Spontoons and hand grenades, did they really use them? Linear combat and skirmishing, how was it done and why? Join us for a discussion of how the armies fought in the Revolution and the weapons they used. We will address various myths and misconceptions as well.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
A River and a Revolution: Washington's Crossing of the Delaware
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Alex Robb
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: Alex Robb, Interpretive Programs Specialist for the Friends of Washington Crossing Historic Park, will share the captivating story of December 25th, 1776. On that night, George Washington and the remnants of the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River in a Nor'Easter and successfully attacked the town of Trenton, NJ, the following day. This event stole the American Revolution from the clutches of defeat and breathed new life into the struggle for liberty. Robb will share some new scholarship on these amazing events, as well as some recollections of the men who undertook this daring operation.
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Antietam Endgame: The Conclusion of Lee's Maryland Invasion, Sept. 18-20, 1862
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Kevin Pawlak
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: The Maryland Campaign did not conclude with the Battle of Antietam on September 17. Three days of fighting and maneuvering after the bloodiest single day in American history ended Confederate hopes for a victory on Northern soil. The outcome of the campaign still hung much in the balance and sharp fighting at Shepherdstown and Williamsport proved to be the final events that turned one of this nation's most crucial campaigns into a victory for the United States.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
What About the Missing? Prisoners of War & the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Battles
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Sarah Kay Bierle
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: Killed, wounded, missing — these are typical designations on the casualty lists during the American Civil War. Missing could mean many fates, but it often suggested the soldier might be a prisoner. By 1864, though, soldiers had narrowed hopes of surviving a POW Camp and actively encouraged each other to fight desperately to avoid capture. Using battle accounts, battlefield land research, primary sources, and prisoner documentation, this program traces the attitudes and experiences of Civil War soldiers in blue and gray from the battlefields of the Shenandoah Valley to prison camps and their fates of death or survival.
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Stonewall Jackson's Arresting Personality
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Chris Mackowski
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: During the American Civil War, few commanders inspired as much admiration—and frustration—as Confederate general Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. Known for his bold battlefield leadership and relentless discipline, Jackson also developed a reputation for something less expected: arresting his own officers.
Join Chris Mackowski as he explores the strict command style that made Jackson both respected and controversial. Throughout campaigns such as the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862, Jackson frequently placed officers under arrest for disobedience, poor performance, or failing to follow his exacting orders. His willingness to discipline subordinates—sometimes suddenly and severely—revealed much about his personality, leadership philosophy, and expectations of military professionalism.
By examining several notable incidents and the reactions of the officers who served under him, this talk sheds light on the personal and professional dynamics within Jackson’s command.
Note: In a surprise to nobody, when offered to present a lecture for this series, Mackowski pitched a Stonewall Jackson lecture.
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
My Footsteps Have Often Been Marked With Blood: Daniel Boone and the American Revolution in Kentucky
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Dan Davis
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: No one is more closely associated with the early frontier than Daniel Boone. Boone’s ventures beyond the Allegheny Mountains established him as one of the preeminent long hunters of his day. Although well removed from the thirteen colonies, Boone could not help but be swept up in the struggle for independence. Beginning in 1777, Native American tribes, supported by British and Loyalist forces, began to launch raids against the settlements in Kentucky, aptly known as the Bloody Ground. Over the next five years, Boone’s actions during the Revolutionary War contributed to his growing fame but at a tremendous personal cost. Join Dan Davis, the Trust’s Principal, Interpretation and Special Projects, for an exploration of Boone’s life during this pivotal time that contributed to him becoming an American legend.
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Conquer or Die: The New York Campaign of 1776
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Mark Maloy
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: New York City was the scene of some of the largest and most consequential battles of the Revolutionary War. In this talk historian Mark Maloy will describe the first major battles of the Continental Army at Brooklyn, Kip's Bay, Harlem Heights, White Plains and Fort Washington. These battles proved to be the first real test for the fledgling Continental Army and resulted in the lowest ebb in the cause for American independence. Learn about these often-overlooked battles and what visitors to New York City can see today at these places.
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
"Drive them out at daylight", The Battle for Culp's Hill, July 3, 1863
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: James Hessler
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: While the dramatic assault known as Pickett’s Charge dominates popular memory of July 3 during the Battle of Gettysburg, some of the fiercest and longest sustained action at Gettysburg took place on the wooded slopes of Culp's Hill.
Join author and historian Jim Hessler as he explores the intense morning battle as Union forces moved to reclaim trenches and breastworks seized by Confederate troops the previous evening. Soldiers from both armies fought in brutal, close-range combat across rugged terrain as artillery thundered and musket fire echoed through the woods.
Through maps, firsthand accounts, and battlefield analysis, this program will highlight why the prolonged struggle at Culp’s Hill was critical to the Union defense of Gettysburg and how the fighting there shaped the outcome of the battle’s final day.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
"The first link in a chain of events" From Kings Mountain to Cowpens
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Bert Dunkerly
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: Two of the most crucial battles of the Revolution were fought just three months and thirty miles apart. Yet they were vastly different in how they unfolded and the troops involved. Join us for a discussion of Kings Mountain, where American militia routed American Loyalists, and Cowpens, where militia and Continental troops destroyed British and Loyalist forces. We will focus on the significance of the two battles and their impact on the course of the war.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
Prelude to Second Manassas: The Stonewall Brigade at Brawner's Farm
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Bill Backus
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: In August of 1862, after a series of maneuvers from Richmond to Culpeper, the Army of Northern Virginia sought to destroy the new Army of Virginia under John Pope. Within 24 hours, a series of battles set the stage for the bloody three-day battle on the plains of Manassas.
On August 28, 1862, Northern and Southern soldiers returned to Manassas. Late on that same evening, the Stonewall Brigade clashed with a Federal brigade consisting of stout Midwesterners. The clash lives on in the lore of the American Civil War.
Join author and historian Bill Backus as he examines the story of Brawner's Farm and when stone met iron.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
"Victory or Death": The Siege and Battle of the Alamo
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Dan Davis
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: It is one of the most iconic places in the world that gave birth to one of the most famous battle cries in American military history: the Alamo. For thirteen days, some 200 defenders held out against a Mexican army under Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. On March 6, 1836, Mexican columns stormed the fort, and the entire garrison perished. Their stand helped galvanize Texas and created a myth that has endured for generations.
Join Dan Davis, the Trust's Principal, Interpretation and Special Projects, for a discussion about this legendary battle. We'll meet the major participants such as Santa Anna, William B. Travis, James Bowie, David Crockett, and others, as we "Remember the Alamo".
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | 7:15 pm (EST)
From Gettysburg to Omaha Beach: Civil War Ties to the Second World War
Type of Event: Online Lecture
Speaker: Kristopher D. White
Cost: $5.50 for Access
Description: How did the legacy of the American Civil War shape the generation that fought World War II? In this engaging online lecture, we’ll explore the many ways the nation’s earlier conflict echoed into the 20th century. From regimental lineages that connected soldiers across generations to the naming of iconic weapon systems like the Sherman tank, the memory of the Civil War remained alive in the U.S. Army. We’ll also examine how America’s officer corps studied the campaigns and leadership of the 1860s, drawing lessons they hoped would guide them in future global conflicts. Join us for a fascinating look at the enduring links between the generations who clashed at Gettysburg and assaulted "Bloody Omaha."
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 | 6:00 pm (EST)
Boom Goes the History Live from Gettysburg!
Speakers: Garry Adelman, Tim Smith, Kris White, Chris Mackowski, Sarah Kay Bierle, Andrew Dalton, and more!
Cost: $12.50 per person
Description: Get ready for a special live recording of Boom Goes the History! Join the team LIVE and IN-PERSON for a fun, fast-paced, and slightly irreverent dive into all things Battle of Gettysburg—recorded right in the heart of Gettysburg at the fantastic Adams County Historical Society.
This live podcast session will feature lively conversation about the people, places, and moments that make Gettysburg one of the most fascinating stories of the American Civil War. Expect behind-the-scenes stories, heated debates, and plenty of history nerdery as the hosts dig into the battle and its lasting legacy.
But that’s not all—there will be surprise guest appearances, opportunities for a meet-and-greet, prizes, and time to chat with fellow history fans who love Gettysburg as much as you do. Whether you're a longtime listener or brand new to the show, this is your chance to experience Boom Goes the History live and in person.
Come for the podcast, stay for the conversation, and get ready for an evening packed with great stories, unexpected guests, and lots of Gettysburg history.
Are the tours you'd like to attend full? Join the waitlist.
Adams County Historical Society Lectures
Saturday, June 27, 2026 | 1:00 pm (EST)
The Road to Emmitsburg
Speaker: Tim Smith
Cost: $12.50 per person
Description: One of the ten roads leading to Gettysburg, and bounded by sturdy fencing, the Emmitsburg Road was used as a Union defensive position on July 2nd and crossed by Pickett and Pettigrew's Divisions on July 3. But the road itself has not been preserved as part of the battlefield, and the ground on each side of it has felt the continuous pressure of commercial development. Join Timothy H. Smith as he discusses the story of the Road to Gettysburg.
Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 1:00 pm (EST)
Rock Creek: A Wide and Formidable Obstacle
Speaker: Tim Smith
Cost: $12.50 per person
Description: Located along the eastern boundary of the Gettysburg National Military Park, Rock Creek was a formidable barrier to the Southern advance on Culp’s Hill during the second and third day of the battle. But with virtually no public access, and very little historical interpretation, the role of Rock in the battle is overlooked by visitors and historians. Join Timothy H. Smith as he discusses the history and relevance of the creek named for its boulder-strewn appearance.
Saturday, September 5, 2026 | 1:00 pm (EST)
Devil's Den: The Most Famous Rock Formation of the Civil War
Speaker: Tim Smith
Cost: $12.50 per person
Description: Named because of its eerie and demonic appearance, Devil's Den is one of the most famous collections of boulders associated with the American Civil War. Popular as a picnic area prior to the battle, and extremely popular after the battle, with early tourists. Join Timothy H. Smith as he delves into the historiography of one of Gettysburg's most iconic sites.
Cancellation policy:
- Clash of Cavalry at Brandy Station-Buford's Knoll at Brandy Station: Full refund if canceled on or before April 14, 2026.
- Defining Liberty: Antietam 86 Years After Independence: Full refund if canceled on or before April 14, 2026.
- The Eastern Flank at Spotsylvania: With Special Access!: Full refund if canceled on or before May 5, 2026.
- Myers Hill: Spotsylvania’s Overlooked Action: Full refund if canceled on or before May 5, 2026.
- The Grandest Charge Ever Seen: In the Footsteps of Barksdale’s Brigade at Gettysburg: Full refund if canceled on or before June 15, 2026.
- Boom Goes the History Live from Gettysburg!: Full refund if canceled on or before June 15, 2026.
- The Fight for Culp’s Hill: A Battlefield Hike Along Gettysburg’s Right Flank: Full refund if canceled on or before July 15, 2026.
- Hood Attacks! From Warfield Ridge to Little Round Top: Full refund if canceled on or before August 15, 2026.
- The Revolution Comes to Virginia: The Battle of Great Bridge: Full refund if canceled on or before September 12, 2026.
- “All Things Ready For Battle”: Longstreet’s Attack at Second Manassas: Full refund if canceled on or before October 14, 2026.
- In-Person Lectures Cancellations: Full refund if canceled seven days before the scheduled lecture.
- Virtual Lectures Cancellations: Full refund if canceled seven days before the scheduled lecture.
- No refunds after the cancellation dates.
