Thad’s Place: Thaddeus Stevens Museum Opens in Gettysburg

Posted By Gettysburgian Staff on Sep 3, 2024 | 3 comments

The entranceway of Thad’s Place: The Thaddeus Stevens Museum, the newly opened museum dedicated to College co-founder and congressman Thaddeus Stevens. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

By Brandon Fey, News Editor

Thad’s Place, home of the Thaddeus Stevens Museum, is a new museum dedicated to promoting and preserving the legacy of renowned American congressman, lawyer and ardent abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens. 

The museum opened in March 2024 and is operated by the Thaddeus Stevens Society. Located at 46 Chambersburg St, it stands directly across the street from Steven’s old home located at 51 Chambersburg St until its demolition in 1924.

The museum is the first of its kind to be focused entirely on Stevens, who founded Gettysburg College as Pennsylvania College with Samuel Simon Schmucker in 1832. 

Its collection includes a broad arrangement of original documents and memorabilia from Steven’s lifetime. The museum also holds a comprehensive assortment of original biographical literature dating back to Stevens’ first biography by Alexander Harris, published in 1876. These materials are available for visitors to peruse in the browsing area. 

Entering the museum, the first section focuses on Stevens’ involvement with the College. In 1834, he used his position in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to acquire an $18,000 grant for the construction of Pennsylvania Hall. 

As the largest property owner in Gettysburg, he also sold the College the land in which it still sits today. The museum displays a map detailing the portions of Gettysburg land he sold that make up its campus. 

Historic documents pertaining to the life of Thaddeus Stevens. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

Map showing the land granted to Pennsylvania College by Thaddeus Stevens that now comprises a considerable portion of the Gettysburg College campus. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

An outspoken proponent of public education, Stevens served on the College’s Board of Trustees for 34 years. In his role, he proved pivotal in preventing the College from moving outside of Gettysburg, as was desired by several board members. 

Included in this display is an original 1851 letter from Stevens to his protege, College graduate Edward McPherson, offering him the position of editor of his newspaper in Lancaster. 

Edward McPherson would later become the clerk of the United States House of Representatives, where he would play a notable role in the passage of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution by barring the Southern representatives from participating in Congress after the Civil War. McPherson’s house is currently located on the College campus at the corners of Carlisle and Stevens Streets.

The museum includes an exhibit about Stevens’ ironworks, which he worked in for much of his life. Stevens owned two ironworks, in which he made and sold iron goods from 1828 until his death in 1868. On display is a ledger from an agent who bought supplies for his ironworks in Caledonia along with original iron stoves created there. 

Other items on display include original letters on the creation of the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, copies of newspapers the New York Tribune and Harper’s Weekly concerning Steven’s death, an 1869 book of eulogies in his memory, a collection of postcards featuring Thaddeus Stevens and original prints of his portrait.

Original iron 10-plate stoves, fashioned from 10 iron plates, made at Thaddeus Stevens’ ironworks. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

The museum hosts a collection of books and documents pertaining to Stevens’ life, which visitors are invited to browse. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society

Thad’s Place was founded by the Thaddeus Stevens Society, a non-profit organization based in Gettysburg since its founding in 1999. Society President Ross Hetrick is determined to advance the legacy of his favorite historical figure. 

“Our mission is to promote the memory of Thaddeus Stevens. We have over 300 members throughout the country, including six in foreign countries,” he said. 

Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick Portraying Thaddeus Stevens beside an original 1898 print of Thaddeus Stevens. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

The society is currently involved in several projects concerning Thaddeus Stevens, including the conservation of the Shreiner-Concord Cemetery where he is buried. Hetrick was responsible for the installment of the Thaddeus Stevens statue outside of the Adams County District Courthouse in Gettysburg. 

The museum was first compiled unofficially in Hetrick’s apartment in Gettysburg. Since then, he and his colleagues have held a successful fundraising effort in 2023 to establish the museum, which also serves as the office of the organization. As Thad’s Place remains free to visitors, it operates entirely on donations. 

“Our members are very generous,” Hetrick stated. “We are able to keep [the museum] open with their contributions and contributions from other sources.” Since its opening, the museum has attracted increasing interest from passers-by. 

In addition to display materials, the museum shows Thaddeus Stevens documentaries, including the one compiled by the Thaddeus Stevens Society. It also offers visitors coffee, access to a vending machine and a gift shop.

Hetrick personally gives tours of the museum either during operating hours or upon request. 

“Now the tours might change depending on the interests of the participants,” he explained. “I try to tailor it to the person coming in, rather than subjecting them to an hour-long discussion if they don’t have the time.” He currently has a small network of volunteer docents but is interested in training more. 

A Pennsylvania state historic marker on Thaddeus Stevens. (Photo courtesy Thaddeus Stevens Society)

“We can always have more docents to help us out,” he said. 

During his weekend tours, Hetrick portrays Thaddeus Stevens in a nineteenth century costume impression.

In the coming months, Hetrick and the Thaddeus Stevens Society plan to increase the promotion of Thad’s Place by distributing informational rack cards at welcome centers around the area. They also hope to become a resource for interested Gettysburg College students. “We would like to have Gettysburg students come over here and learn about Thaddeus Stevens and their college. This is the primary goal of this museum,” he said. 

Hetrick encouraged students to get involved in the organization.

“One of the things I’d like to do is perhaps provide internship opportunities, and hopefully work with the history department to grant school credit for those efforts,” he said.

The museum offers admission-free visits and tours on Wednesdays through Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or by appointment.