Adams Sentinel.

Microfilm copies of this newspapers published in Gettysburg, Pa., are available at the GNMP library. In many instances the newspaper accounts are the only notice of events within the cemetery, or they provide more data than that found in park records.

Gettysburg Compiler.

Microfilm copies of this of this newspaper, published in Gettysburg, are available at the GNMP library. In many instances the newspaper accounts are the only notice of events within the cemetery, or they provide more data than that found in park records.

Pre-twentieth century history of the county, with tax tables, census accounts, and mini-biographies on some individuals.

King, Louis E. "The Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg Pa.: An Exposition of Emergency Conservation Work Projects." n.d., GNMP vertical files. This report of CCC and ECW work projects in the National Cemetery after the National Park Service took over, are the only park records available showing the changes and "improvements" made by the new administrators. Accompanying photographs are more descriptive than the text itself.

Washington, 1870

This unauthored article (that is, the author is not formally recognized) is a classic of the government's attitude toward formal landscape gardening during the mid-nineteenth century. It is fairly certain that this document was written by William Saunders, since he was the Department of Agriculture's Landscape Gardener at the time. It is most revealing as an insight into Saunder's philosophy, and the reasons behind many of the landscaping ideas submitted by him in the plan of the Soldiers' National Cemetery.

Letter from Secretary of War Communicating Report of Inspector of National Cemeteries, 1870-1871, Senate Exec. Doc. No. 79, 42nd Cong., 2nd Sess. This report is especially important since it describes the physical improvements made at the cemetery during a time when the War Department was interested in acquiring it.

Letter from Secretary of War Communicating Report of Inspector of National Cemeteries for the Year 1874 , Senate Exec. Doc. No. 28, 43rd Congress, 2nd Sess. Washington . 1875.

This report is similar to the one above, but describes the cemetery in the early years of the army's administration.

This is a handwritten journal kept by Cemetery Superintendent, recording the letter received, primarily from the quartermaster 's department. These, together with the Letters Sent, are primary sources for information concerning development in the National Cemetery during the War Department years. The reports are seldom detailed, but they are the only indicators we have of those years, and are certainly more substantial than those kept during Park Service years.

This is a handwritten journal kept by the Cemetery Superintendent, recording the letters sent out to the quartermaster's department. These, together with the Letters Received, are primary sources for information concerning development in the National Cemetery during the War Department years. The reports are seldom detailed, but they are the only indicators we have of those years, and are certainly more substantial than those kept during Park Service years.

Minutes of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. GNMP library.

This is a handwritten minute-book of the proceedings of the irregularly held meetings

of the GBMA, and are the only records of the earliest years of the Gettysburg battlefield as a park.

the Evergreen Cemetery.

This is a handwritten journal of the secretary of the Evergreen Cemetery Association, and its entries start from the inception of the cemetery in 1853. The Civil War years are especially helpful in understanding the relationship between this and the National Cemetery.

This is a handwritten book, recording the duplicates of the monthly standardized reports submitted by the cemetery superintendents to the quartermasters department. It is primarily concerned with the improvements in the cemetery and reporting their condition to the quartermaster.

Revised Report of the Select Committee relative to the Soldiers National Cemetery Harrisburg, 1865.

This book, published by the State of Pa., describes the development of the cemetery, including Act of Incorporation, reports of David Wills, William Saunders, and those responsible for laying out the grounds and burying the dead.

Saunders, William A. Memoirs. GNMP vertical files.

These narrative reports were submitted by the Superintendent of GNMP and

the National Cemetery on a monthly basis, and include statements as to improvements, construction, visitation, etc. They include those years from

April 1934-1945.

vertical files.

This narrative report of the history of the cemetery up to 1958 was the first attempt to draw together data on the cemetery, but it failed to draw on the reports of the cemetery superintendents and contains errors to dates of construction, etc.

U. S. Census for 1860, Gettysburg Borough, Adams County, Pennsylvania

Census listing of area residents indicating occupations, used for locating available masons in the borough during the decade the work progressed in the National Cemetery.

This early version of the park's newsletter, Cannon's Roar, is filled with newsy items, and is the only record now available for the park history of the 1960s and early 1970s, since other records have been disposed of.*

These include negative photocopies of letters relating to the early origins of the National Cemetery, with letters from David McConaughy and David Wills to Governor Curtin. Primarily deals with the land acquisition for the cemetery, adjacent to the Evergreen Cemetery, and is vital to understanding how the relationship between McConaughy and Wills shaped the physical boundaries and site of the National Cemetery.

 

*Once again this writer would like to make a plea that the parks (at least this one) pick up the idea again of the monthly narrative reports. Anyone attempting to write an administrative history of the Park or Cemetery will be subjected to fits because of the absolute inadequacy and dearth of the records for the years from 1945-1978. It is easier to discover what changes were made or what work was done to Park/Cemetery resources in 1897 than 1967. This policy reflects the whole attitude of Park Service administration day to-day maintenance operations. Are we afraid to keep historical records?