National Homestead At Gettysburg

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The National Homestead at Gettysburg was a home for orphaned children that was created following the Battle of Gettysburg. Philinda Humiston eventually went to work for the home with her children, and they stayed there for a while. These orphans captured the heart of America, and became a symbol for the orphaned children of the Civil War.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The National Homestead at Gettysburg was created in 1866 as a home for children who had lost their fathers during the Civil War. Amos Humiston's widow, Philinda Humiston, went there to work with her three children. They were a very important symbol during the war, and their story became very prominent. Amos Humiston became known as the "Unknown Soldier of Gettysburg", and the National Homestead gained a lot of recognition. Widows and orphans were viewed much differently during this time period, and having a place where they could find support was very important. However, the home ended up closing after it was learned that significant abuse occurred against the children and there were many scandals.

Sources

Amos Humiston, SBU Archives. Accessed May 12th 2020. http://archives.sbu.edu/civil_war/154th_g-o.html.

National Homestead at Gettysburg, Wikipedia. Accessed May 13th 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Homestead_at_Gettysburg.