Borough Hopes To Sell Wills House to NPS
By Deborah Fitts
October 2003

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Looking in vain for several million dollars to restore the Wills House, the Borough of Gettysburg has decided to sell the historic building to the National Park
Service (NPS).

"It would cost the Borough $5 million to $6 million," said Mayor Bill Troxell, "and we felt we couldn't saddle the taxpayers with that."

In December 2000 the Borough purchased the imposing brick structure for $500,000 from the nonprofit Dwight D. Eisenhower Society. NPS has offered $550,000 to take if off the Borough's hands, and on Sept. 8 the Borough Council agreed to the offer, which is based on fair market value determined by independent appraisal.

For a decade the Wills House, fronting Lincoln Square, was seen as the jewel in the crown of the Borough's interpretive plan, which aims to lure some of the 1.8 million battlefield visitors downtown.

The Borough is increasingly turning to heritage tourism as more businesses move to malls outside of town.

The original plan was for the Borough to own the building, restore it and develop a high-quality Lincoln museum. The park would provide staff for a downtown park visitor center. At the time, a park spokesman said the local-federal partnership "breaks the mold for what we've done at Gettysburg."

The Wills House was added to the park boundary by act of Congress in September 2000. But Troxell said the economic downturn has dried up expected federal, state and private funding to fuel the restoration.

The Borough received indications from U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) that federal funds were more likely to be forthcoming if NPS owned the building, he said.

Gettysburg National Military Park spokesman Katie Lawhon said the park expects to receive money in fiscal year 2005 to restore the building and develop the museum and visitor center. She estimated the cost at between $6 million and $6.5 million. The Wills House has "the
potential" to open in 2006, she said.

Walt Powell, the Borough's historic preservation officer, said the sale of the Wills House to NPS "doesn't change the close working relationship with the park on plans for the building. We'll continue to be a partner" as development plans proceed.

Abraham Lincoln stayed at the Wills House Nov. 18, 1863, on the eve of delivering his Gettysburg Address during dedication ceremonies for the new Soldiers' National Cemetery. His host, David Wills, spearheaded creation of the cemetery and was among the first to work
to preserve the battlefield.

The Borough's interpretive plan calls for a partial restoration of the house, which has been much altered over the years. Plans include bringing the entrance back to its original position on York Street, rebuilding the central stair-case from the first floor, rebuilding
fireplaces, and restoring the Lincoln Bedroom.

The Borough hoped to convince the Library of Congress to loan an original copy of the Gettysburg Address. Plans also included a museum shop, exhibit galleries and research facilities. The park-Borough partnership was viewed as repairing the strained relations that resulted when the park chose to site its new visitor center farther from the downtown area. A groundbreaking for that facility, to be located off the Baltimore Pike, is scheduled for next year.

Powell said the effort to restore the Wills House and make it a tourism center appears to be back on track with NPS assuming ownership. "For the past 90 years there's been interest in developing it as a national shrine, but it's always fallen short," Powell said. "This is the best long-term disposition of the property. It belongs to the American public and deserves national attention."

A self-guided weekend welcome center opened for the recent summer season through mid-November on the first floor of the Wills House. Volunteer greeters staff the free center which has exhibits and information about local pres-ervation groups and restoration projects.