Jack Hopkins
Gettysburg and American history go hand in hand, but one group of people often has been left out of the story.
Soon, that will change, as the Hopkins House Museum is set to become the town’s first museum devoted entirely to Black history.
Once home to Jack and Julia Hopkins, the 1840s log cabin is the last surviving Civil War-era house in Gettysburg historically owned by Black residents. The cabin, which was dilapidated and condemned just a few years ago, is in the process of being restored and expanded with a state-of-the-art museum addition, which will tell the story of Gettysburg’s Black community from slavery to the present day.
Celebrating Community
Jack Hopkins, a well-known figure in the Gettysburg community, worked for more than two decades as a janitor at what is now Gettysburg College.
“He was very much loved by the students and the faculty,” said Jean Howard-Green, president of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association and a trustee of the local history nonprofit, Gettysburg History. “It was called the PA College at that time. When you read his obituary, you can see that they gave him an honorary VP title.”
Hopkins’ son, Edward, fought with the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War.
“The fact that they fought for their country, despite not being fully recognized as citizens themselves, speaks to their caliber,” Howard-Green said.
Edward later went on to become Gettysburg’s first Black elected official.
As a Gettysburg native, Howard-Green is well-versed in the aspects of the area’s history that have been overlooked and believes the museum will fill in those gaps.
“We want people to know what our little community was all about—from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond,” she said. “At one time, we were relegated to three streets—but they were three incredible streets.”
Those streets boasted everything the community needed: barbershops, restaurants, pool halls and other amenities.
“That’s what made living in this area great—we had things to do and places to go,” she said.
Howard-Green added that, although those streets were predominantly Black, they did live alongside white neighbors.
“We lived peaceably with each other,” she said.
Andrew Dalton, CEO and president of Gettysburg History, said that the museum will highlight lesser-known figures like Mag Palm, a local washerwoman and Underground Railroad figure who fought off kidnappers, even biting off one attacker’s thumb. Another is Basil Biggs, a tenant farmer and self-taught veterinarian, whose grim job during the Civil War was to disinter and re-bury about 3,000 Union soldiers after the Battle of Gettysburg.
Dalton said that Black families were largely confined to the Third Ward for decades.
“Realtors wouldn’t show them properties,” he said. “That went on from the beginning of the town’s history and, incredibly, until the 1960s.”
The Hopkins House is partnering with the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association to connect the stories of everyday life with the stories of those buried in the region’s historic Black cemetery, ensuring that Black legacies are honored holistically, both in life and in death.
Collections & Exhibits
During the restoration, crews discovered more than 100 artifacts within the walls of the home.
“We also have artifacts that were donated to the Historical Society over the years,” Dalton said.
Howard-Green added that community contributions continue to play a role.
“We’ve been reaching out to the community for additional artifacts and are gladly in the process of accepting more,” she said.
If anyone has artifacts to share, contact [email protected], she added.
Howard-Green mentioned a recent acquisition—an oral history of an older Black woman, now deceased, who was active in St. Paul AME Zion Church.
The goal of Gettysburg History is to raise $2 million for the museum project. They are currently halfway there thanks to grants and private donations.
Howard-Green said that the project is deeply meaningful to her.
“When you are a person of color and you know your history hasn’t been fully told, to be part of bringing the full story to fruition is something that makes me very happy,” she said.
The Hopkins House Museum is located at 219 S. Washington St., Gettysburg. For more information, including how to donate, visit www.gettysburghistory.org/hopkins-house.
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