Where History Still Blossoms

The Peach Orchard at Gettysburg

On a gentle rise along the Emmitsburg Road, rows of peach trees stretch toward the sky. In spring, they burst into pale pink blooms. In late summer, their branches bend with fruit. To most visitors, it feels pastoral. Peaceful. Even quaint. But this orchard, tucked inside Gettysburg National Military Park, is no ordinary farm. It is one of the most hotly contested pieces of ground in American history and, today, a living monument where agriculture and memory intertwine.

On July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Peach Orchard became a focal point of chaos and bloodshed. “The Peach Orchard was certainly a key tactical position on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg,” says Licensed Battlefield Guide Joy Boden. “So has it turned into a historic icon? Absolutely, yes.”

Sickles’ Risky Decision

The orchard’s significance stems from a controversial decision by Union Gen. Daniel Sickles. Against orders, Sickles moved his Third Corps forward from Cemetery Ridge to occupy higher ground near the peach trees. “The reason it was so controversial is because Sickles moved his men without the permission of Gen. George G. Meade,” Boden explains, “and Gen. Meade was in charge of everything.”

Sickles believed the ridge offered a stronger defensive position. Instead, Boden points out that “he kind of took them onto an island with no one protecting them … both flanks and their rear.” By advancing too far, Sickles created a dangerous bulge in the Union line. His troops were isolated and exposed.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Deb Novotny describes the geography in stark terms. “The Peach Orchard is on a ridge. It has no name … some people call it the Peach Orchard Ridge or the Emmitsburg Road Ridge,” she says. The elevated ground seemed advantageous, but the position proved impossible to hold. “It was a piece of high ground between the two main battle lines.”

Line Stretched Too Thin

Sickles’ troops formed a wide V shape that ran from Devil’s Den, through the Peach Orchard and down the Emmitsburg Road. 

“He took off too much territory for his 10,000 soldiers,” Novotny explains. “He was not connected with the rest of the Union Army.”

As Confederate forces prepared to attack, Novotny paints a vivid picture of what followed. The Southern troops advanced in a staggered formation known as an echelon attack. “They started on the far right at 4 o’clock. Fifteen minutes later, the next brigade went forward … just like a stepladder,” she explains.

As fighting erupted at Devil’s Den and the Wheatfield, Union commanders rushed reinforcements to those hot spots. “Where do they get the men from?” Novotny asks. “The middle of the line, the Peach Orchard. So the Peach Orchard becomes very vulnerable.”

The Confederates seized the opportunity. “Barksdale’s Mississippians … go straight at the Peach Orchard from the west,” she explains, while Kershaw’s men attacked from the southwest. 

The Union line formed a salient, “a bulge in the line,” forcing cannon crews to swivel in multiple directions; some faced the south or southwest and some faced to the west, Novotny says. The result was catastrophic. “They attacked right into that Peach Orchard, splitting the Third Corps in half,” Boden adds. “Eventually, they’re going to lose,” Novotny clarifies. “The North is going to lose the Peach Orchard.”

The collapse rippled across the battlefield. “The collapse of Sickles’ Third Corps exposed other areas on the battlefield, like the Wheatfield and Devil’s Den, to increasing chaos,” Boden describes. “Losing the Peach Orchard just causes a domino effect in the Union Army.” She adds bluntly, “It almost caused the Union Army to lose on day two.”

The fighting lasted less than an hour, but it was ferocious. “A lot of fighting there … maybe for 30 to 40 minutes,” shares Novotny. Artillery fire ripped through the orchard first. “Bullets whizzing around there just destroyed the trees and also the fruit.” Boden expands on the devastation: “Shells splintering trunks and bullets smashing branches … it was pretty much decimated.”

The Sherfy Family’s Ruined Harvest

The orchard belonged to Joseph and Mary Sherfy, descendants of German immigrants, who farmed the land. When the battle ended, their livelihood lay in ruins. But Mary Sherfy salvaged what she could. “Mrs. Sherfy said that she could only get 10 two-quart jars out of the 1863 harvest,” Novotny says. The peaches ripened in August, just weeks after the fighting ended.

Those jars became treasured relics. “She never opened them,” Novotny shares. Before her death in 1904, Mary passed them down to family members. One jar eventually made its way to John Rosensteel, founder of the Electric Map Museum. “That’s how the park got it,” Novotny explains. Today, one of those original jars remains preserved by the National Park Service.

Joseph Sherfy also turned tragedy into opportunity. “He took the peaches from the Peach Orchard, canned them, and marketed them as ‘peaches from the famous peach orchard on the Gettysburg battlefield,’” Boden points out.

Replanting History

Visitors today often assume the trees they see are original. “No,” says Boden. “There have been at least four major plantings since the battle—1883, 1909, 1974 and the last one was in 2008.” Novotny adds that a veteran visiting in 1896 reportedly said there was “only one tree left” from the original orchard.

Over the decades, the land has taken on unexpected forms. “The first time they took the trees out … they planted corn one summer,” recalls Novotny. At another point, worms destroyed the roots, forcing the park to plant grapevines for two years.

The most recent planting came in 2008, when 72 Messina peach trees were added. Though rumored to be non-fruit bearing, Novotny laughs, “but they’ve produced anyway.” On good years, visitors are allowed to pick peaches—a peck per person per day.

For both Boden and Novotny—retired educators from Gettysburg Area High School—the orchard is a classroom without walls. “We love having that orchard there,” says Boden. “We can stand right there in the middle of the peach trees and show the high ground and how important the tactical position was.” Monuments and cannons crowd the area now to commemorate the fighting that took place there. “The Peach Orchard is one of the most densely marked areas on the battlefield,” Boden points out.

Novotny shares personal stories that bring the past to life. One involves the Second New Hampshire Regiment. “They have a pointy pyramid-looking monument,” she says. Some soldiers carried exploding bullets. “Not only did the bullet go into you, but after it went in, it exploded.” At one point, a cartridge of exploding bullets was penetrated by gunfire and, unfortunately, killed soldiers from the Second New Hampshire Regiment as they fought furiously to defend their post.

Across the road once stood the Wentz House, now marked only by its foundation. “What you see today is not what was here in 1863,” Novotny explains. The house served as a field hospital.

Caring for a Living Landmark

Behind the scenes, caring for the orchard now falls to park staff and volunteers like Chris Davis, supervising biologist at the Gettysburg National Military Park. When he arrived, the orchard management side of things was new to him, but his restoration background helped. “A lot of orchard management is integrated pest management,” he explains, which is Davis’ specialty. 

Even though the Peach Orchard is a significant landmark for the battlefield lands surrounding the town of Gettysburg, Davis shares that it is a vast undertaking to maintain the trees with only two staff members. With the assistance of the Gettysburg Foundation to help recruit and manage volunteers, tasks like pruning trees, removing dead wood and thinning branches become a team effort. With a small staff, volunteers are essential. “We’re not managing the trees for fruit production. We manage them with a light touch.”

Davis now helps his colleague, Alyce Evans, manage a revived volunteer program. “We didn’t have an orchard volunteer group for a long time and just within the last couple months we’ve got the program up and running again,” he says.

With a small winter staff, volunteers are essential. Staff handle chemicals and heavy equipment, while volunteers focus on hands-on care like removing mummified fruit and shaping branches.

Visitors are still allowed to pick fruit, but quietly. “We don’t really advertise that people are free to do it,” he adds. Instead, park staff are working to maintain the integrity of the orchard and its appearance so that visitors and future generations can visualize what it must have looked like on that fateful day in 1863.

For Davis, working at Gettysburg has been transformative. “Being a natural resources person in a historic and cultural park has been a huge educational experience for me,” he reflects. “I just learn a lot every day.”

Where History Continues to Grow

That blend of history and stewardship defines the Peach Orchard today. What began as a family farm became a battlefield focal point, then a tourist destination and now a carefully maintained living exhibit. “That sort of takes it from a farm to a historic icon,” Boden explains.

Standing among the blossoms today, it is hard to imagine cannon fire tearing through branches or soldiers falling among the rows. Yet the past lingers. Through the stories of guides, the work of biologists and the quiet presence of the trees themselves, the Peach Orchard remains a place where history does not simply rest—it grows. Here, beneath the same sky that witnessed war, visitors encounter a rare fusion of memory and renewal. The orchard is no longer just where history happened; it is where history still blossoms. 

Gettysburg National Military Park Volunteer Program Coordinator
Alyce Evans, alyce_evans@nps.gov
717-338-4465

To volunteer for orchard maintenance visit: tinyurl.com/gnmp-volunteer

Orchards to Visit Around Gettysburg

Explore the heart of Pennsylvania’s South Mountain Fruit Belt, where rolling hills and
abundant orchards bloom each spring and yield fresh fruit through fall. 

Hollabaugh Bros., Inc.
545 Carlisle Road, Biglerville
One of the area’s most beloved farm markets, offering a huge selection of fresh apples, vegetables, baked goods and seasonal pick-your-own options

Beechwood Orchards
984 Carlisle Road, Biglerville
A fifth-generation family orchard with a long tradition of growing fruit and produce. Drop by the farm stand for orchard-fresh apples and seasonal goods. 

Naylor Farm
155 Clear Spring Road, BiglervilleClassic country orchard known for fresh produce and a relaxed rural experience—ideal for fall visits and seasonal picking

Quaker Valley Orchards
315 Quaker Valley Road, Biglerville
A charming family farm with orchard offerings and fresh produce 

Boyer Nurseries & Orchards, Inc.
405 Boyer Nursery Road, Biglerville
A scenic orchard and market with heirloom apple varieties and seasonal pick-your-own experiences

Peters Orchards
10540 Carlisle Pike, Gardners
A great destination just outside Adams County proper, known for fresh apples, peaches, berries and market treats

Mickley’s Orchard & Farms Market
2080 Potato Road, Biglerville
A family-run orchard market offering fresh fruit and seasonal produce

Bream Bear Orchards
685 Carlisle Road, Biglerville
Quaint orchard stop with tasty fresh fruit and a friendly small-farm vibe

Irvin Orchards
290 Miltonberger Road, Orrtanna
A local favorite orchard with fresh orchard goods in a quiet countryside setting

Three Springs Farm
1606 Bendersville-Wenksville Road, Aspers

Visit keystonesutler.com to purchase fruit and hard cider products. 

Woerner Orchards
1140 Carrolls Tract Road, Orrtanna
Another scenic orchard offering fresh fruit and seasonal delights

Historic Round Barn & Farm Market298 Cashtown Road, Biglerville
One of the region’s few surviving round barn farm markets, where you’ll find local fruit, cider, baked goods and crafts in addition to fresh orchard produce