Seminary Ridge is where the Battle of Gettysburg began- not with a whisper, but with cannon fire. This peaceful path through town, fields, and seminary grounds was briefly a front line. Soldiers scrambled for position. Civilians peeked out through curtains. And a school meant for quiet study transformed into a war hospital overnight.
Today, Seminary Ridge is part battlefield, part time capsule. As you walk, you’ll trace the steps of generals sending desperate orders, townsfolk clutching newspapers with shaking hands, and a few unlikely heroes who refused to stay silent while war knocked on their door.
The self-guided GPS audio tour provides complete freedom to experience it all. Your phone becomes the storyteller, guiding you stop by stop with immersive narration triggered by your exact location: no signal, no schedule, and no need to scroll. Just walk and listen.
Step into the seminary center and meet the students who once looked out these same windows. Pass the house of Samuel Schmucker, a reformer who stood alone in his beliefs.
Feel the tension in the streets as headlines scream about Lee’s advance. Hear the cannon’s first thunder from McPherson’s Ridge. Then walk alongside the wounded as the seminary becomes a chaotic Union hospital. Meet John Burns, the elderly civilian who grabbed a musket and joined the fight. Peek into the minds of Generals Buford and Ewell as they calculate the cost of every move.
Heads up: You may leave quoting generals, defending flanking strategies, or wondering if you, too, would’ve grabbed a musket. We support your inner John Burns.
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Seminary Ridge Gettysburg Map
Starting Point
You can begin the tour at the suggested starting location provided below.
Schmucker Hall, 111 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA
Begin from Schmucker Hall, 111 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA
How Does It Work?
- Access your tour: Download the Action Tour Guide app and sign in with the same email used for your website purchase. Your tour will appear under My Tours.
- Download your tour: Download it before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
- Start your tour: Open My Tours, select your tour, and tap Start Touring when you reach a starting point.
- Listen your way: Use your phone’s speaker or headphones, or connect to your car’s audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not currently supported, compatibility is in development.
- GPS-triggered audio: Stories play automatically as you reach each location along the route.
- Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day. Tours are valid forever (one year for Action+).
Seminary Ridge Gettysburg Battlefield Audio Tour
Things to do on the Tour Include:
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Welcome
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The Seminary Comes to Gettysburg
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Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center
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Life as a Seminary Student
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Valentine Hall & Iroquois Confederacy
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Samuel Simon Schmucker : Leader of American Lutherans
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Schmucker House
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Daniel Alexander Payne
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Crisis Comes to Seminary's Backdoor
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Union Defense
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The Cupola & The Impromptu Hospital
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The Battle of McPherson's Ridge
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The Confederate Assault
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Generals of Seminary Ridge
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Elsie Singmaster and John L. Burns
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Confederate Prisoners of War
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Civilians of Seminary Ridge
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Gauntlet of Retreat & Aftermath
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Conclusion
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
On July 1, 1863, Seminary Ridge was the site of Battle of Gettysburg as well as a Pitzer Woods engagement on July 2.
Seminary Ridge was a Battle of Gettysburg site in July 1863.
On July 1, 1863, the seminary on a ridge northwest of Gettysburg was the centre of the critical Battle of Gettysburg. The seminary was named after the now-iconic Seminary Ridge, where the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia formed its line of battle for the later actions on the second and third days of the battle.
The Gettysburg Seminary served the church as a pioneer in theological education, establishing among Lutheran seminaries the first faculty position in Christian Education in 1926, the first teacher in sociology and psychology in 1942, and the first in stewardship in 1989.
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Inclusions and Exclusions
Action Tour Guide app: Download the app to access your purchased tour.
GPS-triggered audio: Stories and directions play automatically as you reach each location.
Tour anytime: Single tours and bundles never expire and can be used anytime. Action+ is an annual subscription that automatically renews each year unless canceled.
Narrated stories: Hear local history, culture, and stories from experienced narrators.
Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day.
Offline access: Download your tour before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
Stories, stops, and directions: Follow the route to key attractions with automatic directions and stories at each location.
Transportation: Transportation, parking fees, and tolls are not included.
Admission: Entry tickets and reservations are not included.
Food and drinks: Meals and drinks are not included.
Rental car: A rental car is not included and may be required for driving tours.
