06/25/2026
Bound by Sisterhood, Remembered in Service: The Sisters of the Jennie Wade Birthplace 🇺🇸🕊️
Jennie Wade is remembered as the only direct civilian casualty of the Battle of Gettysburg, but her story is only part of the history connected to this home.
Long before that fateful July in 1863, the story of an unbreakable bond between two sisters began right here at the Historic Jennie Wade Birthplace at 242 Baltimore Street.
Built around 1820, this modest home is where Georgia and her little sister Jennie grew up, shared a bedroom, and helped out in their family tailoring business.
When the Civil War erupted and swept toward their town, 21-year-old Georgia had just given birth to her son, Lewis.
Knowing her older sister was too weak to move, Jennie didn't hesitate. She rushed straight into danger, heading down the street to Georgia’s home to cook, clean, and protect the new mother and baby.
Even as 150 bullets pelted the house, Jennie kept baking bread and carrying water to the Union soldiers, famously telling her family: "If there is anyone in this house that is to be killed today, I hope it is me, as Georgia has that little baby."
Tragically, just hours later, a stray bullet took Jennie's life.
Georgia and her baby miraculously survived the crossfire, but she carried the weight of her sister's sacrifice for the rest of her life.
After moving to Iowa after the war, Georgia channeled her grief into action. She dedicated her entire life to veterans and war aid, serving as a Civil War nurse and rising to become a prominent leader in the Woman’s Relief Corps.
In honor of Jennie's patriotism, Georgia and her fellow Iowa relief members raised the funds to build a beautiful monument at Jennie’s grave in Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery.
Because of Georgia's tireless work, an American flag flies over Jennie’s grave 24 hours a day—one of the only locations in America dedicated to a woman to hold that honor.
Come see where Gettysburg's most famous sisters grew up, and discover a legacy of love and service that survived the nation's bloodiest battle.
