Dobbin House Tavern

09/02/2026

Can you find "Lady Liberty" in our Springhouse Tavern? Her full name is "Liberty in the Form of the Goddess of Youth". An allegory of American Liberty, she was first painted in 1796 by Edward Savage (first picture). Here, Liberty, represented by a maiden in the form of the goddess H**e, reaches up to give support to a descending Bald Eagle, representing our republic. With her right foot, she treads on chains, a scepter, a key and other implements of tyranny. Behind her, the flag of the United States rises above the clouds. At the lower right, the British occupied town of Boston is visible, with lightning in the sky overhead.
Lady Liberty's image has been widely copied and circulated in paintings, print and folk art for centuries. Thomas Jefferson kept one at his home, Monticello. The French adopted the image for the Statue of Liberty, a gift they presented to the United States. You may not know it, but our metal Lady Liberty has been watching over our Springhouse Tavern for 48 years. Find her and give her a salute!

08/31/2026

50% OFF SALE at the Country Curiosity Store at the Dobbin House! Add beauty to your home with a little inspiration and a lot of savings. Find lovely treasures to refresh your home and garden — all at half price.
🪺Gardening Tools — sturdy, handsome pieces that make tending your garden a pleasure, whether you’re planting herbs, trimming blooms, or preparing beds for fall.
🌻Summer Silk Flowers — vibrant, lifelike arrangements that brighten any room and stay lovely all season long.
🏡Unique Home Decorations — charming accents, colonial‑inspired pieces, and whimsical finds that help your home look its loveliest.
🎂Own a 250th Dobbin House keepsake! Remember the 250th birthday of the Dobbin House, the home built in 1776 by Reverend Alexander Dobbin, with a sticker! Made of sturdy vinyl, the sticker is 3 1/4" long by 2" tall. The sandstone walls and bright red door complement the Continental Union flag flying over the house that is the same age as the United States of America and the oldest house in Gettysburg. We are sticking them on our water bottles, computers, backpacks, briefcases and even our cars! They are available in our store or mailed to you including tax and shipping for $3.40. Mailing multiple stickers does not add additional shipping. To order by mail, call our Country Curiosity Store at 717-334-2100 extension 117.
🥣The pewter-like dish is sculpted with a floral design on the border and reads "250 YEARS, Dobbin House, 1776-2026". It is made in the USA of no-lead, non-tarnishing aluminum-based alloy that has a beautiful antique pewter appearance and feel. It measures 7'' long by 5" wide and 1" deep. You can purchase it in our store or have it mailed to you for $45.45, including tax and shipping.
Happy 250th Birthday to the Dobbin House!

08/30/2026

Dobbin House Square is OPEN! What a remarkable day in the 250 years of the Dobbin House! Hundreds of people came to witness the dedications of the new park, the Semiquincentennial Bell and the Charters of Freedom. The area, located right next to the Dobbin House, is now open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for the public to view and read the Seminquincentennial Bell, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, several Civil Rights Amendments and the Gettysburg Address. We are indebted and most grateful to the many people and contractors who made the park possible and participated in this spectacular day.
Rev. Dobbin, who was educated at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh in the 1700's, knew the importance of education. He operated the first school in the area at the Dobbin House. Today, Dobbin House Square is proud to continue that legacy. We think he would approve.

08/28/2026

Watch this amazing timelapse video of the 9 months of construction next to the Dobbin House to create our "Dobbin House Square", a public welcoming space for education, reflection, and community gathering!
The new park will feature a life size Semiquincentennial Bell, fashioned after the Liberty Bell, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with the Charters of Freedom—full scale replicas of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Civil Rights Amendments, and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. These installations will invite visitors to stand face to face with the 1776 Dobbin House, documents and symbols that shaped our nation, honoring both our local heritage and the enduring promise of American liberty. This permanent outdoor museum will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will be free for Gettysburg residents and visitors, ensuring that this historic area continues to inform and inspire future generations. The park includes open space for future public events.
Tomorrow, August 29, 2026, at 10:00am, the public is invited to the unveiling and dedication ceremony for the Square, Semiquincentennial Bell and Charters of Freedom settings. The FREE celebration continues throughout the day with self-guided tours of the historic 1776 house, living history reenactments of a colonial market, hearth cooking, tailoring, a recruiting station for continental army soldiers, 18th century tavern life vignettes, Declaration of Independence calligraphy, colonial music, and children's games, including a Dobbin House scavenger hunt, complete with prizes. Be sure to make history by signing the Dobbin House 250th Birthday Book.
At 7:00pm, enjoy live music under the tent with the Celtic band, Cormorant's Fancy, performing Scotch-Irish reels and jigs complete with Irish step dancers.
At 9:00pm, a grand finale magical movie show of clips of famous colonial theme movies will be projected, with surround sound speakers, onto the stone facade of the Dobbin House. It is an awesome show dedicated to the 250 years of the Dobbin House and the United States of America!
For a full list of week-long events celebrating the 250th birthday of the 1776 Dobbin House, visit www.dobbinhouse.com. Many thanks to Gettysburg Images for returning over and over during the creation of Dobbin House Square and creating this video.

08/26/2026

A Celebration of Faith, Education and Community and Blessing for Another 250 years!

08/25/2026

08/24/2026

Leading up to the opening of the "Dobbin House Square", at 10:00am on August 29, 2026, this 7-episode weekly series focuses on the 50 years we have been privileged to be the caretakers of the oldest building in Gettysburg, the 1776 Dobbin House.
Episode #7 – 2026, Adding the "Dobbin House Square"
After 50 years of stewardship of the iconic Dobbin House, we are proud to present another new chapter in the life of this American treasure. We will soon open our newly constructed “Dobbin House Square”, a public welcoming space for education, reflection, and community gathering.
The new park will feature a life size Semiquincentennial Bell by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, along with the Charters of Freedom—full scale replicas of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Civil Rights Amendments, and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. These installations will invite visitors to stand face to face with the 1776 Dobbin House and the documents and symbols that shaped the nation, honoring both our local heritage and the enduring promise of American liberty. This permanent outdoor museum will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will be free for Gettysburg residents and visitors, ensuring that this historic area continues to inform and inspire future generations. The park includes open space for future public events.
On August 26, 2026, at 10:00am, join us for a recreation of the August 26, 1776, consecration of the Dobbin House held by Reverend Dobbin for his newly built home. We will bless the house for the next 250 years. Then, on August 29, 2026, at 10:00am, the public is invited to a dedication ceremony for the Square, Bell and Charters of Freedom settings. For a full list of week-long events celebrating the 250th birthday of the 1776 Dobbin House, visit www.dobbinhouse.com.
Pictured are the youngsters, aged 4-12, (children and grandchildren of Dobbin House staff members) who will unveil the Charters of Freedom and Scout Caleb Sellers (with his Mother, Jill) who will help unveil the Pennsylvania Semiquincentennial Bell, during a rehearsal for the August 29th event.