Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station

Four score and seven years ago

On the evening of November 18, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln arrived at the Gettysburg Railroad Station in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. More than four months had passed since the terrible Battle of Gettysburg, and President Lincoln was invited to say "a few appropriate remarks" at the dedication of the new Soldiers' National Cemetery. The next day, on November 19, Lincoln spoke for just 3 minutes before a crowd of more than 15,000. Today we remember his 272 words as one of the greatest speeches in American history -- The Gettysburg Address.

A new birth of freedom

The Gettysburg Railroad Station opened in 1859, featuring an Italianate architecture design with arched windows, projecting eaves, a copula, and a low-pitched roof. Undamaged during the battle, the station was used as a hospital and later to evacuate wounded troops. Passenger service resumed after the war and lasted until 1942. After falling into disrepair, the property was renovated in 2006 and today is operated as a museum by the non-profit Gettysburg Foundation, dedicated to President Lincoln's historic visit to the town of Gettysburg.

The Lego version of the Gettysburg Railroad Station features 1,863 bricks -- identical to the year of the Gettysburg Address. The two-level modular design features a first-floor waiting room with a ticketing office, telegraph machine, benches, and a grandfather clock. A spiral staircase leads to the second floor office with a wood-burning stove, desk, and several chairs. Outside, the train platform features an angled roof with additional benches and decorations for the President's arrival.

The colors of the Lego set match the actual colors of the station as it existed in 1863. (The station was painted in 2014 to also match the 1863 color scheme.) The exterior of the Lego set is closely modeled after the actual station. I did take some liberties with the interior, although I tried to remain as faithful as possible to the historical design of the building. If any alterations are needed, they will be posted as updates to this submission.

Of the people, by the people, for the people

The Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station includes three minifigures:

• President Abraham Lincoln, carrying a copy of his Gettysburg Address
• The station master
• The station's telegrapher, a real-life young woman who was the adopted daughter of a "Mr. (Brown) Lee in Washington county, Pa". As the battle began, this "heroine of the station" disconnected the station's telegraph machine and took it to the Union troops at Cemetery Hill. The machine was reconnected to the telegraph wires along Baltimore Pike, where she remained through the end of the battle to help relay information for the Union Army.

For more information on the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station:

• Gettysburg Foundation
• Destination Gettysburg
• Wikipedia

For more information on the Gettysburg Address:

• Abraham Lincoln Online
• History.com
• Wikipedia

Thank you in advance for taking time to view the Lego Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station. If you like what you see, please support this project by clicking the blue Support button and then sharing the idea on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. We need 10,000 votes for Lego to consider this proposal as a real set, so every bit of help is sincerely appreciated.