History & local legend
Mary Thompson’s stone house on Seminary Ridge stood amid the fighting on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. In the twentieth century, Larson’s Motel grew around the historic property. Guests sometimes reported hearing what sounded like the battle resuming outside their rooms.
Ghost-story collector Mark Nesbitt described one couple sleeping in the motel’s western wing when a violent explosion woke them. The sound shook the walls and rattled the mirrors. The man put on a robe and went outside to find out what had happened.
Behind the room, he found only the silent cannons marking Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. The motel buildings have since been removed as part of restoring the historic grounds, while the Thompson house and the nearby artillery memorial remain.
Sources
- Mark Nesbitt, Hidden Haunted Hotspots of Gettysburg, No. 6, quoted authorial account from Ghosts of Gettysburg IV
- American Battlefield Trust, Forging a Path to Preservation at Lee’s Headquarters, Larson’s Motel, farm and restoration
- Stone Sentinels, widow Thompson’s house, Battery B’s location and monument, and property map
- American Battlefield Trust, historic grounds and visitor information
- Mapcarta, Mary Thompson house footprint and coordinates
