The Civil War may long be over, but to become one of the nation’s select few Gettysburg tour guides the battle is still to come. On Saturday, Dec. 7, some of America’s top Civil War buffs will begin the arduous process of getting licensed to become an official tour guide at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania with the written exam.
It’s just the first “tier” in a five-step process prospective guides must go through before they can take on tourists. After that, there’s a panel interview, the field practicum (a test of tour guide skills and knowledge), the oral exam and finally, the post-licensing orientation. Applicants need to pass every tier to become a licensed battlefield guide and the process for this round of recruits won’t wrap up until the spring of 2026.
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At any given time, there are about 130 guides licensed to give historical tours at Gettysburg and they only open the process up when park officials decide they need more staff.
Since 1915, fewer than 600 people have successfully completed the process to become a guide. According to the Wall Street Journal, the last time the test was offered, only 9 of the 97 applicants became licensed.
Holding such a prestigious position might make it worthwhile to some, but test takers pay to take the test. If a history buff makes it to the end of the testing process, their wages depend on how many guests show up on any given day. Not only that, guides are not considered employees of Gettysburg National Military Park, meaning they won’t get any benefits either.
Feel up to the challenge? The tour guide website has answers to many questions prospects may have about the test, as well as a long list of suggested reading to help potential guides study up.
THE CIVIL WAR MAY BE LONG OVER – BUT YOU NEED TO PREPARE YOURSELF FOR BATTLE IF YOU WANT TO BECOME ONE OF THE NATION’S SELECT FEW GETTYSBURG TOUR GUIDES.
ON SATURDAY – SOME OF THE NATION’S TOP CIVIL WAR BUFFS WILL BEGIN THE ARDUOUS PROCESS OF GETTING LICENSED TO BECOME AN OFFICIAL TOUR GUIDE AT GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK IN PENNSYLVANIA: THE WRITTEN EXAM.
IT’S JUST THE FIRST “TIER” IN A FIVE-STEP PROCESS PROSPECTIVE GUIDES MUST GO THROUGH BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE ON TOURISTS.
AFTER THAT, THERE’S A PANEL INTERVIEW, THE FIELD PRACTICUM – A TEST OF TOUR GUIDE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, THE ORAL EXAM AND FINALLY, THE POST-LICENSING ORIENTATION.
APPLICANTS NEED TO PASS EVERY TIER TO BECOME A LICENSED BATTLEFIELD GUIDE – AND THE PROCESS FOR THIS ROUND OF RECRUITS WON’T WRAP UP UNTIL THE SPRING OF 20-26.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, THERE ARE ABOUT 130 GUIDES LICENSED TO GIVE HISTORICAL TOURS AT GETTYSBURG AND THEY ONLY OPEN THE PROCESS UP WHEN PARK OFFICIALS DECIDE THEY NEED MORE STAFF.
SINCE 19-15 – FEWER THAN 600 PEOPLE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROCESS TO BECOME A GUIDE.
ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL – THE LAST TIME THE TEST WAS OFFERED, ONLY NINE OF THE 97 APPLICANTS BECAME LICENSED.
OH, AND IF YOU THINK THE PAY FOR HOLDING SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS POSITION WILL MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE – THINK AGAIN.
YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM TO LET YOU TAKE THE TEST… HOW MUCH YOU MAKE DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP ANY GIVEN DAY… AND SINCE GUIDES ARE **NOT** EMPLOYEES OF GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK – YOU WON’T GET ANY BENEFITS EITHER.
SO, WHO’S UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP NOW… THEN CLICK ON THIS STORY IF YOU’RE CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE AND SEE THE FIVE-PAGE LIST OF SUGGESTED READING FOR POTENTIAL GUIDES.
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