Located off Buford Avenue on the First Day’s battlefield, east of Herr Ridge, this farm is now signed as being not open to public access, but there were no signs posted as such in 2010, and my best friend and I walked down the lane to take the pictures shown here.
Known as the Theodore Bender Farm in the Park’s archives, the farm dates to 1798, when it was owned by William McPherson. James J. Wills purchased the farm from McPherson’s heirs in 1859 and constructed the barn during the following year. Wills employed William Job as a tenant farmer to work the farm. During the Battle (July 1, 1863), Confederate troops marched through the farm to attack Union troops in the fields and woodlots to the west and south. Confederate artillery was also posted near the buildings which were used as a field hospital for several days after the battle.
