2018 Jim Getty Award

2018 Jim Getty Award
Destination Gettysburg has honored Shriver House’s Director Nancie Gudmestad with the Jim Getty “Spirit of Gettysburg” Award, given annually to an individual in the Adams County tourism community who exemplifies leadership, contribution and dedication to the industry.

Gudmestad was given the award at Destination Gettysburg’s Annual Dinner on March 27.

“Nancie Gudmestad will always be known for her work with her husband in restoring the Shriver House Museum,” said Norris Flowers, President of Destination Gettysburg. “But Nancie’s contribution to the tourism industry goes back decades and includes a variety of work to better the community.”

Nancie and her husband, Del, first came to Adams County in 1984 and opened the Appleford Inn, the region’s first bed and breakfast. Later, the couple turned an automobile salvage yard on Baltimore Pike into Mulligan MacDuffer Adventure Golf.

But it was curiosity and passion behind one of Gettysburg’s own families that will perhaps, leave the strongest legacy for both Nancie and her husband.

In the mid-1990s, the Gudmestads purchased a house on Baltimore Street with the intent of renovating the building and telling the story of the town’s civilians and how they endured the Battle of Gettysburg in the 1860s. But what they discovered was the story of the Shriver family, who purchased that same house with the hope of not only making it their new home, but to open a 10-pin bowling alley and saloon.

That story has been at the heart of a larger story about the citizens of Adams County, Pa., and their story. Since the Shriver House Museum opened in 1996, that story has been told to thousands of families and school children from around the world.

“For the past 22 years, Nancie Gudmestad has been the champion of not only the Shrivers story, but that of Gettysburg’s civilians during this momentous time in our nation’s history,” added Flowers. “Without the work of Nancie and Del Gudmestad, that story would perhaps yet to be discovered.”

Nancie has since served on the board for Main Street Gettysburg and plays an integral role in the efforts to revitalize one of Gettysburg’s most popular corridors, Baltimore Street.

“(Nancie) is an unstoppable force in Gettysburg,” said Wendy Allen, of Lincoln Into Art, who nominated Gudmestad. “It’s a passion, and she conveys that to the multitudes of people who visit her and her story.”

The Jim Getty “Spirit of Gettysburg” Award was created in 2016 by Destination Gettysburg in recognition of Jim Getty, a Lincoln presenter and overall ambassador for Gettysburg. Getty passed away in 2015.

“I can’t tell you how honored I am to receive the Jim Getty Award,” said Nancie Gudmestad. “Del and I have been side-by-side on all of this, and I think he deserves this as much as I do.”

Destination Gettysburg, the official destination marketing organization, markets Gettysburg – Adams County as a premier travel destination, producing a positive economic impact.

Nancie's video interview