PA 97 widens to a four-lane divided highway at its crossing of Plum Run just south of Lake Heritage, which is also the name of the surrounding residential development.

The state highway passes north of The Outlet Shoppes at Gettysburg and reaches its northern terminus at its diamond interchange with US 15.

Cemetery Hill served as the tip of the Union forces' "fishhook" defensive formation throughout the three-day battle.

[5] During and in the time after the battle, the turnpike was lined with several field hospitals, many of which were created in the homes and on the land of civilians such as Henry Spangler.

[7][8] Baltimore Pike was designated Legislative Route 42 from the Maryland state line northwest to the borough of Gettysburg.

[7][9] The Sproul Roads Act was challenged as being unconstitutional, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the legislation on June 27, 1913.

[10] The highway from the state line to US 15 at the intersection of Baltimore Street and Steinwehr Avenue (then Emmitsburg Road) was designated the northernmost part of US 140 in 1927.

[19] This proposal was made in order to eliminate short routes from the United States Numbered Highways system.

[20][22] The northern terminus of PA 97 was located at the US 15 interchange, while the stretch of the former US 140 north into Gettysburg became unnumbered Baltimore Pike.