 Throughout his long army career , Dwight Eisenhower and his wife never had a house to call their own , with the couple moving from army post to army post . After he became Columbia University 's president in 1948 , Mamie requested that they finally have a place to call their own . A married couple that were friends with the Eisenhowers , George and Mary Allen , had recently purchased a small farm around Gettysburg , and recommended the area . In 1950 , they found a " run @-@ down farm " on the outskirts of Gettysburg , and purchased the farm and its 189 acres ( 76 ha ) for $ 40 @,@ 000 ( equal to $ 393 @,@ 416 today ) from one Allen Redding , who had owned the farm since 1921 . Eisenhower stated that he could feel the " forgotten heroisms " that occurred on the grounds as the Battle of Gettysburg . 
