Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Chambersburg is a borough
in the South Central
region of Pennsylvania
, United States. It is 13 miles (21 km) miles north of Maryland
and the Mason-Dixon line
and 52 miles (84 km) southwest of Harrisburg
in the Cumberland Valley
, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley
. Chambersburg is the county seat
of Franklin County
. The United States Census Bureau
estimates the population within the borough limits as of July 1, 2008, as 18,302. When combined with the surrounding Greene
, Hamilton
, and Guilford Townships, the population of Greater Chambersburg is 52,273. Chambersburg is at the core of the Chambersburg Micropolitan Statistical Area
which includes surrounding Franklin County. The population of the Chambersburg Micropolitan Area in 2008 was 143,495.
Chambersburg's settlement began in 1730 when water mills were built at the confluence of Conococheague Creek
and Falling Spring Creek that now run through the center of the town. Its history includes episodes related to the French and Indian War
, the Whiskey Rebellion
, John Brown
's raid on Harpers Ferry, and the American Civil War
. The borough was the only major northern community burned down by Confederate
forces during the war.
Chambersburg is located along the Lincoln Highway
, U.S. 30
, between McConnellsburg
and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and along U.S. 11
, the Molly Pitcher
Highway, between Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
, and Hagerstown, Maryland
. Interstate 81
skirts the borough to its east.
Native Americans living or hunting in the area during the 18th century included the Iroquois
, Lenape
and Shawnee
. "Falling Spring" was first settled by Benjamin Chambers, a Scots-Irish immigrant, in 1730, who started a grist mill and saw mill by a then-26 feet (7.9 m) high waterfall where Falling Spring Creek joined Conococheague Creek
. The creek provided power to the mills, and the settlement was known as "Falling Spring."
On March 30, 1734, Chambers was issued a "Blunston license" for 400 acres (1.6 km²), from a representative of the Penn family, but European settlement in the area was of questionable legality until the treaty ending the French and Indian War
, because not all Indian tribes with land claims had signed treaties. The Penn family encouraged settlement in the area in order to strengthen its case in a border dispute with the Maryland Colony, which had resulted in hostilities known as Cresap's War
. This dispute was not settled until 1767 and the surveying of the border known as the Mason-Dixon line
. Chambers traveled to England to testify in support of Penn's claims. To maintain peace with the Indians, European settlers were sometimes removed from the nearby area. In May 1750, Benjamin Chambers participated in removing settlers from nearby Burnt Cabins
, which took its name from the incident.
The area was officially part of Chester County, then Lancaster, and then Cumberland until it became part of the newly established Franklin County in 1784.
The Great Wagon Road
connecting Philadelphia with the Shenandoah Valley
passed nearby. In 1744, it was completed through Harris's Ferry
, Carlisle
, Shippensburg
, and Chambersburg to the Potomac River
.
In 1748 a local militia was formed for protection against Indians, with Benjamin Chambers being named colonel.
Chambersburg was on the frontier during the French and Indian War
. The area's population dropped from about 3,000 in 1755 at the start of the war to about 300, with most settlers not returning until after 1764 when the peace treaty was signed. Benjamin Chambers built a private stone fort during the war, which was equipped with two 4 pounder cannons and fighting occurred nearby. Because Chambers's fort was otherwise lightly defended, the authorities attempted to remove the cannons to prevent them from being captured by Indians and used against other forts. The attempted removal was unsuccessful, and one of the cannons was used to celebrate Independence Day
in 1840. The Forbes Road
and other trails going to Fort Pitt
passed nearby as well. The Forbes Road developed into part of the main road connecting Pittsburg and Philadelphia, and much later into US 30, and Chambersburg developed as a transportation hub at the crossroads of Forbes Road and the Great Wagon Road.
Fighting continued in the area after the war, most notably the Enoch Brown school massacre
during Pontiac's Rebellion
and the Black Boys
rebellion against British troops at Fort Loudon
.
The first settlers were Scots-Irish Presbyterians and German Protestants came soon afterward. Quakers and English Protestants, who made up a large proportion of early Pennsylvania settlers, did not often move as far west as Chambersburg. Blacks lived in Chambersburg almost from the start of settlement. Benjamin Chambers owned a black female slave sometime before the French and Indian War and twenty slaves were recorded as taxable property in 1786.
The earliest church was established by Scots-Irish Presbyterians in 1734. Chambers gave land to the congregation in 1768, requiring only a single rose as annual rent. Later land was given to the First Lutheran Church (1780) and Zion Reformed Church
(organized in 1780) under the same agreement, and these churches came to be known as the "Rose Rent Churches." A Catholic community organized in 1785. The Jewish cemetery
dates back to 1840. The Mt. Moriah First African Baptist Church dates to 1887.
The town was first laid out in 1764, and lots were advertised for sale on July 19 in Benjamin Franklin
's Pennsylvania Gazette
under the command of Benjamin Chambers's eldest son Captain James Chambers, as part of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment
. These troops were among the first non-New Englanders to join the siege of Boston
, arriving on August 7, 1775. James Chambers fought for seven years during the revolution, reaching the rank of Colonel of Continental troops on September 26, 1776. His two brothers, William and Benjamin, Jr., each served for much of the war and reached the rank of Captain. James Chambers commanded local troops at the Battle of Long Island
, and at White Plains
, Trenton
, Princeton
, Brandywine
, Germantown
and Monmouth
. He was part of the rear guard covering the retreat from Brooklyn, and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine while facing Hessian troops under General Knuphausen
at Chadds Ford.
During the Whiskey Rebellion
, local citizens raised a liberty pole
in support of the rebels, and to protest conscription
of soldiers to put down the rebellion. Nevertheless, these citizens were censured in a town meeting
and removed the pole the next day. President George Washington
, while leading United States troops against the rebels, came through town on the way from Carlisle
to Bedford
, staying overnight on October 12, 1794. According to tradition, Washington lodged with Dr. Robert Johnson, a surgeon in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolution. This march was one of only two times that a sitting president personally commanded the military in the field. (The other was after President James Madison
fled the British occupation of Washington, D.C.
during the War of 1812
.) After sending the troops toward Pittsburgh from Bedford under General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, Washington returned through Chambersburg sometime between October 21–26. James Chambers was appointed a Brigadier General of Militia during the Whiskey Rebellion.
Chambersburg was incorporated on March 21, 1803, and declared the County Seat when the State Assembly established a formal government. The first courthouse was John Jack's tavern on the Diamond (town square) in 1784, with a permanent courthouse built in 1793, and the first county jail built 1795. The "Old Jail" was built in 1818, survived the fire of 1864 and is the oldest jail building in Pennsylvania. It was originally used as the sheriff's residence and had the longest continuous use of any jail in the state, operating until 1971. Today the Old Jail is a museum and home to the Franklin County – Kittochtinny Historical Society. The county's gallows still stand in the jail's courtyard.
Much of the town's growth was due to its position as a transportation center, first as the starting point on the Forbes Road to Pittsburgh. The U.S. Congress placed Chambersburg on the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh postal road in 1803. The road was rebuilt as the Chambersburg-Bedford Turnpike in 1811. The Cumberland Valley Railroad
was built in 1837 and was the area's center of economic activity for nearly 100 years. Until the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad
's main line
in 1857, the fastest route from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia was by stagecoach from Pittsburgh to Chambersburg, and then by train to Philadelphia.
By 1859, Chambersburg was a stop on the Underground Railroad
. John Brown
stayed in an upstairs room at Mary Ritner's boarding house between June and October, 1859 while preparing for his raid on Harpers Ferry. Several of his fellow raiders stayed in the house as well, and four of them escaped capture and briefly visited the house after the raid. The house still stands at 225 East King Street. While in Chambersburg Brown posed as Dr. Isaac Smith, an iron mine developer, and bought and stored weapons under the guise of mining equipment.
Brown (using the name John Smith) and John Henry Kagi
met with Frederick Douglass
and Shields Green
at an abandoned quarry outside of town to discuss the raid on August 19. According to Douglass's account, Brown described the planned raid in detail and Douglass advised him against it. Douglass also provided $10 from a supporter, and had helped Green – a future raider – locate Brown.
During the American Civil War
on October 10, 1862, Confederate
Maj. Gen.
J.E.B. Stuart
, with 1800 cavalrymen, raided Chambersburg, destroying $250,000 of railroad property and taking 500 guns, hundreds of horses, and at least "eight young colored men and boys." They failed, however, to accomplish one of the main targets of the raid: to burn the railroad bridge across the Conococheague Creek at Scotland, five miles (8 km) north of town.
During the early days of the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign
, a Virginia
cavalry brigade
under Brig. Gen.
Albert G. Jenkins
occupied the town and burned several warehouses and Cumberland Valley Railroad
structures and the bridge at Scotland. From June 24–28, 1863, much of the Army of Northern Virginia
passed through Chambersburg en route to Carlisle
and Gettysburg
, and Robert E. Lee
established his headquarters at a nearby farm.
The following year, Chambersburg was invaded for a third time, as cavalry dispatched from the Shenandoah Valley
by Jubal Early arrived. On July 30, 1864, a large portion of the town was burned down under orders from Brig. Gen. John McCausland
for failing to provide a ransom of $500,000 in US currency, or $100,000 in gold.
Among the few buildings left standing was the Masonic Temple
, which had been guarded under orders by a Confederate mason. Norland, the home of Republican politician and editor Alexander McClure
, was burned even though it was well north of the main fire.
"Remember Chambersburg" soon became a Union battle cry.
Memorial Fountain, built in the center of the diamond to honor the Civil War soldiers, was dedicated on July 17, 1878 with fifteen thousand people in attendance. A statue of a Union soldier stands next to the fountain facing south to guard against the return of southern raiders.
:
, Chambersburg has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²), all land. The elevation is 617 feet (188 m) above sea level. Chambersburg is located in the Cumberland Valley
next to the Appalachian Mountains. It also sits right outside of Caledonia State Park
, a 1125 acres (4.55 km²) park with fishing and hunting areas and hiking trails, including a section of the Appalachian Trail
. Also outside of Chambersburg is Michaux State Forest, a 85000 acres (344 km²) forest. Both of theses places provide recreation for residents.
Conococheague Creek
, a noted trout
stream, runs through the center of town. It is a tributary of the Potomac River
. The northernmost reach of the Potomac watershed is a few miles north of town.
Chambersburg has a cold climate, according to the United States Department of Energy
. The area receives anywhere from 38 to 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) of precipitation per year. The average January low is 20 °F (-7 °C) and the average high is 37 °F (3 °C). The average July high is 85 °F (29 °C) and the average low is 62 °F (17 °C).
, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.38% of the population.
There were 7,722 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,336, and the median income for a family was $40,352. Males had a median income of $31,803 versus $21,548 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,278. About 9.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
The population stood at 7,863 in 1890; 8,864 in 1900; 11,800 in 1910; 13,171 in 1920; and 14,852 in 1940. It was estimated to be around 18,000 people in January 2008.
and Mennonite
families. Franklin County's largest crop is corn (maize) with 579 farms that cover 29916 acres (121.07 km²) of land. Franklin also has 344 wheat farms and 299 barley
farms which combined cover 14063 acres (56.91 km²). Manufacturing in Chambersburg includes machinery production, metal fabrication, and food processing according to the 1997 Economic Census of Franklin County. The largest sectors by payroll were manufacturing companies such as T B Wood's Inc., Manitowoc
cranes, retail trade, and health care and social assistance. The economy of the area is still largely based on agriculture.
Retail stores such as Wal-Mart
and Lowe's
serve the population with jobs and basic needs. The Chambersburg Mall
with four anchor stores and about fifty smaller stores is located in the unincorporated village of Scotland, about four miles (6 km) north of town on Interstate 81. Chambersburg's retail sector has grown quickly since 2006 with the opening of Target, Petsmart, Michaels, and Kohls near the newly built Exit 17 of Interstate 81. Several restaurants new to the region have also opened, including Starbucks (2), TGI Fridays, Red Robin, Fuddruckers, Moe's Southwest Grill, Ruby Tuesday, and Panera Bread.
The city's location on Interstate 81
within 100 miles (160.9 km) of both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore
, Maryland encourages trucking and distribution businesses. The Letterkenny Army Depot
five miles (8 km) north of town is a major employer. Camp David
also employs Chambersburg residents. In 2004 Chambersburg had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $28,208, below the national average of $33,050.
Chambersburg is part of small town
America. Recreation includes hunting, sports events such as baseball games at Henninger Field
, and high school football games. The town also hosts a professional football team, the Chambersburg Cardinals
, that plays in the Gridiron Developmental Football League. People in the area speak in Pittsburgh English
or with a Central Pennsylvania accent
, over-pronouncing "O's" and "I's". Caledonia State Park
provides an area for outdoor activities, with the park especially busy on July 4.
The Capitol Theatre
was opened as a movie palace on Main Street in 1927. In 2003 it reopened as the Capitol Theatre Center and is home to the Capitol Theatre Main Stage and Auditorium, Chambersburg Council for the Arts, Caledonia Theatre Company, Chambersburg Ballet Theatre School, and Chambersburg Community Theatre.
Wilson College is home to the Cumberland Valley School of Music, a local school offering private instruction on various musical instruments. It offers a wide range of lessons, classes, workshops, and summer camps, as well as presenting numerous recitals and concerts in Thomson Hall. CVSM sponsors a children's chorus (the Cumberbunds), a community band, a community orchestra, a concert jazz band, and the New Horizons Band, for adults age 50 or older.
Journalist David Brooks
in 2001 used Chambersburg and Franklin County to typify Republican “Red America.” According to Brooks, there is little obvious income inequality and people don’t define their place in society by their income level. They value the work ethic and are anti-union, anti-welfare, pro-free market, and religious social conservatives.
Pete Lagiovane became Mayor on January 7, 2008.
As of January 2008, the town councilmen are:
Chambersburg is part of the 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania and represented by Bill Shuster
(R) in the House of Representatives, and by Pat Toomey
(R), and Bob Casey, Jr.
(D) in the Senate.
J. Frank Faust Junior High School is the only public junior high school for eighth and ninth grade students of the Chambersburg Area School District. It serves about 1400 students.
Chambersburg Area Middle School (CAMS) is the only public school for sixth and seventh grade students in the Chambersburg Area School District. During the 2001–02 school year, CAMS was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
, the highest award an American school can receive.
The Franklin County Career and Technology Center is also located in Chambersburg. FCCTC is a school designated for students and adults to learn vocational trades while still learning core subjects in school. The school offers training in about 20–30 different concentrations. There are currently six different school districts with students attending FCCTC: Chambersburg, Fannett-Metal, Greencastle-Antrim, Shippensburg, Tuscarora, and Waynesboro.
The Chambersburg school district includes seventeen elementary schools. Many school are being upgraded, rebuilt, or closed because of out-of-date buildings and lack of space. As of July 2008, the current School Board President is Stanley Helman. Other members include Anne Boryan, Renee Sharpe, Norman Blowers, Lori Leedy, Fred Rice, Dave Schiamanna, and Joe Tosten. One seat is currently being filled after the resignation of the previous board president, Dr. Thomas Orndorff.
and had about 300 students in grades 3–12. The school was established in 1895 as the Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans Industrial School. Over 10,000 students have been educated at the school. The 186 acre (0.75271596 km²) campus contains about 70 buildings including residential cottages. In 2009, Governor Ed Rendell removed funding for the school in the year's state budget, thereby forcing the school to close.
.
, a family oriented station broadcasts from Chambersburg, and Harrisburg PBS station WITF-TV
rebroadcasts via low-powered translator W38AN. Franklin County is included in Harrisburg DMA. All Harrisburg TV stations are available off air and on cable. WHTM is the first network affiliated television station to establish a bureau in Chambersburg. WHAG-TV
, WWPB, and WWPX
, broadcast from nearby Hagerstown, Maryland
.
Chambersburg shares a radio market, the 165th largest in the United States, with Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
, and Hagerstown, Maryland
.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in the South Central
South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the fourteen counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, and York....
region of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. It is 13 miles (21 km) miles north of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and the Mason-Dixon line
Mason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
and 52 miles (84 km) southwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
in the Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
. Chambersburg is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Franklin County
Franklin County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 129,313 people, 50,633 households, and 36,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile . There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile...
. The United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
estimates the population within the borough limits as of July 1, 2008, as 18,302. When combined with the surrounding Greene
Greene Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Greene Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 12,284 at the 2000 census. Part of Caledonia State Park is in Greene Township.-Geography:...
, Hamilton
Hamilton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Hamilton Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,949 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, and Guilford Townships, the population of Greater Chambersburg is 52,273. Chambersburg is at the core of the Chambersburg Micropolitan Statistical Area
Table of United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas
thumb|An enlargeable map of the 942 [[Core Based Statistical Area]]s of the [[United States]]. The 576 [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]]s are shown in blue....
which includes surrounding Franklin County. The population of the Chambersburg Micropolitan Area in 2008 was 143,495.
Chambersburg's settlement began in 1730 when water mills were built at the confluence of Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, is a free-flowing stream that originates in Pennsylvania and empties into the Potomac River near Williamsport, Maryland. It is in length, with in Pennsylvania and in Maryland...
and Falling Spring Creek that now run through the center of the town. Its history includes episodes related to the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
, John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
's raid on Harpers Ferry, and the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The borough was the only major northern community burned down by Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces during the war.
Chambersburg is located along the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
, U.S. 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
, between McConnellsburg
McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania
McConnellsburg is a borough in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,073 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fulton County....
and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and along U.S. 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
, the Molly Pitcher
Molly Pitcher
Molly Pitcher was a nickname given to a woman said to have fought in the American Revolutionary War, who is generally believed to have been Mary Ludwig Hays...
Highway, between Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Shippensburg is a borough in Cumberland and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles west-southwest of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1900, 3,228 people...
, and Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
. Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
skirts the borough to its east.
European settlement
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
and Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
. "Falling Spring" was first settled by Benjamin Chambers, a Scots-Irish immigrant, in 1730, who started a grist mill and saw mill by a then-26 feet (7.9 m) high waterfall where Falling Spring Creek joined Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, is a free-flowing stream that originates in Pennsylvania and empties into the Potomac River near Williamsport, Maryland. It is in length, with in Pennsylvania and in Maryland...
. The creek provided power to the mills, and the settlement was known as "Falling Spring."
On March 30, 1734, Chambers was issued a "Blunston license" for 400 acres (1.6 km²), from a representative of the Penn family, but European settlement in the area was of questionable legality until the treaty ending the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, because not all Indian tribes with land claims had signed treaties. The Penn family encouraged settlement in the area in order to strengthen its case in a border dispute with the Maryland Colony, which had resulted in hostilities known as Cresap's War
Cresap's War
Cresap's War was a border conflict between Pennsylvania and Maryland, fought in the 1730s...
. This dispute was not settled until 1767 and the surveying of the border known as the Mason-Dixon line
Mason-Dixon line
The Mason–Dixon Line was surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the resolution of a border dispute between British colonies in Colonial America. It forms a demarcation line among four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and...
. Chambers traveled to England to testify in support of Penn's claims. To maintain peace with the Indians, European settlers were sometimes removed from the nearby area. In May 1750, Benjamin Chambers participated in removing settlers from nearby Burnt Cabins
Burnt Cabins, Pennsylvania
Burnt Cabins is an unincorporated community in Dublin Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the foot of Tuscarora Mountain. It contains U.S. Route 522 and I-76 ....
, which took its name from the incident.
The area was officially part of Chester County, then Lancaster, and then Cumberland until it became part of the newly established Franklin County in 1784.
The Great Wagon Road
Great Wagon Road
The Great Wagon Road was a colonial American improved trail transiting the Great Appalachian Valley from Pennsylvania to North Carolina, and from there to Georgia....
connecting Philadelphia with the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
passed nearby. In 1744, it was completed through Harris's Ferry
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, Shippensburg
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Shippensburg is a borough in Cumberland and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles west-southwest of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1900, 3,228 people...
, and Chambersburg to the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
.
Chambersburg was on the frontier during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. The area's population dropped from about 3,000 in 1755 at the start of the war to about 300, with most settlers not returning until after 1764 when the peace treaty was signed. Benjamin Chambers built a private stone fort during the war, which was equipped with two 4 pounder cannons and fighting occurred nearby. Because Chambers's fort was otherwise lightly defended, the authorities attempted to remove the cannons to prevent them from being captured by Indians and used against other forts. The attempted removal was unsuccessful, and one of the cannons was used to celebrate Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
in 1840. The Forbes Road
John Forbes (General)
John Forbes was a British general in the French and Indian War. He is best known for leading the Forbes Expedition that captured the French outpost at Fort Duquesne and for naming the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder.-Early life:Forbes was...
and other trails going to Fort Pitt
Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)
Fort Pitt was a fort built at the location of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.-French and Indian War:The fort was built from 1759 to 1761 during the French and Indian War , next to the site of former Fort Duquesne, at the confluence the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River...
passed nearby as well. The Forbes Road developed into part of the main road connecting Pittsburg and Philadelphia, and much later into US 30, and Chambersburg developed as a transportation hub at the crossroads of Forbes Road and the Great Wagon Road.
Fighting continued in the area after the war, most notably the Enoch Brown school massacre
Enoch Brown School Massacre
The Pontiac's Rebellion school massacre was an incident during Pontiac's Rebellion, in raids and warfare on the frontier following the French and Indian War. On July 26, 1764, four Delaware warriors attacked the teacher and students at a schoolhouse in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania,...
during Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's War, Pontiac's Conspiracy, or Pontiac's Rebellion was a war that was launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Country, and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the...
and the Black Boys
Black Boys
The Black Boys, also known as the Brave Fellows and the Loyal Volunteers, were members of a white settler movement in the Conococheague Valley of colonial Pennsylvania sometimes known as the Black Boys Rebellion...
rebellion against British troops at Fort Loudon
Fort Loudoun (Pennsylvania)
Fort Loudoun was a fort in colonial Pennsylvania, one of several forts in colonial America named after John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun...
.
The first settlers were Scots-Irish Presbyterians and German Protestants came soon afterward. Quakers and English Protestants, who made up a large proportion of early Pennsylvania settlers, did not often move as far west as Chambersburg. Blacks lived in Chambersburg almost from the start of settlement. Benjamin Chambers owned a black female slave sometime before the French and Indian War and twenty slaves were recorded as taxable property in 1786.
The earliest church was established by Scots-Irish Presbyterians in 1734. Chambers gave land to the congregation in 1768, requiring only a single rose as annual rent. Later land was given to the First Lutheran Church (1780) and Zion Reformed Church
Zion Reformed Church (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)
Zion Reformed Church of the United Church of Christ, more commonly known as Zion Reformed Church or Zion UCC is a congregation of the United Church of Christ in the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States...
(organized in 1780) under the same agreement, and these churches came to be known as the "Rose Rent Churches." A Catholic community organized in 1785. The Jewish cemetery
Old Jewish cemetery, Chambersburg
The Old Jewish Cemetery of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania is believed to be the earliest Jewish burial ground west of the Susquehanna River. The oldest headstone refers to a burial in July 1840...
dates back to 1840. The Mt. Moriah First African Baptist Church dates to 1887.
The town was first laid out in 1764, and lots were advertised for sale on July 19 in Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
's Pennsylvania Gazette
Pennsylvania Gazette (newspaper)
The Pennsylvania Gazette was one of the United States' most prominent newspapers from 1728, before the time period of the American Revolution, until 1815...
1775–1858
In June 1775, soon after the Battle of Lexington, local troops were raised to fight the British in the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
under the command of Benjamin Chambers's eldest son Captain James Chambers, as part of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment
1st Pennsylvania Regiment
The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, also known as the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment and 1st Continental Regiment, was raised under the command of Colonel William Thompson for service in the Continental Army.-History:...
. These troops were among the first non-New Englanders to join the siege of Boston
Siege of Boston
The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamen—who later became part of the Continental Army—surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within...
, arriving on August 7, 1775. James Chambers fought for seven years during the revolution, reaching the rank of Colonel of Continental troops on September 26, 1776. His two brothers, William and Benjamin, Jr., each served for much of the war and reached the rank of Captain. James Chambers commanded local troops at the Battle of Long Island
Battle of Long Island
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, fought on August 27, 1776, was the first major battle in the American Revolutionary War following the United States Declaration of Independence, the largest battle of the entire conflict, and the...
, and at White Plains
Battle of White Plains
The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York. Following the retreat of George Washington's Continental Army northward from New York City, British General William Howe landed...
, Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
, Princeton
Battle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
, Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
, Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
and Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
. He was part of the rear guard covering the retreat from Brooklyn, and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine while facing Hessian troops under General Knuphausen
Wilhelm von Knyphausen
Wilhelm Reichsfreiherr zu Innhausen und Knyphausen was a general from Hesse-Cassel. He fought in the American Revolutionary War, during which he led Hessian mercenaries on behalf of the British Empire.-Biography:His father was colonel in a German regiment under the Duke of Marlborough...
at Chadds Ford.
During the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
, local citizens raised a liberty pole
Liberty pole
A liberty pole is a tall wooden pole, often used as a type of flagstaff, planted in the ground, which may be surmounted by an ensign or a liberty cap. They are associated with the Atlantic Revolutions of the late 18th century.-American Revolution:...
in support of the rebels, and to protest conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
of soldiers to put down the rebellion. Nevertheless, these citizens were censured in a town meeting
Town meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
and removed the pole the next day. President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, while leading United States troops against the rebels, came through town on the way from Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
to Bedford
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
, staying overnight on October 12, 1794. According to tradition, Washington lodged with Dr. Robert Johnson, a surgeon in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolution. This march was one of only two times that a sitting president personally commanded the military in the field. (The other was after President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
fled the British occupation of Washington, D.C.
Burning of Washington
The Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.) After sending the troops toward Pittsburgh from Bedford under General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, Washington returned through Chambersburg sometime between October 21–26. James Chambers was appointed a Brigadier General of Militia during the Whiskey Rebellion.
Chambersburg was incorporated on March 21, 1803, and declared the County Seat when the State Assembly established a formal government. The first courthouse was John Jack's tavern on the Diamond (town square) in 1784, with a permanent courthouse built in 1793, and the first county jail built 1795. The "Old Jail" was built in 1818, survived the fire of 1864 and is the oldest jail building in Pennsylvania. It was originally used as the sheriff's residence and had the longest continuous use of any jail in the state, operating until 1971. Today the Old Jail is a museum and home to the Franklin County – Kittochtinny Historical Society. The county's gallows still stand in the jail's courtyard.
Much of the town's growth was due to its position as a transportation center, first as the starting point on the Forbes Road to Pittsburgh. The U.S. Congress placed Chambersburg on the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh postal road in 1803. The road was rebuilt as the Chambersburg-Bedford Turnpike in 1811. The Cumberland Valley Railroad
Cumberland Valley Railroad
The Cumberland Valley Railroad was an early railroad in Pennsylvania, USA, originally chartered in 1831 to connect with Pennsylvania’s Main Line of Public Works...
was built in 1837 and was the area's center of economic activity for nearly 100 years. Until the completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
's main line
Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)
The Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was a rail line in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting Philadelphia with Pittsburgh via Harrisburg...
in 1857, the fastest route from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia was by stagecoach from Pittsburgh to Chambersburg, and then by train to Philadelphia.
Civil War era
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
stayed in an upstairs room at Mary Ritner's boarding house between June and October, 1859 while preparing for his raid on Harpers Ferry. Several of his fellow raiders stayed in the house as well, and four of them escaped capture and briefly visited the house after the raid. The house still stands at 225 East King Street. While in Chambersburg Brown posed as Dr. Isaac Smith, an iron mine developer, and bought and stored weapons under the guise of mining equipment.
Brown (using the name John Smith) and John Henry Kagi
John Henry Kagi
John Henry Kagi, also spelled John Henrie Kagi , was an American attorney, abolitionist and second in command to John Brown in Brown's failed raid on Harper's Ferry. He bore the title of "Secretary of War" in Brown's "provisional government." At age 24, Kagi was killed during the raid...
met with Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
and Shields Green
Shields Green
Shields Green , also known as "Emperor," was an ex-slave who participated in John Brown's unsuccessful raid on Harpers Ferry. Though he had a chance to escape capture, he returned to the fighting and was captured with Brown. For their parts in the raid, Green and John A. Copeland were hanged on...
at an abandoned quarry outside of town to discuss the raid on August 19. According to Douglass's account, Brown described the planned raid in detail and Douglass advised him against it. Douglass also provided $10 from a supporter, and had helped Green – a future raider – locate Brown.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
on October 10, 1862, Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
Maj. Gen.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
, with 1800 cavalrymen, raided Chambersburg, destroying $250,000 of railroad property and taking 500 guns, hundreds of horses, and at least "eight young colored men and boys." They failed, however, to accomplish one of the main targets of the raid: to burn the railroad bridge across the Conococheague Creek at Scotland, five miles (8 km) north of town.
During the early days of the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
, a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
cavalry brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
under Brig. Gen.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Albert G. Jenkins
Albert G. Jenkins
Albert Gallatin Jenkins was an attorney, planter, representative to the United States Congress and First Confederate Congress, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War...
occupied the town and burned several warehouses and Cumberland Valley Railroad
Cumberland Valley Railroad
The Cumberland Valley Railroad was an early railroad in Pennsylvania, USA, originally chartered in 1831 to connect with Pennsylvania’s Main Line of Public Works...
structures and the bridge at Scotland. From June 24–28, 1863, much of the Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
passed through Chambersburg en route to Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
and Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
, and Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
established his headquarters at a nearby farm.
The following year, Chambersburg was invaded for a third time, as cavalry dispatched from the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
by Jubal Early arrived. On July 30, 1864, a large portion of the town was burned down under orders from Brig. Gen. John McCausland
John McCausland
John McCausland, Jr. was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War....
for failing to provide a ransom of $500,000 in US currency, or $100,000 in gold.
Among the few buildings left standing was the Masonic Temple
Masonic Temple (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)
The Masonic Temple in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania is a building from 1823. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976....
, which had been guarded under orders by a Confederate mason. Norland, the home of Republican politician and editor Alexander McClure
Alexander McClure
Alexander Kelly McClure was a journalist, editor, writer, politician, and historian, active in Pennsylvania Republican Party politics, especially in the 1860s, and a prominent supporter, correspondent, and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln...
, was burned even though it was well north of the main fire.
"Remember Chambersburg" soon became a Union battle cry.
Memorial Fountain, built in the center of the diamond to honor the Civil War soldiers, was dedicated on July 17, 1878 with fifteen thousand people in attendance. A statue of a Union soldier stands next to the fountain facing south to guard against the return of southern raiders.
National Register of Historic Places
The following places in Chambersburg are on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
| Site | Address | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Brotherton Farm | SW of Chambersburg on Falling Spring Rd. | 1979 |
| Brown, John, House | 225 E. King St. | 1970 |
| Chambersburg Historic District | US 11 and US 30 (2320 acres, 159 buildings) | 1982 |
| Coldbrook Farm | 955 Spring Ln. | 1996 |
| Finley, James, House | Building No. 505, Letterkenny Army Depot | 1974 |
| Franklin County Courthouse Franklin County Courthouse (Pennsylvania) The current Franklin County Courthouse in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, built in 1865, is the third courthouse building on the site. The site was originally purchased from Colonel Benjamin Chambers in 1785.... |
1 N. Main St., Memorial Square | 1974 |
| Franklin County Jail | NW corner of King and 2nd Sts. | 1970 |
| Gass House | E of Chambersburg off U.S. 30 | 1977 |
| Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church is a historic Presbyterian church building in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.The Georgian style meeting house was constructed in 1794 by Scotch-Irish settlers. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. A cemetery is adjacent to the... |
Rocky Spring Rd., approx. .5 mi (8 km). NW of Funk Rd., | 1994 |
| Masonic Temple | 74 S. 2nd St. | 1976 |
| Memorial Fountain and Statue | Memorial Square | 1978 |
| Wilson College | 1015 Philadelphia Ave. (550 acres, 17 buildings) | 1995 |
Historic images
Colorized photographs taken from a series of 22 postcard views mailed in 1921.Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, Chambersburg has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²), all land. The elevation is 617 feet (188 m) above sea level. Chambersburg is located in the Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
next to the Appalachian Mountains. It also sits right outside of Caledonia State Park
Caledonia State Park
Caledonia State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is named for an iron furnace, Caledonia Furnace, that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens beginning in 1837. Today the park is known...
, a 1125 acres (4.55 km²) park with fishing and hunting areas and hiking trails, including a section of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
. Also outside of Chambersburg is Michaux State Forest, a 85000 acres (344 km²) forest. Both of theses places provide recreation for residents.
Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek
Conococheague Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, is a free-flowing stream that originates in Pennsylvania and empties into the Potomac River near Williamsport, Maryland. It is in length, with in Pennsylvania and in Maryland...
, a noted trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
stream, runs through the center of town. It is a tributary of the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
. The northernmost reach of the Potomac watershed is a few miles north of town.
Chambersburg has a cold climate, according to the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
. The area receives anywhere from 38 to 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) of precipitation per year. The average January low is 20 °F (-7 °C) and the average high is 37 °F (3 °C). The average July high is 85 °F (29 °C) and the average low is 62 °F (17 °C).
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,862 people, 7,722 households, and 4,386 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,601.3 people per square mile (1,003.9/km2). There were 8,305 housing units at an average density of 1,209.5 per square mile (466.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 86.43% White, 7.56% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.08% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.38% of the population.
There were 7,722 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 81.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,336, and the median income for a family was $40,352. Males had a median income of $31,803 versus $21,548 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,278. About 9.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
The population stood at 7,863 in 1890; 8,864 in 1900; 11,800 in 1910; 13,171 in 1920; and 14,852 in 1940. It was estimated to be around 18,000 people in January 2008.
Economy
The surrounding area has a large farming population, including many AmishAmish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
and Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
families. Franklin County's largest crop is corn (maize) with 579 farms that cover 29916 acres (121.07 km²) of land. Franklin also has 344 wheat farms and 299 barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
farms which combined cover 14063 acres (56.91 km²). Manufacturing in Chambersburg includes machinery production, metal fabrication, and food processing according to the 1997 Economic Census of Franklin County. The largest sectors by payroll were manufacturing companies such as T B Wood's Inc., Manitowoc
Manitowoc Cranes
Manitowoc Cranes is a division of The Manitowoc Company, Inc in the United States. Manitowoc Cranes produces four brands of cranes and has two service brands, Manitowoc Crane Care and Manitowoc Finance.- History :...
cranes, retail trade, and health care and social assistance. The economy of the area is still largely based on agriculture.
Retail stores such as Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
and Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
serve the population with jobs and basic needs. The Chambersburg Mall
Chambersburg Mall
Chambersburg Mall is an American shopping mall located near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in the unincorporated community of Scotland. Located proximate to exit 20 off Interstate 81, the mall has 56 stores and a capacity of 64 as of December 2008.-History:...
with four anchor stores and about fifty smaller stores is located in the unincorporated village of Scotland, about four miles (6 km) north of town on Interstate 81. Chambersburg's retail sector has grown quickly since 2006 with the opening of Target, Petsmart, Michaels, and Kohls near the newly built Exit 17 of Interstate 81. Several restaurants new to the region have also opened, including Starbucks (2), TGI Fridays, Red Robin, Fuddruckers, Moe's Southwest Grill, Ruby Tuesday, and Panera Bread.
The city's location on Interstate 81
Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 81 is an long north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the US/Canadian border...
within 100 miles (160.9 km) of both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland encourages trucking and distribution businesses. The Letterkenny Army Depot
Letterkenny Army Depot
Letterkenny Army Depot, the Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Air Defense and Tactical Missile Systems, was established in 1942. The depot is under the command structure of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command...
five miles (8 km) north of town is a major employer. Camp David
Camp David
Camp David is the country retreat of the President of the United States and his guests. It is located in low wooded hills about 60 mi north-northwest of Washington, D.C., on the property of Catoctin Mountain Park in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Thurmont, at an elevation of...
also employs Chambersburg residents. In 2004 Chambersburg had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $28,208, below the national average of $33,050.
Culture
Small Town
Small Town is a song written by John Cougar Mellencamp and released on his 1985 album Scarecrow. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.-Content:...
America. Recreation includes hunting, sports events such as baseball games at Henninger Field
Henninger field
Henninger Field is a little-known, historic ballpark located in historic Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.Erected in 1895, Henninger Field, , is the home of the Chambersburg Maroons...
, and high school football games. The town also hosts a professional football team, the Chambersburg Cardinals
Chambersburg Cardinals
The Chambersburg Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.-1946:The team was founded on the basis of local players returning from WWII, they were looking to return back to a life they once remembered...
, that plays in the Gridiron Developmental Football League. People in the area speak in Pittsburgh English
Pittsburgh English
Pittsburgh English, popularly known by outsiders as Pittsburghese, is the dialect of American English spoken by many especially older residents of Pittsburgh and parts of surrounding Western Pennsylvania in the United States, a group referred to by locals and others as Yinzers.-Overview:Many of the...
or with a Central Pennsylvania accent
Central Pennsylvania accent
Central Pennsylvania speech is closely related to Western Pennsylvania speech, which is generally referred to as Pittsburgh English, although the speech extends beyond just the city of Pittsburgh, and also is closely related to the Southern accent, spoken in the Southeastern United States...
, over-pronouncing "O's" and "I's". Caledonia State Park
Caledonia State Park
Caledonia State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is named for an iron furnace, Caledonia Furnace, that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens beginning in 1837. Today the park is known...
provides an area for outdoor activities, with the park especially busy on July 4.
The Capitol Theatre
Capitol Theatre Center
The Capitol Theatre Center is a theater located at 159 South Main Street in downtown Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, located midway between Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Hagerstown, Maryland. The Capitol Theatre Center opened as a movie theater on February 3, 1927. Following renovations in 1996 the...
was opened as a movie palace on Main Street in 1927. In 2003 it reopened as the Capitol Theatre Center and is home to the Capitol Theatre Main Stage and Auditorium, Chambersburg Council for the Arts, Caledonia Theatre Company, Chambersburg Ballet Theatre School, and Chambersburg Community Theatre.
Wilson College is home to the Cumberland Valley School of Music, a local school offering private instruction on various musical instruments. It offers a wide range of lessons, classes, workshops, and summer camps, as well as presenting numerous recitals and concerts in Thomson Hall. CVSM sponsors a children's chorus (the Cumberbunds), a community band, a community orchestra, a concert jazz band, and the New Horizons Band, for adults age 50 or older.
Journalist David Brooks
David Brooks (journalist)
David Brooks is a Canadian-born political and cultural commentator who considers himself a moderate and writes for the New York Times...
in 2001 used Chambersburg and Franklin County to typify Republican “Red America.” According to Brooks, there is little obvious income inequality and people don’t define their place in society by their income level. They value the work ethic and are anti-union, anti-welfare, pro-free market, and religious social conservatives.
Government
The municipal government operates under the Pennsylvania Borough Code, with the Town Council holding both legislative and executive authority. The ten councilmen are elected from five wards; two from each ward with staggered four year terms. The Mayor administers the Police Department and can cast tie-breaking votes on the Council. Other departments are administered by the Borough Manager.Pete Lagiovane became Mayor on January 7, 2008.
As of January 2008, the town councilmen are:
- 1st Ward: William F. McLaughlin (President of Council) and Allen B. Coffman
- 2nd Ward: Thomas L. Newcomer and Janet L. Lukic
- 3rd Ward: Elaine M. Swartz and Glenn K. Manns (Finance Chairman)
- 4th Ward: Mary Beth Shank and Sharon A. Bigler (Assistant Finance Chairman)
- 5th Ward: Heath Talhelm and Robert A.Wareham, Sr. (Vice-President of Council)
Chambersburg is part of the 9th Congressional District of Pennsylvania and represented by Bill Shuster
Bill Shuster
William Shuster is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a son of former Congressman Bud Shuster.-Early life, education and career:...
(R) in the House of Representatives, and by Pat Toomey
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
(R), and Bob Casey, Jr.
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
(D) in the Senate.
Wilson College
Wilson College is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts women's college founded in 1869 and named for its first major donor, Sarah Wilson of Chambersburg. The college has 800 students and is known for its Women With Children, Veterinary Medical Technician, and Equestrian programs.Public Schools
Chambersburg Area Senior High School (CASHS) is a public school with around 1,800 students in grades 10–12, drawn from the borough of Chambersburg and the surrounding townships of Hamilton, Greene, Lurgan, Letterkenny and Guilford. CASHS is accredited by the Middle States Association and has occupied its current facilities since 1955. Principal Dr. Barry Purvis was recognized as the 2006 High School Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.J. Frank Faust Junior High School is the only public junior high school for eighth and ninth grade students of the Chambersburg Area School District. It serves about 1400 students.
Chambersburg Area Middle School (CAMS) is the only public school for sixth and seventh grade students in the Chambersburg Area School District. During the 2001–02 school year, CAMS was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest award an American school can receive.
The Franklin County Career and Technology Center is also located in Chambersburg. FCCTC is a school designated for students and adults to learn vocational trades while still learning core subjects in school. The school offers training in about 20–30 different concentrations. There are currently six different school districts with students attending FCCTC: Chambersburg, Fannett-Metal, Greencastle-Antrim, Shippensburg, Tuscarora, and Waynesboro.
The Chambersburg school district includes seventeen elementary schools. Many school are being upgraded, rebuilt, or closed because of out-of-date buildings and lack of space. As of July 2008, the current School Board President is Stanley Helman. Other members include Anne Boryan, Renee Sharpe, Norman Blowers, Lori Leedy, Fred Rice, Dave Schiamanna, and Joe Tosten. One seat is currently being filled after the resignation of the previous board president, Dr. Thomas Orndorff.
Scotland School for Veterans' Children
The Scotland School for Veterans' Children (SSVC) was a state owned school that offered tuition-free residential education programs for children of Pennsylvania residents who are veterans or are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces. Scotland School had an original founding date of 1863. It was founded as a result of two orphaned children going door to door begging for food. They knocked on the door of then governor, Andrew Gregg Curtin. Governor Curtin and his wife realized there was a forgotten group of people resulting from the American Civil War, the orphaned children of soldiers. Governor Curtin set up 70 schools across the state and they became known as the 'Soldier's Orphan Schools'. As students graduated, the student bodies of the schools began to decline and in 1895 all of the schools closed saved one, the one located in Scotland. The name was changed to Scotland School for Veteran's Children. The purpose was then changed to provide an education to any child of any veteran, whether that veteran was living or deceased. Because of this new purpose and subsequent name change, the founding date of the school was changed to 1895. It was located about four miles (6 km) north of Chambersburg in the unincorporated village of ScotlandScotland, Pennsylvania
Scotland is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Greene Township.-Scotland School for Veterans' Children:...
and had about 300 students in grades 3–12. The school was established in 1895 as the Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans Industrial School. Over 10,000 students have been educated at the school. The 186 acre (0.75271596 km²) campus contains about 70 buildings including residential cottages. In 2009, Governor Ed Rendell removed funding for the school in the year's state budget, thereby forcing the school to close.
Private schools
Private schools include Corpus Christi, a Catholic school with 310 students and over 20 teachers and Cumberland Valley Christian School, a private Christian kindergarten through twelfth grade academy located in Chambersburg. Cumberland Valley Christian School is affiliated with the Open Door Church and has approximately four hundred students. Other private schools include the Montessori Academy of Chambersburg (22 months-8th grade, non-denominational) and Shalom Christian Academy (K-12, Mennonite affiliation), and several elementary schools with Mennonite, Baptist, Brethren, Christian Science, and other religious orientations.Library
Coyle Free Library has roots going back to 1891, when a library of 166 books was organized by the local Afternoon Club. A member of the club, Blanche Coyle, left a bequest of $30,435 in 1915 to construct a library building. The building was completed in 1924, located at the corner of Second and Queen Streets. Later the library was made part of the Franklin County Library and began to receive funds from the County and State, though the Afternoon Club still donated funds though at least 1979. The building it currently occupies is a former post office.Newspapers
The Chambersburg Public Opinion is the only daily newspaper published in town, and has weekday circulation about 17,000. It was founded in 1869 and is now owned in partnership by Gannett and MediaNews GroupMediaNews Group
MediaNews Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. It is privately owned and operates 56 daily newspapers in 12 states, with combined daily and Sunday circulation of approximately 2.4 million and 2.7 million, respectively...
.
Television and radio
Television reception can be poor because of the surrounding mountains. WJALWJAL
WJAL, "Family 68", is an independent television station serving Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. It is one of only six English-language stations owned by Entravision, a company better known for its ownership of Spanish-language stations across the United States.Despite being...
, a family oriented station broadcasts from Chambersburg, and Harrisburg PBS station WITF-TV
WITF-TV
WITF-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station available on digital channel 36 , based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. WITF broadcasts throughout the Susquehanna Valley viewing area, and is a sister station to the area's NPR member station, WITF-FM...
rebroadcasts via low-powered translator W38AN. Franklin County is included in Harrisburg DMA. All Harrisburg TV stations are available off air and on cable. WHTM is the first network affiliated television station to establish a bureau in Chambersburg. WHAG-TV
WHAG-TV
WHAG-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Hagerstown, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 26 from a transmitter on Fairview Mountain west of Clear Spring. Owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group, the station has studios in the Alexander House Hotel on...
, WWPB, and WWPX
WWPX
WWPX-TV is the Ion Television affiliate licensed to Martinsburg, West Virginia, and serving the northwestern portion of the Washington, DC television market. The station is owned by ION Media Networks, and broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 12, displayed as virtual channel 60...
, broadcast from nearby Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
.
Chambersburg shares a radio market, the 165th largest in the United States, with Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
Waynesboro is a borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, located northwest of Baltimore, Maryland, 67 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The population within the borough limits was 9,614 at the 2000 census. When combined with the surrounding...
, and Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
.
Notable residents and natives
- Betty AndujarBetty AndujarElizabeth Richards Andujar, known as Betty Andujar , was the first Republican woman, a homemaker by stated occupation, to have served in the Texas State Senate...
, Texas politician - Philip Berlin, inventor of the railroad sleeping car.
- D. Dudley BloomD. Dudley BloomD. Dudley Bloom is an American businessman who made notable contributions to the consumer products industry as an inventor, advertising copywriter, and marketing executive during the 1950s and early 1960s, including proposing and designing the first conventional travel luggage built on wheels and...
, United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer and American businessman - George K. BradyGeorge K. BradyGeorge K. Brady was an officer in the United States Army who served as the second commander of the Department of Alaska, from September 1, 1870 to September 22, 1870.-Early life:...
, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer. Briefly commander of the Department of Alaska. - Ike BrookensIke BrookensEdward Dwain "Ike" Brookens , is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Detroit Tigers. He batted and threw right-handed...
, MLB player in 1975 with the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. - Tom BrookensTom BrookensThomas Dale Brookens is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , and Cleveland Indians...
, MLB player from 1979–1990, played third-base for the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant... - Revolutionary War soldier Margaret CorbinMargaret CorbinMargaret Corbin was a woman who fought in the American Revolutionary War On November 16, 1776, she and her husband, John Corbin, both from Philadelphia, along with some 600 American soldiers, were defending Fort Washington in northern Manhattan from 4,000 attacking Hessian troops under British...
, known as "Captain Molly" - Abolistionist publisher Martin DelanyMartin DelanyMartin Robinson Delany was an African-American abolitionist, journalist, physician, and writer, arguably the first proponent of American black nationalism. He was one of the first three blacks admitted to Harvard Medical School. He became the first African-American field officer in the United...
, who in 1865 became the first African-American field officer in the U.S. Army, was educated in Chambersburg in the 1830s. - Gus DornerGus DornerAugustus "Gus" Dorner , was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from -. He played for the Boston Beaneaters, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Naps.-References:...
Major League Baseball pitcher (1902–1909). - Henry Burchard FineHenry Burchard FineHenry Burchard Fine was an American university dean and mathematician.Fine was born at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was educated at Princeton and Leipzig universities...
(1858–1928) was a deanDean (education)In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
at Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and mathematicianMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. - Baseball Hall of Famer Nellie FoxNellie FoxJacob Nelson Fox was a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Chicago White Sox. Fox was born in St. Thomas Township, Pennsylvania. He was selected as the MVP of the American League in...
was born and lived just west of town in St. Thomas TownshipSt. Thomas Township, PennsylvaniaSt. Thomas Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,775 at the 2000 census.It is the birthplace of Baseball Hall of Fame member Nellie Fox.-Geography:...
. - Patrick GassPatrick GassPatrick Gass served as sergeant in the Lewis and Clark Expedition . He was important to the expedition because of his service as carpenter and he published the first journal of the expedition in 1807, seven years before the first publication based on Lewis and Clark's journals.-Early life:Gass...
(1771–1870), the last surviving member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was born just outside Chambersburg (Falling Spring). - Kenton HarperKenton HarperKenton Harper was an American printer, soldier, town mayor, banker, newspaper editor, and legislator. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the Mexican–American War and later as a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War...
, Virginia newspaper editor and Confederate army general during the Civil War, born and raised in Chambersburg - The Rev. John Grier HibbenJohn Grier HibbenJohn Grier Hibben was a Presbyterian minister, a philosopher, and educator. He served as president of Princeton University from 1912–1932, succeeding Woodrow Wilson and implementing many of the reforms started by Wilson.-Early life:Hibben was born in Peoria, Illinois, just before the start...
, later President of Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, served as pastor of Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, 1888–1891. - Stephen D. HoustonStephen D. HoustonStephen Douglas Houston is an American anthropologist, archaeologist, epigrapher and Mayanist scholar, who is particularly renowned for his research into the pre-Columbian Maya civilization of Mesoamerica...
, a renowned MayanistMayanistA Mayanist is a scholar specialising in research and study of the Central American pre-Columbian Maya civilization. This discipline should not be confused with Mayanism, a collection of New Age beliefs about the ancient Maya....
scholar, epigrapher, and anthropologist was born in Chambersburg in 1958. - Archbishop John Hughes lived in Chambersburg between 1817 to 1819 before going on to Mount St. Mary's University. His family is buried at the Corpus Christi Church Cemetery in Chambersburg.
- Journalist and author Gwen IfillGwen IfillGwendolyn L. "Gwen" Ifill is an American journalist, television newscaster and author. She is the managing editor and moderator of Washington Week and a senior correspondent for the PBS NewsHour, both of which air on PBS. She is a political analyst, and moderated the 2004 and 2008 Vice...
spent a portion of her childhood in Chambersburg while her father was pastor at St. James A.M.E. Church. - Alexander McClureAlexander McClureAlexander Kelly McClure was a journalist, editor, writer, politician, and historian, active in Pennsylvania Republican Party politics, especially in the 1860s, and a prominent supporter, correspondent, and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln...
, editor of the Franklin Repository from 1852–1864 - David Fullerton RobisonDavid Fullerton RobisonDavid Fullerton Robison was an Opposition Party member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, a U.S. Representative, who in 1859 died of National Hotel disease, was born here - Joseph WintersJoseph WintersJoseph Winters was an African-American abolitionist and inventor who patented a wagon-mounted fire escape ladder for the city of Chambersburg, PA. in 1878. It is often falsely cited that Winters was the original inventor of the wagon mounted fire escape...
an African-American inventor and abolitionist, moved to Chambersburg in 1830. - Sarah Wilson, namesake and first major donor of Wilson CollegeWilson College (Pennsylvania)Wilson College, founded 1869, is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts women's college located on a campus in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded by two Presbyterian ministers, but named for its first major donor, Sarah Wilson of nearby St. Thomas Township,...
- Rick Alexander and Lisa Harding famous morning duo on Mix 95 in Chambersburg, PA for 20+ years
See also
- Fayetteville, PennsylvaniaFayetteville, PennsylvaniaFayetteville is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,774 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fayetteville is located at ....
- Franklin County Regional AirportFranklin County Regional AirportFranklin County Regional Airport , formerly known as Chambersburg Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located three miles north of the Borough of Chambersburg, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA...
- Guilford, PennsylvaniaGuilford, PennsylvaniaGuilford is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,835 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Guilford is located at ....
- The Valley of the ShadowThe Valley of the ShadowThis page is about an American Civil war project. For other uses, see Valley of the Shadow The Valley of the Shadow is a digital history project hosted by the University of Virginia detailing the experiences of Confederate soldiers from Augusta County, Virginia and Union soldiers from Franklin...
- WHGTWHGTWHGT is a Religious formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, serving the Chambersburg/Hagerstown. WHGT is owned and operated by Emmanuel Baptist Temple.-History:...
- Bloom Brothers Department StoresBloom Brothers Department StoresBloom Brothers Department Stores were located at sites in Franklin and Fulton County, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland, from the company's founding in 1897 as the Old Reliable Conn and Bloom Dry Goods Store until the closing of the last store in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1944.The Old...
Sources
- Images of America: Chambersburg, Maurice Leonard Marotte III & Janet Kay Pollard (Arcadia, 2005)
External links
- Official website
- Public Opinion – local newspaper
- Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce
- Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinny
- The Burning of Chambersburg
- The Old Jewish Cemetery of Chambersburg
- Council For The Arts
- CASHS Official Link
- CAMS Official Link
- J. Frank Faust Jr. High School Official Link
- The transcribed 1880 diary of William Zumbro, age 17, of Chambersburg, PA.