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(Redirected from Chambersburg, PA)
'Chambersburg' is a borough in Pennsylvania, United States. It is southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, part of the Great Appalachian Valley. The borough is the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the borough's population was 17,862.
Its settlement began in 1730 when water mills were built along the creek that now runs through the centre of the town. Its history includes episodes related to the French and Indian War, the Whiskey Rebellion, John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, and the American Civil War.
It is located along the Lincoln Highway, US 30, between McConnellsburg and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and along US 11 between Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and Hagerstown, Maryland.
Native Americans living or hunting in the area during the 18th century included the Iroquois, Lenni Lenape and Shawnee[3]. "Falling Spring" was first settled by Colonel Benjamin Chambers, a Scots-Irish immigrant, in 1730, who started a grist mill and saw mill by a waterfall where Falling Spring Creek joined Conococheague Creek.[4] The creek provided power to the mills, and settlement was known as "Falling Spring." European settlement in the area was illegal or of questionable legality until the treaty ending the French and Indian War. 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[5].
Chambersburg was incorporated on March 21, 1803,[6] 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.[7] 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 Kittochtinny Historical Society of Chambersburg.[8] The county's gallows still stand in the jail's courtyard.
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."[9] A Catholic community organized in 1785. The Jewish cemetery dates back to 1840.
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.[7] Benjamin Chambers built a stone fort during the war[4], which was equipped with two 4 pounder cannons[3] and fighting occurred nearby.[13][3] The Forbes Road and other trails going to Fort Pitt passed nearby as well.[15] [16]
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.
In 1775, soon after the Battle of Lexington, local troops were raised to fight the British in the American Revolution under the command of Benjamin Chambers's eldest son Captain James Chambers. These troops were among the first non-New Englanders to join the siege of Boston. James Chambers fought for seven years during the revolution, reaching the rank of Brigader General. His two brothers, William and Benjamin, Jr., each served throughout the war and reached the rank of Captain.[3] Local troops fought at the Battle of Long Island, and at White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth.
During the Whiskey Rebellion, President George Washington led United States troops 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.[18] 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 "Light Horse Harry" Henry Lee, Washington returned through Chambersburg sometime after October 20.
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 disastrous raid on Harpers Ferry. The house still stands at 225 East King Street. While in Chambersburg he posed as Dr. Isaac Smith, an iron mine developer, and bought and stored weapons under the guise of mining equipment.[19] 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.[20] 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 and hundreds of horses. Chambersburg residents said that they were remarkably well behaved.[21]
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 a nearby bridge. From June 24-28, 1863, much of the Army of Northern Virginia passed through Chambersburg[22][23] 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.[24] 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.[25][26]
Among the few buildings left standing was the Masonic Temple, which had been guarded under orders by a Confederate mason.[27]
"Remember Chambersburg" soon became a Union battle cry.[28]
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 is located at (39.934813, -77.656352).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all land. The elevation is above sea level.[29] Chambersburg is located in a valley next to the Appalachian Mountains. It also sits right outside of Caledonia State Park, a 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 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[30]
[31], with the area receives anywhere from 38 to 42 inches of precipitation per year.[32]. The average January low is and the average high is . The average July high is and the average low is .[33]
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 1,003.9/km² (2,601.3/mi²). There were 8,305 housing units at an average density of 466.8/km² (1,209.5/mi²). 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 races, 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 at 17,961 in July 2005.
The surrounding area has a large farming population, including many Amish and Mennonite families. Franklin county's largest crop is maize (corn), with 579 farms that cover of land. Franklin also has 344 wheat farms and 299 barley farms which combined cover .[34] Manufacturing in Chambersburg includes machinery production, metal fabrication, and food processing. According to the 1997 Economic Census[35] of Franklin County, the largest sectors by payroll were manufacturing, 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, which houses four anchor stores plus about fifty smaller stores, is located in the unincorporated village of Scotland, about four miles north of town on Interstate 81.[36]
The city's location on Interstate 81 within 100 miles of both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland encourages trucking and distribution businesses. The Letterkenny Army Depot five miles north of town is a major employer. Camp David also provides jobs for Chambersburg residents. In 2004 Chambersburg had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $28,208, below the national average of $33,050.[37]
Residents of Chambersburg maintain a small town feeling. Most recreation is done through sporting events such as high school football games and baseball games. People in the area speak with a Pittsburgh English or Central Pennsylvania accent, such as over pronouncing "O's" and "I's."[38]. Caledonia State Park provides an area for outdoor activities, with the park especially busy on July 4th. Citizens are mostly Republicans in favor of gun ownership, hence hunting is a large outlet.[39]
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.[40]
★ 'Mayor': John A. Redding, Jr. (Died May 21, 2007)William F. McLaughlin (Acting)[41]
;Council
★ 1st ward: William F. McLaughlin (President of Council) and Allen B. Coffman
★ 2nd ward: Ruth M. Harbaugh (Assistant Finance Chairman) and Janet L. Lukic
★ 3rd ward: Elaine M. Swartz and Glenn K. Manns (Finance Chairman)
★ 4th ward: Mary Beth Shank and Sharon A. Bigler
★ 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 (R) in the House of Representatives, and by Arlen Spector (R), and Bob Casey, Jr.(D) in the Senate.
Main articles: Wilson College (Pennsylvania)
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.
Main articles: Chambersburg Area Senior High School
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.[42]
SSVC is a state owned school that offers tuition-free residential education programs for children of Pennsylvania residents who are veterans or are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces.[43] It is located about four miles north of Chambersburg in the unincorporated village of Scotland and has 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 campus contains about 70 buildings including residential cottages.[44]
Faust is the only public junior high school for eighth and ninth grade students of the Chambersburg Area School District. It serves about 1400 students.
CAMS is the only public school for sixth and seventh grade students in the Chambersburg Area School District. During the 2001-02 school year, Chambersburg Area Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[45] the highest award an American school can receive.[46][47]
The Chambersburg school distric includes seventeen elementary schools. Many school are receiving upgrade, being rebuilt or being closed, because of out of date buiding and lack of space.
★ Andrew Buchanan
★ Coldbrook
★ Duffield(closing 2006-2007 school year)
★ Falling Spring
★ Fayetteville(Rebuilt, will include Duffield after 2006-2007 school year and U.L. Gordy)
★ U.L. Grody(Being demolished in July 2007 to build new school - completion 2009)
★ Grandview
★ Guilford Hills
★ Hamilton Heights
★ King Street
★ Lurgan
★ Marion
★ Mary B. Sharp
★ New Franklin
★ Scotland(Moved to new building during 2006-2007 school year)
★ South Hamilton
★ Thaddeus Stevens
'Corpus Christi' is a Catholic school with 310 students, and over 20 teachers.[48]
'Cumberland Valley Christian School' is a private Christian kindergarten through twelfth grade academy located in Chambersburg. It is affiliated with the Open Door Church. The school has approximately four hundred students. The school participates in MDCC athletics.
Other private schools include the 'Montessori Academy of Chambersburg' and 'Shalom Christian Academy' (K-12, Mennonite affiliation), and several elementary schools with Mennonite, Baptist, Brethern, Christian Science, and other religious orientations.[49]
The library[50] has roots going back to 1891[51] when a library of 166 books was organized by the local ''Afternoon Club''. A member of the club, Blanche Coyle, left of 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 currently occupied is a former post office.
==Sites on National Register of Historic Places==
[52]
★ Philip Berlin, inventor of the first railroad sleeping car.[53]
★ Tom Brookens, pro baseball player from 1979-1990. Played third-base for the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers. Now coaches the Detroit Tigers minor league affiliate West Michigan Whitecaps (A)
★ Abolistionist publisher Martin Delany, who in 1865 became the first African-American field officer in the U.S. Army, was educated in Chambersburg in the 1830s.
★ Henry Burchard Fine (1858-1928) was a dean at Princeton University and mathematician.
★ Baseball Hall of Famer Nellie Fox was born and lived just west of town in St. Thomas Township.
★ Patrick Gass (1771-1870), the last surviving member of the Lewis and Clark expedition was born just outside Chambersburg (Falling Spring).
★ The Rev. John Grier Hibben, later President of Princeton University, served as pastor of Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, 1888-1891.
★ Stephen D. Houston a renowned Mayanist scholar, epigrapher and anthropologist was born in Chambersburg in 1958.
★ David Fullerton Robison, a U.S. Representative, who in 1859 died of National Hotel disease.
★ Joseph Winters an African-American inventor and abolitionist, moved to Chambersburg in 1830..
★ Sarah Wilson the namesake and first major donor of Wilson College, 1869, a private women's college.
★ ''History of Franklin County'', (Chicago, 1887)
★ ''Images of America: Chambersburg'', Maurice Leonard Marotte III & Janet Kay Pollard (Arcadia, 2005)
★ Public Opinion
1. 2005 Population estimate for Chambersburg borough, United States Census Bureau, accessed April 25, 2007.
2. , Geographic Names Information System, accessed April 25, 2007.
3. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
4. Chambersburg, Online Encyclopedia Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 822 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed 3/25/2007
5. http://borough.chambersburg.pa.us/html/history.asp
6. History of PA Counties, accessed April 25, 2007.
7. Kittochtinny Historical Society accessed 3/25/2007
8. Downtown – the Heart of Chambersburg accessed 3/25/2007
9. Zion Reformed Church accessed April 22, 2007
10. Kittochtinny Historical Society accessed 3/25/2007
11. Chambersburg, Online Encyclopedia Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 822 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed 3/25/2007
12. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
13. The French and Indian War in Pennsylvania accessed 3/25/2007
14. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
15. The Pennsylvania Road accessed 3/25/2007
16. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburg, The Point: Indian Trails to Fort Duquesne accessed 3/25/2007
17. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
18. from The Diaries of George Washington accessed 3/25/2007
19. Aboard the Underground Railway, John Brown House accessed 25 March 2007.
20. excerpt from The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, (1881, reprint New York: Pathway Press, 1941), pp. 350-354 accessed 25 March 2007.
21. Stuarts Raid accessed April 22, 2007
22. Gettysburg Campaingnaccessed April 22, 2007
23. Geology and the Gettysburg Campaign, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 1962
24. War Comes Home, Chambersburg 1864 accessed April 22, 2007
25. The Burning of Chamberburg, from Public Opinion, Chambersburg, PA, 2 August 1870 accessed 25 March 2006.
26.
Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (Volume II), , Jefferson, Davis, D. Appleton and Company, ,
27. Burning of Chambersburg accessed May 21, 2007
28. The Burning of Chambersburg by Liva Baker, American Heritage Magazine, August 1973
29. epodunk.com Chambersburg accessed 24 March 2007.
30. http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/pdfs/ba_climate_regions2_column_rev_03.pdf
31. http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/climate_zones.html
32. http://www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/maps/Precipitation/Total/States/PA/pa.gif
33. Weather.com - Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Retrieved on 28 April 2007.
34. Pennsylvania Crop Map, Purdue University
35. 1997 Economic Census Summary Statistics for Franklin County, PA
36. Chambersburg Mall website accessed May 16, 2007
37. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Franklin County, PA
38. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Pennsylvania_accent#Geographic_distribution
39. http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/cb.red-bluecounty.jpg
40. Borough of Chambersburg - Structure accessed 25 February 2007.
41. 2005-2006 Borough Council
42. Dr. Barry Purvis of CASHS named state High School Principal of the Year, ''Chambersburg Gazette News'', February 15, 2006.
43. Scotland School for Veteran's Children website accessed May 16, 2007
44. Scotland School for Veteran's Children website accessed May 16, 2007
45. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006
46. CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, ''Journal Inquirer'', November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. 'It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve'."
47. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; ''The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 '"For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."'
48. Corpus Christi school website
49. Private Schools in Chambersburg PA accessed 24 March 2007.
50. Coyle Free Library
51. Manuscript from the Coyle Free Library, Our Library Roots and Branches, Jane K. Schleicher, Librarian, November 7, 1979 accessed 25 March 2007.
52. NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.com accessed May 21,2007
53. http://www.explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=670
★ 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
'Chambersburg' is a borough in Pennsylvania, United States. It is southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, part of the Great Appalachian Valley. The borough is the county seat of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the borough's population was 17,862.
Its settlement began in 1730 when water mills were built along the creek that now runs through the centre of the town. Its history includes episodes related to the French and Indian War, the Whiskey Rebellion, John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, and the American Civil War.
It is located along the Lincoln Highway, US 30, between McConnellsburg and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and along US 11 between Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and Hagerstown, Maryland.
History
Settlement
Franklin County Courthouse following the 1864 McCausland raid.
Chambersburg was incorporated on March 21, 1803,[6] 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.[7] 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 Kittochtinny Historical Society of Chambersburg.[8] The county's gallows still stand in the jail's courtyard.
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."[9] A Catholic community organized in 1785. The Jewish cemetery dates back to 1840.
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.[7] Benjamin Chambers built a stone fort during the war[4], which was equipped with two 4 pounder cannons[3] and fighting occurred nearby.[13][3] The Forbes Road and other trails going to Fort Pitt passed nearby as well.[15] [16]
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.
In 1775, soon after the Battle of Lexington, local troops were raised to fight the British in the American Revolution under the command of Benjamin Chambers's eldest son Captain James Chambers. These troops were among the first non-New Englanders to join the siege of Boston. James Chambers fought for seven years during the revolution, reaching the rank of Brigader General. His two brothers, William and Benjamin, Jr., each served throughout the war and reached the rank of Captain.[3] Local troops fought at the Battle of Long Island, and at White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth.
During the Whiskey Rebellion, President George Washington led United States troops 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.[18] 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 "Light Horse Harry" Henry Lee, Washington returned through Chambersburg sometime after October 20.
Civil War era
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 disastrous raid on Harpers Ferry. The house still stands at 225 East King Street. While in Chambersburg he posed as Dr. Isaac Smith, an iron mine developer, and bought and stored weapons under the guise of mining equipment.[19] 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.[20] 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.
General John McCausland
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 and hundreds of horses. Chambersburg residents said that they were remarkably well behaved.[21]
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 a nearby bridge. From June 24-28, 1863, much of the Army of Northern Virginia passed through Chambersburg[22][23] en route to Carlisle and Gettysburg, and Robert E. Lee established his headquarters at a nearby farm.
Statue of a Union soldier on the main square
The following year, Chambersburg was invaded for a third time, as cavalry dispatched from the Shenandoah Valley by Jubal Early arrived.[24] 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.[25][26]
Among the few buildings left standing was the Masonic Temple, which had been guarded under orders by a Confederate mason.[27]
"Remember Chambersburg" soon became a Union battle cry.[28]
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.
Geography
Map of Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg is located at (39.934813, -77.656352).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all land. The elevation is above sea level.[29] Chambersburg is located in a valley next to the Appalachian Mountains. It also sits right outside of Caledonia State Park, a 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 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[30]
[31], with the area receives anywhere from 38 to 42 inches of precipitation per year.[32]. The average January low is and the average high is . The average July high is and the average low is .[33]
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 1,003.9/km² (2,601.3/mi²). There were 8,305 housing units at an average density of 466.8/km² (1,209.5/mi²). 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 races, 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 at 17,961 in July 2005.
Economy
A farm on the edge of Chambersburg
The surrounding area has a large farming population, including many Amish and Mennonite families. Franklin county's largest crop is maize (corn), with 579 farms that cover of land. Franklin also has 344 wheat farms and 299 barley farms which combined cover .[34] Manufacturing in Chambersburg includes machinery production, metal fabrication, and food processing. According to the 1997 Economic Census[35] of Franklin County, the largest sectors by payroll were manufacturing, 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, which houses four anchor stores plus about fifty smaller stores, is located in the unincorporated village of Scotland, about four miles north of town on Interstate 81.[36]
The city's location on Interstate 81 within 100 miles of both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland encourages trucking and distribution businesses. The Letterkenny Army Depot five miles north of town is a major employer. Camp David also provides jobs for Chambersburg residents. In 2004 Chambersburg had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $28,208, below the national average of $33,050.[37]
Culture
Caledonia State Park
Residents of Chambersburg maintain a small town feeling. Most recreation is done through sporting events such as high school football games and baseball games. People in the area speak with a Pittsburgh English or Central Pennsylvania accent, such as over pronouncing "O's" and "I's."[38]. Caledonia State Park provides an area for outdoor activities, with the park especially busy on July 4th. Citizens are mostly Republicans in favor of gun ownership, hence hunting is a large outlet.[39]
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.[40]
★ 'Mayor': John A. Redding, Jr. (Died May 21, 2007)William F. McLaughlin (Acting)[41]
;Council
★ 1st ward: William F. McLaughlin (President of Council) and Allen B. Coffman
★ 2nd ward: Ruth M. Harbaugh (Assistant Finance Chairman) and Janet L. Lukic
★ 3rd ward: Elaine M. Swartz and Glenn K. Manns (Finance Chairman)
★ 4th ward: Mary Beth Shank and Sharon A. Bigler
★ 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 (R) in the House of Representatives, and by Arlen Spector (R), and Bob Casey, Jr.(D) in the Senate.
Education
Wilson College
Main articles: Wilson College (Pennsylvania)
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.
Chambersburg Area Senior High School
Main articles: Chambersburg Area Senior High School
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.[42]
Scotland School for Veteran's Children
SSVC is a state owned school that offers tuition-free residential education programs for children of Pennsylvania residents who are veterans or are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces.[43] It is located about four miles north of Chambersburg in the unincorporated village of Scotland and has 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 campus contains about 70 buildings including residential cottages.[44]
J. Frank Faust Junior High School
Faust 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, Chambersburg Area Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education,[45] the highest award an American school can receive.[46][47]
Chamberburg Elementary Schools
The Chambersburg school distric includes seventeen elementary schools. Many school are receiving upgrade, being rebuilt or being closed, because of out of date buiding and lack of space.
★ Andrew Buchanan
★ Coldbrook
★ Duffield(closing 2006-2007 school year)
★ Falling Spring
★ Fayetteville(Rebuilt, will include Duffield after 2006-2007 school year and U.L. Gordy)
★ U.L. Grody(Being demolished in July 2007 to build new school - completion 2009)
★ Grandview
★ Guilford Hills
★ Hamilton Heights
★ King Street
★ Lurgan
★ Marion
★ Mary B. Sharp
★ New Franklin
★ Scotland(Moved to new building during 2006-2007 school year)
★ South Hamilton
★ Thaddeus Stevens
Private schools
'Corpus Christi' is a Catholic school with 310 students, and over 20 teachers.[48]
'Cumberland Valley Christian School' is a private Christian kindergarten through twelfth grade academy located in Chambersburg. It is affiliated with the Open Door Church. The school has approximately four hundred students. The school participates in MDCC athletics.
Other private schools include the 'Montessori Academy of Chambersburg' and 'Shalom Christian Academy' (K-12, Mennonite affiliation), and several elementary schools with Mennonite, Baptist, Brethern, Christian Science, and other religious orientations.[49]
Coyle Free Library
The library[50] has roots going back to 1891[51] when a library of 166 books was organized by the local ''Afternoon Club''. A member of the club, Blanche Coyle, left of 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 currently occupied is a former post office.
==Sites on National Register of Historic Places==
| 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' | 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 Rd., approx. .5 mi. 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 |
[52]
Notable people from Chambersburg
Delany
★ Philip Berlin, inventor of the first railroad sleeping car.[53]
★ Tom Brookens, pro baseball player from 1979-1990. Played third-base for the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers. Now coaches the Detroit Tigers minor league affiliate West Michigan Whitecaps (A)
★ Abolistionist publisher Martin Delany, who in 1865 became the first African-American field officer in the U.S. Army, was educated in Chambersburg in the 1830s.
★ Henry Burchard Fine (1858-1928) was a dean at Princeton University and mathematician.
Fox
★ Baseball Hall of Famer Nellie Fox was born and lived just west of town in St. Thomas Township.
★ Patrick Gass (1771-1870), the last surviving member of the Lewis and Clark expedition was born just outside Chambersburg (Falling Spring).
★ The Rev. John Grier Hibben, later President of Princeton University, served as pastor of Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, 1888-1891.
★ Stephen D. Houston a renowned Mayanist scholar, epigrapher and anthropologist was born in Chambersburg in 1958.
★ David Fullerton Robison, a U.S. Representative, who in 1859 died of National Hotel disease.
★ Joseph Winters an African-American inventor and abolitionist, moved to Chambersburg in 1830..
★ Sarah Wilson the namesake and first major donor of Wilson College, 1869, a private women's college.
Publications
★ ''History of Franklin County'', (Chicago, 1887)
★ ''Images of America: Chambersburg'', Maurice Leonard Marotte III & Janet Kay Pollard (Arcadia, 2005)
Newspaper
★ Public Opinion
References
1. 2005 Population estimate for Chambersburg borough, United States Census Bureau, accessed April 25, 2007.
2. , Geographic Names Information System, accessed April 25, 2007.
3. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
4. Chambersburg, Online Encyclopedia Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 822 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed 3/25/2007
5. http://borough.chambersburg.pa.us/html/history.asp
6. History of PA Counties, accessed April 25, 2007.
7. Kittochtinny Historical Society accessed 3/25/2007
8. Downtown – the Heart of Chambersburg accessed 3/25/2007
9. Zion Reformed Church accessed April 22, 2007
10. Kittochtinny Historical Society accessed 3/25/2007
11. Chambersburg, Online Encyclopedia Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 822 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed 3/25/2007
12. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
13. The French and Indian War in Pennsylvania accessed 3/25/2007
14. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
15. The Pennsylvania Road accessed 3/25/2007
16. The Carnegie Library of Pittsburg, The Point: Indian Trails to Fort Duquesne accessed 3/25/2007
17. Account from the 1887 ''History of Franklin County Pennsylvania''
18. from The Diaries of George Washington accessed 3/25/2007
19. Aboard the Underground Railway, John Brown House accessed 25 March 2007.
20. excerpt from The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, (1881, reprint New York: Pathway Press, 1941), pp. 350-354 accessed 25 March 2007.
21. Stuarts Raid accessed April 22, 2007
22. Gettysburg Campaingnaccessed April 22, 2007
23. Geology and the Gettysburg Campaign, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 1962
24. War Comes Home, Chambersburg 1864 accessed April 22, 2007
25. The Burning of Chamberburg, from Public Opinion, Chambersburg, PA, 2 August 1870 accessed 25 March 2006.
26.
Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (Volume II), , Jefferson, Davis, D. Appleton and Company, ,
27. Burning of Chambersburg accessed May 21, 2007
28. The Burning of Chambersburg by Liva Baker, American Heritage Magazine, August 1973
29. epodunk.com Chambersburg accessed 24 March 2007.
30. http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/pdfs/ba_climate_regions2_column_rev_03.pdf
31. http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/climate_zones.html
32. http://www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/maps/Precipitation/Total/States/PA/pa.gif
33. Weather.com - Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Retrieved on 28 April 2007.
34. Pennsylvania Crop Map, Purdue University
35. 1997 Economic Census Summary Statistics for Franklin County, PA
36. Chambersburg Mall website accessed May 16, 2007
37. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Franklin County, PA
38. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Pennsylvania_accent#Geographic_distribution
39. http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/cb.red-bluecounty.jpg
40. Borough of Chambersburg - Structure accessed 25 February 2007.
41. 2005-2006 Borough Council
42. Dr. Barry Purvis of CASHS named state High School Principal of the Year, ''Chambersburg Gazette News'', February 15, 2006.
43. Scotland School for Veteran's Children website accessed May 16, 2007
44. Scotland School for Veteran's Children website accessed May 16, 2007
45. Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006
46. CIBA cited as one of the best by Education Department, ''Journal Inquirer'', November 16, 2006. "The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. 'It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve'."
47. Viers Mill School Wins Blue Ribbon; School Scored High on Statewide Test; ''The Washington Post. September 29, 2005 '"For their accomplishments, all three schools this month earned the status of Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor the U.S. Education Department can bestow upon a school."'
48. Corpus Christi school website
49. Private Schools in Chambersburg PA accessed 24 March 2007.
50. Coyle Free Library
51. Manuscript from the Coyle Free Library, Our Library Roots and Branches, Jane K. Schleicher, Librarian, November 7, 1979 accessed 25 March 2007.
52. NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.com accessed May 21,2007
53. http://www.explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=670
External links
★ 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
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