CHAMBERSBURG- The Franklin County Commissioners honored the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday for its two-decade stewardship of the county’s iconic Benjamin Franklin statue.
Commissioners presented Chamber President Steve Christian with a certificate of appreciation for the organization’s role as “foster family” to the beloved statue, which recently returned to county property after 19 years on display at the Chamber.
The 8-foot, 250-pound gold-leafed wooden statue was originally commissioned in 1865 to stand atop the county’s new courthouse following the burning of Chambersburg during the Civil War. It remained there for 126 years until its removal for restoration in 1991.
In 2004, the statue was relocated to the Chamber, where it overlooked the Chambersburg Heritage Center & Gift Shop during business hours and Lincoln Way at night. Earlier this summer, county officials “brought Ben home” as part of a court facilities improvement project.
The statue now greets visitors in the lobby of the county’s Judicial Center. “Ben is a local treasure, and we’re grateful to the Heritage Center and Chamber staff for being such good stewards these past two decades,” said Commissioners, saying they were honored to have played a part in preserving this piece of Franklin County history.
The commissioners noted the statue’s significance as a symbol of the county’s resilience and rebirth following the Civil War devastation. Its return to a county building marks a new chapter in its 158-year history.
