CHAMBERSBURG – Imagine for just a moment that it is early in the 1800s and you are traveling in your horse-drawn wagon en route to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh from Maryland or Virginia. You have traveled across dirt roads where the threat of Native American attacks, harsh weather and wild animals is a constant in your thoughts.
As you travel North you stop at a bustling crossroads point soon after crossing the Maryland-Pennsylvania line. There are markets, taverns and the small town is crowded with settlers and travelers alike.
I imagine this may have been what the early town square of Main Street Chambersburg looked like in those early years as the town continued to grow to become the city that now houses the county seat for Franklin County. Founded in 1734, and incorporated in 1803, the city of Chambersburg was named after Benjamin Chambers and would become a focal point for many historical events throughout American history.
As far back as the American Revolutionary War, Main Street in Chambersburg was significant as a trading post and as a main stopping point in getting to, at that time, the nation’s capital, Philadelphia. One can imagine that legendary figures like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, who both regularly traveled between Philadelphia and Virginia, would have stopped in Chambersburg to gather provisions.
In 1784, the first courthouse of Franklin County was established on Main Street and occupied the second floor of John Jack’s Tavern until a new building could be constructed. In addition to the tavern there was also a blacksmith shop owned by Nicholas Smith and Chamber’s Fort which had been constructed to combat the threat of Native American attacks.
Then in 1818, the first jail of Chambersburg was constructed and is now the site of the Franklin County Historical Society and the Old Jail Museum.
It would however be another 60 years before a horrific event would change the face of Main Street Chambersburg and set it down the path of becoming the trademark of the city that it is now.
In 1864, during the height of the American Civil War, Confederate troops seized the northern city and held it for ransom. Gen. Jubal Early, the head of the Southern troops, was demanding a ransom of $100,000 in gold, or $500,000 in greenbacks, from the citizens. When the ransom was denied, Early ordered his commander, Brig. Gen. John McCausland to burn the city down.
A great fire destroyed nearly all the downtown buildings including most of Main Street. The old jail was one of the few buildings that were spared during the burning. Most of Main Street was left in ruins.
From the ashes of tragedy, the city would be rebuilt in classic Victorian and Georgian design. One of the highlights of the reconstruction period was the “carpenter art.” Local woodworkers were encouraged to design special trim to go around the storefront windows of Main Street which gave the streets a great deal of eye appeal.
Then in 1878, The Memorial Fountain was erected to honor the men and women of the Civil War and as a symbol of perseverance for the people of Chambersburg. It remains today on the “diamond” in the center of Main Street as evidence of the city’s ongoing legacy.
Many of the men, women and children who visit Main Street and walk up and down its busy sidewalks may not realize or appreciate the importance of the ground upon which they step. The history that has passed over the grounds over the centuries. But the buildings that still stand serve as a reminder of the men and women who had worked hard and sacrificed much to help build one of Franklin County’s great cities.
For more information and photos from early Chambersburg, readers may visit these Franklin County websites: https://fcgis.franklincountypa.gov and https://www.franklincountyhistorical.org.
