Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is 13 miles miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and 52 miles southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County. According to the United States Census Bureau the 2010 population was 20,268. 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, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes surrounding Franklin County. The population of the Chambersburg Micropolitan Area in 2010 was 149,618.
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.
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PA CIVIL WAR TRAILS: Franklin County - The Dolly Harris Story
PA CIVIL WAR TRAILS: Franklin County - The Dolly Harris Story
Explore Franklin County!
Explore Franklin County through photographs submitted during the 2015 Photo Contest, which tries to capture the essence of the county through photographs. Check out the 2015 Visitors Guide, newly released at
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PA CIVIL WAR TRAILS: Franklin County- Hettie: A 12 year old's Remembrance
Hettie: A 12 year old's Remembrance of the Battle of Monterey.
Groundbreaking Ceremony - Part 1- Franklin County, PA Court Facility Improvement Project
A Groundbreaking Ceremony to commemorate the start of construction for the Franklin County Court Facility Improvement Project began with an invocation from Pastor Catherine Boileau of First United Methodist Church of Chambersburg followed by remarks from the Board of County Commissioners.
Mike Ross of Franklin County Area Development Corporation, Mark Miller of the Downtown Business Council, Steve Christian from the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel offered their perspectives on the project. County Administrator Carrie Gray acted as Master of Ceremonies.
The ceremony ended by breaking ground at the foot of Franklin County's historic Courthouse.
Groundbreaking Ceremony - Part 3 - Franklin County, PA Court Facility Improvement Project
A Groundbreaking Ceremony to commemorate the start of construction for the Franklin County Court Facility Improvement Project began with an invocation from Pastor Catherine Boileau of First United Methodist Church of Chambersburg followed by remarks from the Board of County Commissioners.
Mike Ross of Franklin County Area Development Corporation, Mark Miller of the Downtown Business Council, Steve Christian from the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel offered their perspectives on the project. County Administrator Carrie Gray acted as Master of Ceremonies.
The ceremony ended by breaking ground at the foot of Franklin County's historic Courthouse.
Franklin County man accused of sex trafficking
By: Bryant Maddrick
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa-- A Chambersburg man is behind bars for allegedly trafficking underage teen girls.
34-year-old Albert Martinez of Chambersburg is being held at the Dauphin County Jail after he was indicted Wednesday.
The indictment charges against Martinez include sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution, and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
Experts like Kristen Houser with the Pennsylvania Coaltition Against Rape say Martinez's arrest is a reminder of a big problem.
It's ugly, we don't like to look at these things, she said.
Houser says some victims have experienced past physical and sexual abuse and likely are runaways.
Whenever you have a young person that's in need of shelter, food, transportation, clothing, basic human hygiene needs, that's a basic human need and it's an open door for traffickers to exploit, Houser expalined.
FBI officials say between October 2013 and September 2014, Martinez trafficked victims between the ages of 16 and 18 to six different states allegedly renting motels for commercial sex acts and using websites to advertise.
Traffickers are doing their best to try to keep it hidden, trying to make it look like something else and if you do know what you're looking for you do see it at truck stops at motels and on the interstate, Houser said.
According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, some signs of a trafficking victims may be someone who is:
- Fearful or depressed
- Avoids Eye Contact
- Signs of Physical or Sexual Abuse
- Has Few Personal Possessions
Martinez faces a minimum of 10 years to life in prison for the charges.
To report sex trafficking, call The National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1(888) 373-7888 or visit heir website,
Chambersburg Police arrest man in shooting death
23-year-old Steffawn Spriggs has been arrested in the slaying of an 18-year-old St. Thomas resident in Chambersburg Sept. 17. Chambersburg Police Department accuse Spriggs, no fixed address, of murdering Calvin Warren James Beam.
Groundbreaking Ceremony - Part 2 - Franklin County, PA Court Facility Improvement Project
A Groundbreaking Ceremony to commemorate the start of construction for the Franklin County Court Facility Improvement Project began with an invocation from Pastor Catherine Boileau of First United Methodist Church of Chambersburg followed by remarks from the Board of County Commissioners.
Mike Ross of Franklin County Area Development Corporation, Mark Miller of the Downtown Business Council, Steve Christian from the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel offered their perspectives on the project. County Administrator Carrie Gray acted as Master of Ceremonies.
The ceremony ended by breaking ground at the foot of Franklin County's historic Courthouse.
Ted Alexander's Presentation - National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA
National Park Service historian Ted Alexander offered an informative presentation at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on September 14, 2010. In this brief excerpt from his discussion of the Civil War homefront in the Cumberland Valley, Alexander provides an overview of the impact that Confederate raids had on the civilian population in central Pennsylvania. Alexander is the Historian at Antietam National Battlefield and author of several books and more than 200 articles and reviews. Learn more about War on the Homefront, which is a new exhibit at the National Civil War Museum, here:
Burning of Chambersburg
A brief look at the burning of Chambersburg by Confederate troops on July 30, 1864.
Preview of the 2012 Burning of Chambersburg
Confederate troops burned Chambersburg during the Civil War. Townspeople today celebrate the rebuilding of the town during ChambersFest,
The Volunteers Become a Fighting Regiment
One of two historical documentary examples about the 118th Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment in the Civil War. This one shows a positive spin, by selecting and highlighting certain aspects of their history. This is part of my introduction to true stories or empirical narratives.
Adams County, Pennsylvania
Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,407. Its county seat is Gettysburg. The county was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams. On 1-3 July 1863, Gettysburg and its vicinity was the site of the pivotal battle of the American Civil War, and as a result is a center for Civil War tourism.
Adams County comprises the Gettysburg, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area.
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Greencastle Jenny (historical)
from the CD It's About Time © 1991, 2013, Bob Zentz
Greencastle Jenny - a poem by Helen Gray Cone (1859-1934)
Music and text adaptation © 2013 by Bob Zentz
Vocal and Autoharp: Bob Zentz
Guitars: Martin Simpson
Images:
Dolly Harris ('Greencastle Jenny')
The Greencastle Museum
greencastlemuseum.org
Gettysburg
Lloyd's Battle History of the Great Rebellion
H.H. Lloyd & Co., New York, 1866, p. 290
Dolly Harris and Pickett's Virginians
The Greencastle Museum
greencastlemuseum.org
Major-General George E. Pickett C.S.A.
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Volume III.
New-York: 1884, 1888, The Century Co., p. 350
(Cover picture)
When War Passed This Way
W.P. Conrad and Ted Alexander
Pickett's Charge I
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Volume III.
New-York: 1884, 1888, The Century Co., p. 377
Cemetery Ridge after Pickett's Charge
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, Volume III.
New-York: 1884, 1888, The Century Co., p. 389
Bob Zentz and autoharp
Virginia State Fair, Richmond VA (c. 2000)
Video © 2013 by Jeanne McDougall
Greencastle Jenny by Bob Zentz
bobzentz.com
MANTEC's Business Model
MANTEC is a resource created to provide manufacturers with customized solutions, whether individual or strategically integrated, to deliver measurable results in productivity, profitability and competitiveness. For companies willing to commit to improvement, we offer assistance in all facets of business
History
MANTEC is a private non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to meeting the needs of small and mid-sized manufacturing enterprises of south central Pennsylvania. Created in 1988 by the Governor, MANTEC serves the manufacturing community as one of seven Industrial Resource Centers (IRCs) across Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, through the Department of Community and Economic Development, supports MANTEC, its 2,800 manufacturers and the Industrial Resource Centers.
The service region of MANTEC includes Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. MANTEC is headquartered in the city of York and maintains satellite offices in the cities of Chambersburg, Lancaster and Lebanon.
In December 1995, MANTEC collaborated with its sister Industrial Resource Centers to form an alliance with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). MANTEC has become an affiliate of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program of the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology. The MEP is a nationwide network of centers helping smaller U.S. manufacturers improve their performance and become more competitive. The more than 400 local manufacturing centers and field offices are locally positioned to address the diverse and often unique needs of smaller manufacturers through out the country. Today's MEP network delivers services and solutions to small manufacturers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
In February 1996, MANTEC acquired the York County International Network (YCIN) and expanded its focus from a single county to a regional service provider. The Network was reorganized as an independent affiliate of MANTEC, having its own Board of Directors, program initiatives and funding sources. YCIN was renamed to reflect its new mission and SPIN, the Southcentral Pennsylvania International Network, was created. In 1999, SPIN won the Governor's Export Excellence Award in recognition of its outstanding commitment to international trade. In 2002, SPIN applied for membership in the World Trade Association and was granted World Trade Center status. As a result, the name was changed to World Trade of Central Pennsylvania.
mantec.org
The History of the Wilkin & Son General Store (1872 to 1961) Volant, PA
The dates used for Jonathan and Eleanor's early life and the establishment of the general store in Volant in 1872 come from page 79 in the History of Lawrence County written in 1887 compiled by Wick W. Wood working for the News Company, Ltd. It states, They (Jonathan & Eleanor Wilkin) remained there (Springfield Falls, PA) until 1872, when they came to Volant and opened a store, buying the store room they are now located in.
It should be noted that the History of Lawrence County PA 1770-1877 (written in 1877) by S.W. & P.A. Durrant states that John & William Graham had a store in Volant which was built soon after the town was laid out in 1872, and that it was the first building erected in the new town. And that Jonathan Wilkin also has a store. So by this account it would still be possible for both stores to have been built in 1872.
However, later on page 82 of the Wick W. Wood history, it states that the Graham Brothers store was established in 1875. So at this point it is unclear if the date for the J Wilken & Son store was 1872 or sometime between 1875-1877. The original Graham's store burned down around 1900. The store which they built to replace it later housed the First Seneca Bank in the 1970's.
Wick W. Wood further states that the cousin of Eleanor Drake Wilkin, John Drake (1846-1915), worked in the Graham Brothers General Store from the beginning. In 1876 John Drake married Sarah Graham and so became William Graham's brother-in-law. In 1882 John Drake bought into the business and became a partner.
The other early buildings that Durrant mentions as present in 1877 are: the grist mill built in 1812 and owned by J.P. Locke (who originally laid out the town on 100 acres in 1872), the New Castle & Franklin Railroad finished in 1873, the Methodist-Episcopal Church built in 1875, two shoe shops owed by George Carr & Frank Herman, a blacksmith shop owned by Isaac Kirk and two harness shops owned by John Potter & Archibald Carr.
Durrant noted that a covered bridge was to be erected later that year of 1877, though other sources say it was already built in 1875.
The Volant Post Office was established about 1840-45 in a nearby mill on the Neshannock and William Hoover was appointed the first postmaster in 1858. In 1874 the office was moved to the new town laid out in 1872 by Mr. Locke and it is thought the name of the town was changed from Lockville to Volant at that time. In 1875 or 1876 William Graham was appointed the first postmaster at this location. The building which housed the post office as of the 1960's was built by Jonathan & Eleanor Wilkin around 1910 and was later owned by their daughter Hettie Johnson.
Note: the grist mill was bought by David D. Simison's father in 1879. And D.D. Simison took over the mills operation in 1886. D. D. Simison's wife was Matilda Jane Jordan. Her sister Elizabeth Catherine Jordan married Valencia Osceola Wilkin, Jonathan Wilkin's son, who was the Son of the J Wilkin & Son General Store. The mill and the store were directly across the street from each other.
Frank Moorhead who moved to Volant in 1887 and drove Jonathan Wilkin's butter and egg wagon through the country, later built his own little store and then a larger one in 1899. He studied and became a druggist and also ran a soda fountain out of the store and made his own ice cream.
Two later historical pamphlets indicate Jonathan & Eleanor Wilkin's first failed attempt at a store (which one would assume is the period of 1865-68 stated by Wood) was east of the mill in a house owned by Sam Steve. In the early 1970's this same house was owned by one Frances Stove.
Wood indicates that Jonathan & Eleanor Wilkin moved back to Leesburg (6 miles northeast of Volant) in 1868 and then to Springfield Falls (2 miles north of Leesburg) where they erected a house and store room at the old furnace. And they also became interested in a planing mill at the furnace. Then in 1872 they returned to Volant.
Prostitution bust
Detectives with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department had arrested close to two dozen women by noontime Thursday as part of an ongoing prostitution roundup.
#OccupyHBG gets a visit from PA Governor Tom Wolf!
Excursions into the Past: John Brown House
In this weekend's episode of Excursions into the Past the Professor and I venture over to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to explore the History of the Underground Railroad and the events leading up to and following the Raid of the Arsenal at Harpers Ferry (Virginia) by Abolitionist John Brown and his followers in 1859.
It was no mistake that radical abolitionist John Brown chose Chambersburg as his supply base and staging area for his raid on Harpers Ferry. Chambersburg had excellent access to rail, was located in the north, but was still close enough to the south for Brown to deploy his attack. In the summer of 1859, Brown and several of his associates stayed at 255 East King Street in Chambersburg, the boarding house of Mary Ritner.
Brown assumed the identity of Isaac Smith, owner of a mining operation. Under this guise, Brown was able to receive the heavy shipments of weapons for his planned takeover of the arsenal at Harpers Ferry.
The Society was able to purchase the John Brown House from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 2002 through the generosity of Dr. W. R. McElroy and family. The John Brown House was rededicated and opened on May 2, 2009 as part of the 150th Anniversary of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry. The John Brown House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
The John Brown House has been restored with period furniture. One visitor remarked that if John Brown came to Chambersburg today he would feel at home at the Ritner Boarding House.
For more information, and to book an excellent and highly recommended tour, please contact:
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The song on my video entitled John Brown's Body (1861), is in the public domain in the United States as it was published before January 1, 1924:
This series title, Excursions into the Past is Common Law ® TM, by the (USPTO).
#JohnBrown #Abolitionist #CivilWar #AmericanHistory #CivilWarHistory #AmericanCivilWar #blueandgray #BrothersWar #visitpa #ExploreHistory #ExplorePA #CivilWarTour #SacredSites #ProtectOurHistory #americana #folkgood #folkscenery #travel #explore #wander #HistoryAdventure #ExcursionsIntoThePast