White-Washed in the Nick of Time: The Union (Sherman House) Hotel
Shippensburg Civil War Trail
Shippensburg and the Civil War website entry
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On this site in 1863 stood the crown jewel of Shippensburg's business district, the grand three-story Union Hotel that catered to the needs of both local businessmen and travelers. As the Rebel army advanced towards Shippensburg, the hotel's proprietors feared that the name "Union Hotel" displayed prominently across the building's side might draw the invaders' wrath. The day before the Confederates arrived, the owners hired painters to whitewash the hotel's sign. Working all day in blistering heat, the painters managed to cover the old lettering. To complete the job, the hotel was renamed the "Sherman House." The plan succeeded and the building survived the Confederate possession of Shippensburg. After the war, the Sherman House Hotel endured for almost a century, until it burned in 1960.
Did you know?
No one knows why the Union Hotel proprietors chose the name Sherman House, but it certainly was not to honor General William Tecumseh Sherman (left). Fortunately for the owners, General Sherman did not achieve national fame until after the Union Army's 1864 Georgia campaign which included his famous "March Through Georgia."
[Photo caption reads] Sherman House, April 1879
Erected by Shippensburg- Historical Society, Borough Historical Architectural Review Board,
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.
Location. 40° 3.024′ N, 77° 31.248′ W. Marker is in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It is at the intersection of West King Street (U.S. 11) and Earl Street, on the left when traveling west on West King Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2 West King Street, Shippensburg PA 17257, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania and in Greater Harrisburg. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Occupation of Shippensburg (here, next to this marker); General Samuel Sturgis: Hero of Antietam's Burnside Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Rebel Headquarters in Shippensburg, June 24-27, 1863 (within shouting distance of this marker); Lifeline of the Valley: The Cumberland Valley Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); Outsmarting the Confederates at McPherson and Cox's Hardware Store (within shouting distance of this marker); "On This Site" (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Residence of George H. Stewart, Sr. (about 800 feet away); Home of Captain James Kelso (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shippensburg.
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Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 11, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,593 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 11, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 3. submitted on April 15, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
