Historical Markers and War Memorials in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is the county seat for Franklin County
Mercersburg is in Franklin County
Franklin County(228) ► ADJACENT TO FRANKLIN COUNTY Adams County(1436) ► Cumberland County(428) ► Fulton County(47) ► Huntingdon County(85) ► Juniata County(20) ► Perry County(156) ► Frederick County, Maryland(558) ► Washington County, Maryland(875) ►
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On July 3, 1863, three Confederate riders in Mercersburg’s town square were ambushed by two Union stragglers. Bullets passed through Private J.W. Alban, killing him and also the horse of the rider beside him. The third man quickly galloped out of . . . — — Map (db m202813) HM
On N. Main Street near Seminary Street, on the right when traveling north.
James Buchanan, lawyer, statesman, diplomat, 15th President of the U.S., born in Stony Batter, lived here 1796-1807. Sgt. Patrick Gass, carpenter for winter quarters on the Lewis & Clark expedition, 1803-06, worked here as an apprentice, 1794-95. — — Map (db m8016) HM
On Main Street at Seminary Street, on the left when traveling north on Main Street.
On October 10, 1862, Confederate cavalry commanded by Gen. J.E.B. Stuart briefly occupied Mercersburg on their way to raid Chambersburg. Acting under orders from Gen. Lee, Stuart took ten men from the Mercersburg area hostage.
Cornellus . . . — — Map (db m201761) HM
On S. Main Street at Seminary Street, on the right when traveling south on S. Main Street.
Built c. 1798 and used as a dormitory of Marshall College, the "Old Mansion House" was acquired by Col. Murphy in 1845 who managed it as a prominent hotel until 1864. It was rumored to be a station on the underground railroad.
Soon to be . . . — — Map (db m8041) HM
In Memory of those who gave their lives in World War II Clarence D. Armstrong Percy R. Clark William C. Fallon Robert H. Haagen Alfred R. Koser Lewis Lowans Patrick Myers Robert E. Myers John S. S. Peirson James H. Scott . . . — — Map (db m227380) HM WM
On S. Main Street near Seminary Street, on the right when traveling south.
James Buchanan, a Representative and a Senator from Pennsylvania and the 15th President of the United States; born at Cove Gap, near Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pa., April 23, 1791; moved to Mercersburg, Pa. with his parents in 1796; was privately . . . — — Map (db m202788) HM
On N. Main Street at E Seminary Street on N. Main Street.
John Wolfe, 1795 Jacob Shaffer, 1815 Thomas Reynolds Robert McCoy D.M.B. Shannon, 1856 Dr. John Kuhn, 1905 Dr. William Grove, 1950 James W. & Carol W. Smith, 1972 — — Map (db m58691) HM
On N. Main Street near Seminary Street, on the left when traveling north.
Built by Thomas Lane. Was later occupied by the family of Elliott Lane, a brother. Here, Harriet Lane, niece of James Buchanan, and mistress of the White House during his Presidency, was born. — — Map (db m8018) HM
On North Main Street (Pennsylvania Route 16/75) just north of West Seminary Street, on the left when traveling north.
House built c. 1794 by Hugh Cowan, cabinet maker, and his wife, Mary Chambers VanLear Cowan. Facade restored by Lee and Grace F. Steiger during their ownership, 1921-1981. Interior restored by Ronald and Susan Simar, 1996. — — Map (db m192267) HM
On North Main Street (Pennsylvania Route 16/75) just south of North Park Avenue, on the left when traveling north.
James McMurdie, hatmaker, owned this house in 1791. Other owners include Charles Gillespie, copper and tinsmith, 1835; Gillespie's daughter Betsy Lowe, 1841; Joseph A. Kreps, carriage maker, 1862; his son Jacob R., Carpenter, 1864; Hannah and Felix . . . — — Map (db m192269) HM
On Rutledge Road at E. Seminary Street, on the right when traveling north on Rutledge Road.
Used the Theological Seminary building. Was chartered, 1836; removed to Lancaster, 1853, and united with Franklin College. First president was Dr. Frederick A. Rauch, famed scholar and educator; author of textbook on psychology. — — Map (db m8014) HM
Founded c.1750 as “Black’s Town” and called “Smith’s Town” after 1759. Renamed “Mercersburg” in 1786 to honor Hugh Mercer, a Scot, who came to this area c.1749, established a local medical practice and served with . . . — — Map (db m83997) WM
Mercersburg Borough was incorporated in 1831 with a population of 700. This lot was the site of the first Town jail and an early band shell. F. Keagy built Borough Hall in 1904 for $4304.38; G. Seylor added the clock tower in 1909 for $375. South . . . — — Map (db m84004) HM
On Rutledge Road at E. Seminary Street, on the right when traveling north on Rutledge Road.
Was situated on this campus, 1837-71. Here, Drs. Frederick A. Rauch, John W. Nevin, Philip Schaff, taught and wrote. Their works on theology, philosophy, and church history were influential in the U. S. and Europe. — — Map (db m8015) HM
Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart, during the first Chambersburg Raid (October 1862), stopped in Mercersburg at Bridgeside, the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Steiger. He intended to use the house as his headquarters while his troops rounded up . . . — — Map (db m201762) HM
On Oct. 10, 1862, 1800 picked Confederate cavalry commanded by Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart and Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton with four cannon under Maj. John Pelham occupied Mercersburg on their way to destroy the railroad bridge at Chambersburg used to . . . — — Map (db m18536) HM
In 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment was among the first Civil War combat units open to African Americans. Troops from Pennsylvania made up more than 20 percent of the acclaimed unit. Mercersburg was second only to Philadelphia in mustering . . . — — Map (db m44651) HM
On South Main Street at Seminary Street, on the left when traveling south on South Main Street. Reported permanently removed.
On September 26, 2003, this property was nearly destroyed by fire. Located in the northwest corner in a two-story log house built in 1791-1792 by Archibald Irwin. Irwin's granddaughter Jane married William Henry Harrison, Jr., and served as First . . . — — Map (db m8039) HM
On South Main Street (Pennsylvania Route 16/416) just south of East Seminary Street, on the left when traveling south.
On September 26, 2003, this corner property was destroyed by fire exposing this log house built in 1791-1792 by Archibald Irwin. Irwin's granddaughter Jane married William Henry Harrison, Jr., and served as First Lady when her father-in-law, William . . . — — Map (db m202809) HM
On West Seminary Street at South Park Avenue, on the left when traveling west on West Seminary Street.
Served by
Itinerary Preachers 1735 - 1752
Congregation organized 1738
This building erected 1794
Pastors
Rev. John Steel 1752-1756 •
John King, D.D., 1769-1811, Moderator General Assembly 1792 •
David Elliott, D.d., 1812-1829, . . . — — Map (db m192266) HM
On N Main St / Buchanan Trail (Pennsylvania Route 16) north of Fort Loudon Road (Pennsylvania Route 416/75), on the right when traveling west.
Built c. 1845 as Number 8 of the nine tollhouses on the Waynesburg-Greencastle-McConnellsburg turnpike which ran 2 miles from the Maryland state line east of Waynesboro through Mercersburg to McConnellsburg, this building is one of two extant . . . — — Map (db m58685) HM
On N. Main Street at N. Park Ave., on the right when traveling north on N. Main Street.
Governor of Pennsylvania, 1817-20; born on this site, June 20, 1768. First candidate for governor nominated by convention. Advocate of State internal improvements; U.S. Senator 1821-27. Died, Nov. 12, 1846, at Harrisburg. — — Map (db m8020) HM
On N. Main Street (Pennsylvania Route 16) at N. Park Avenue, on the left when traveling north on N. Main Street.
In commemoration of William Findlay. Born in Mercersburg June 20, 1768; member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives five sessions, 1797-1807; State Treasurer for eleven years; Governor of the Commonwealth 1817-1820; United States Senator . . . — — Map (db m58689) HM
On North Main Street (Route 16), on the left when traveling north.
Eighty-eight African Americans from Mercersburg volunteered to defend the Union during the Civil War. At least 36 of those veterans lie in Mercersburg Zion Union Cemetery, established in 1876 by local Black citizens.
By 1850 Mercersburg had 26 . . . — — Map (db m44650) HM
On Blair Valley Road at Hunter Road, on the left when traveling south on Blair Valley Road. Reported missing.
Over this road Gen. John McCausland's Confederate cavalry marched north on July 29, 1864. By way of Mercersburg, they reached and burned Chambersburg next morning, and were at McConnellsburg next night. — — Map (db m43111) HM
On Buchanan Trail West (Pennsylvania Route 16) east of Anderson Road, on the right when traveling east.
A physician and surgeon, practiced in the Conococheague settlement 1750 – 1755, and lived in this locality during that time. A personal friend of Washington, a general in the Revolutionary Army, he received his death wounds at the Battle of . . . — — Map (db m58687) HM
Built about 1755, on land of Philip Davis. Farthest south in this State of a line of settlers' refuges from Indian attacks. The site is about a mile away. — — Map (db m83984) HM
On Shrimptown Road at Clay Lick Road, on the right when traveling north on Shrimptown Road.
This settlers' refuge, located near Warm Spring Indian Trail, was built about 1755 on the land of William Marshall. It was used as a station in the daily military patrol to guard the southwestern frontier of the Conococheague Settlement from raids . . . — — Map (db m8021) HM
On Mercerburg Academy Road south of McFarland Road, on the right when traveling south.
Passed his schoolboy days in Mercersburg, became a lawyer, member of the legislature and of Congress, Minister to Russia, member of the United States Senate, Secretary of State, Minister to Great Britian and fifteenth President of the United States. . . . — — Map (db m202030) HM
On Mercersburg Road (Pennsylvania Route 416) just south of Welsh Run Road (Pennsylvania Route 995), on the right when traveling south.
The Welsh Run Presbyterian Congregation
During the 1730s and 1740s, a number of Presbyterian Welsh and Scots-Irish families settled along Welsh Run's tributary of the West Conococheague Creek. In 1741 the Welsh Run community established the . . . — — Map (db m192250) HM
On PA 16 at Findley Road, on the right when traveling west on PA 16.
The Rev. John Steel, pastor of Upper West Conococheague, was made militia captain; and his church, stockaded in 1755, provided protection from hostile Indians. The site is at Church Hill. — — Map (db m8013) HM
On Buchanan Trail W (Pennsylvania Route 16) at Anderson Road, on the right when traveling east on Buchanan Trail W.
In the limestone mansion house still standing, lived Archibald Irwin and Jean McDowell, his wife. To them were born two daughters. Jane, the elder, became the wife of William Henry Harrison, Jr., and was mistress of the White House during the brief . . . — — Map (db m58686) HM
On Fort Loudon Road, 0.3 miles north of Lemar Road.
This conflict began in 1765 on the site of the Widow Barr's house west of here, when British troops from Fort Loudon skirmished with a group of white settlers, wounding colonist James Brown. "The Black Boys," led by James Smith, opposed renewed . . . — — Map (db m83985) HM
On Lemar Road at Mercersburg Road, on the right when traveling north on Lemar Road.
John McDowell's mill, stockaded in 1755 by local settlers. Used by Provincial authorities until building of Fort Loudon, 1756. Starting point of Col. Burd's road to the West, 1755. — — Map (db m176368) HM
On Buchanan Trail (Pennsylvania Route 16) at Stoney Valley Road, on the right when traveling west on Buchanan Trail.
President 1857 – 1861. Was born April 23, 1791, a half-mile from here. The cabin itself was moved to Mercersburg, 1850, and in 1925 to Chambersburg. In 1953, it was removed to The Mercersburg Academy campus where it may be seen. — — Map (db m202801) HM
On Stoney Batter Road, on the right when traveling north.
To Stony Batter the birthplace of James Buchanan ← James Buchanan ---------------------- Born April 23, 1791.Passed his school-boy days in Mercersburg, became a lawyer, member of legislature and of Congress, Minister to Russia, member of . . . — — Map (db m58659) HM
On Lemar Road at Mercersburg Road, on the right when traveling north on Lemar Road.
Erected by John McDowell before 1754. It was used as a base of supplies and as a magazine until the erection of Fort Loudon in 1756. The military road from Pennsylvania, connecting with the Braddock Road at Turkey Foot, was built from this point in . . . — — Map (db m8045) HM
