Chambersburg Civil War Tours

06/21/2024

Did you know that at least two soldiers fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg were members of the Pope’s papal guard? Some men were filibusters in Nicaragua, at least one served in Egypt, while others were professional soldiers from Europe who traveled to the United States to fight in the American Civil War.

Join historian and author Wayne Motts - American Civil War Page Wayne Motts as he highlights the fascinating careers and lives of just some of these men who served both in the Union and Confederate armies in the Battle for Gettysburg.

Wayne will speak on Friday, Sept. 27 as part of our Gettysburg & Beyond conference happening Sept. 26-29 based in Chambersburg, Pa.

Many of you have toured the standard sites at Gettysburg, but this is NOT your standard tour. We will focus on visiting unique sites, exploring off-the-beaten path incidents, and discovering human interest aspects that are rarely included in standard tours about the Battle of Gettysburg.

Early Bird Pricing ends June 26! Cost is $645 for members or $685 for non-members. Use code EARLYBIRD33 or EARLYBIRD34.

View full itinerary here: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/gettysburgandbeyond

Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours hosts Civil War tours led by nationally recognized historian

06/03/2024

Do you know the history behind Gettysburg's Train Station during the Civil War? It's one of our stops during our September conference!

Union cavalry Gen. John Buford established a hospital in the station for sick troopers on June 30, 1863. On July 1, Iron Brigade surgeon Jacob Ebersole served there and remained for two weeks while the station was a hub for relief supplies and the removal of Federal dead and wounded.

Then in November 1863, the evening train brought President Lincoln to the station, who then walked on block south to David Wills' home. While there, he finished writing the Gettysburg Address and delivered it the next morning.

The station was built in 1859 and was in operation until 1942.

This and many other interesting sites are on the agenda for our Gettysburg & Beyond conference coming up Sept. 26-29 based in Chambersburg, Pa! Leading Historians will include: Brad Gottfried, Dr. Chris Keller, Scott Mingus, Wayne Motts, Dean Schultz, and others.

Early bird pricing is $645 for Members and $685 for Non-Members (register by June 26 using codes EARLYBIRD33 and EARLYBIRD34).

FULL ITINERARY: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/gettysburgandbeyond

Thanks Civil War Trails, Inc. for the great signage at the site!

05/29/2024

What was it like for the civilians during the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg? This photograph of Gettysburg was taken after the arrival of army forces.

Civilians had to make crucial decisions, there was fighting in the streets, Lincoln visited, and so much more was going on beyond the battlefield!

We will study this aspect and more with Brad Gottfried leading a tour of Historic Gettysburg during our Gettysburg & Beyond History Conference, Sept. 26-29, 2024.

We will also enjoy a detailed tour of Evergreen Cemetery led by expert Deb Novotny! Other historians joining us at the conference include Wayne Motts, Scott Mingus, Dean Shultz, Dr. Chris Keller and Timothy H. Smith!

Early bird rates are $645 for members and $685 for non-members.

See all the tour information here: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/gettysburgandbeyond

Photo taken by photographers Alexander Gardner and Timothy O'Sullivan.

Discover unique sites, off-the-beaten-path incidents and human interest stories not on your standard tour of the Battle of Gettysburg.

05/24/2024

We were honored to deliver the $1,855 check to Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District to preserve and protect the Gen. Turner Ashby Monument - the funds were raised during our Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign conference! ☺️

Thank you Kirsten Heder of the Donor Engagement Dept. of SVBF for meeting with Karen Lowry for the photo!!

04/30/2024

**BIG ANNOUNCEMENT** Everyone in this photo (and a couple that aren't pictured) generously helped raise $1,355 at the Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign Conference to preserve and protect the Gen. Turner Ashby Monument!!👏

We are donating an additional $500 to make a grand total of $1,855 that will be given directly to Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Foundation and ear-marked for the protection of this monument.

Thank you so much to all our attendees for your generosity ❤️

04/24/2024

We had to take a special *ladies-only* photo to recognize their outstanding participation on the Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign tour over the weekend!

Of course, to properly mark the occasion it had to be done next to Civil War Trails, Inc.'s sign at Weyers Cave!

04/23/2024

The second day of Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign led by Gary Ecelbarger was our Lecture day. We had Michael Harris, Don Pfanz, Scott Patchan, Frank O’Reilly, Bill Miller and Gary Ecelbarger as our speakers. We also had a book seller, a 5/10 used books section, 2 raffles and a taste of Italy dinner at the hotel.

04/21/2024

Last day of our Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger
Winding down our tour with a half day!
We made several very cold stops today and had a moment we won't forget when Gary Ecelbarger told us he made a mistake!!

-Town of Port Republic---Where we visited the Kemper House where Turner Ashby layer in state. (Jackson viewed his body here). Bridge and Ford that played a vital part in the campaign.

- Widow Pence Farm--battle of Cross Keys. Nice cold walk but beautiful!!

-Battle of Port Republic-- The Coaling.

- Back to the hotel to say goodbye to old friends and the new ones we made this week!!

-Thanks Gary Ecelbarge for a great tour that most of us won't forget.....1904 and ooooo--ahhhh.

04/21/2024

Today was our 3rd day of Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger. We were on the road again!
- White house Bridge

- Asbury chapel

- The Battle of Front Royal

- Fairview checking out the Civil War Trails, Inc. signage

- The First Batte of Wi******er

- The Turner Ashby Monument

One more day!! Going to Port Republic tomorrow!

04/19/2024

Yesterday started our April conference- Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger
We ventured to--
The Battle of Kernstown - Kernstown Battlefield

Rose Hill Park

Soldier's Cemetery

Remains of the bridge where Turner Ashby escaped capture but his horse (Telegraph Tom) is mortally wounded but manages to get Ashby to safety before dying at...

Meems bottom

Last stop was 1 of 5 of Jackson's Headquarters we saw today at Miller-Kite Museum - Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters!

Today we are having our lecture day.
Speakers, raffles and book sales....

More photos coming soon!

03/14/2024

👇Meet our Speakers! 👇

These historians will speak during the lecture portion of Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger on Friday, April 19. It will be live streamed via Zoom (must pre-register, details at the end!)

DON PFANZ

Don Pfanz is a staff historian at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. A native of Gettysburg, Pa., Pfanz graduated from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg in 1980, then joined the National Park Service. Prior to joining the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park staff, Don served at Petersburg National Battlefield and Fort Sumter National Monument. He has written two books: Abraham Lincoln at City Point and Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier's Life.

April 19 Lecture Topic: Jackson's Right Arm: Dick Ewell in the Valley.

________________________________________

MICHAEL C. HARRIS

Michael C. Harris is a graduate of the University of Mary Wash­ington and the American Military University. He has worked for the National Park Service, New Jersey State Parks and the Penn­sylvania Historical and Museum Commission. His Brandywine: A Military History of the Battle that Lost Philadelphia but Saved America, from which his article in Hallowed Ground magazine adapted, is available from Savas Beatie publishers.

April 19 Lecture Topic: An Overview of the U.S. Army general's adjutant general reports project with specific reference to 1862 campaign

________________________________________________

SCOTT PATCHAN

A life-long student of military history, Scott C. Patchan is a graduate of James Madison University in the Shenandoah Valley. He is the author of many articles and books, including The Forgotten Fury: The Battle of Piedmont (1996), Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign (2007), and Second Manassas: Longstreet’s Attack and the Struggle for Chinn Ridge (2011) His book “The Last Battle of Wi******er,” was published in 2013. He most recent work is “Worthy of a Higher Rank: The 1864 Journal of Colonel Joseph Thoburn,“ 2021. Patchan has served as a Director on the board of the Kernstown Battlefield Association in Wi******er, Virginia, and as a member of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation’s Resource Protection Committee. He was twice president of Bull Run Civil War Round Table and is active with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation in many capacities.

April 19 Lecture Topic: Col. Nathaniel McLean and the Road to McDowell

_________________________________________

FRANK O'REILLY

Frank O’Reilly is a Historian for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park with eight videos in the C-SPAN Video Library.

April 19 Lecture Topic: The Liberty Hall Volunteers Return Home: Jackson's College Boys in the Valley.

_________________________________________________

BILL MILLER

Bill Miller is an award-winning author who has been researching, writing, speaking and preserving Civil War history for more than 40 years. A retired teacher, he now focuses on Shenandoah Valley history and leads public and private tours of the Valley’s battlefields.

April 19 Lecture Topic: Crossed Signals at Cross Keys

__________________________________________________

GARY ECELBARGER

Gary Ecelbarger is a leading authority of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. He has conducted professional tours within this famous corridor for 25 years, has written 15 articles, essays, and monographs about Valley personalities, battles, and events, and has been involved with preservation and interpretation of this campaign since the 1990s. Among the nine books to his credit, three are dedicated to this 1862 campaign, including Three Days in the Shenandoah: Stonewall Jackson at Front Royal and Wi******er (University of Oklahoma Press, 2008). His future works will include a book dedicated to the final three weeks of this campaign.

April 19 Lecture Topic: The Bridge Blunder Before the Battle: The Shields/Carroll Controversy at Port Republic (please note, Gary's talk will not be live streamed).

These talks will be live streamed 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 19.

Cost is $150/person

Click here for details: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/event-details/lecture-day-live-stream-jacksons-1862-valley-campaign

03/03/2024

The Battle of Front Royal will be studied in-depth during our Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign Conference in April!

We will relive the Heart of the Valley Campaign by traversing the Luray Valley and follow Jackson's "foot cavalry" on its clandestine trip to Front Royal.

We recently visited Fairview, the home of Thomas McKay. This was the site of Union Col. John Kenly rallied the 1st Maryland Infantry for a last stand as the Confederates approached!

Many wounded soldiers were cared for at the McKay house.

More details about our upcoming conference (early bird rates end March 5!): https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign

Thanks Civil War Trails, Inc. for the awesome sign and Karen Lowry for the amazing photos!

02/28/2024

Consider supporting the great work Civil War Trails, Inc. does in keeping these historical markers in tip-top shape!

Just $2 per month helps fund paint and screws! See all the giving options here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZKQFD4L5BRSQG&fbclid=IwAR0A7Z5DFJqs8B9pdAVbRfn_aRyKwj84XMOuC-a2i2M4_4GNUVUu9zrKKyU

Do you love ? 😘

Consider giving a few dollars each month so we can keep the looking good! We are reliant on our partners, site sponsors, and donors to help maintain and update the existing signs, fundraise for new sites, and distribute the map-guides.

$2 a month enables us to buy new paint and screws to refresh an old sign pedestal. $5 per month enables us to buy a new impact drill. $10 per month allows us to buy a new directional "trailblazer" sign. $20 per month allows us to replace a interpretive sign panel. Use our secure link below to give us a helping hand.

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZKQFD4L5BRSQG

02/21/2024

Exciting news! We have 30 guests registered for our Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger, and we are EXTENDING the early bird rates until March 5!

Join us April 18-21 in Staunton, Va. as we follow the footsteps of Stonewall Jackson in 1862. Here's a preview of our Day 2 bus tour:

We will relive the Heart of the Valley Campaign by traversing the beautiful Luray Valley, following the footprints of Stonewall Jackson's "foot cavalry" on its clandestine trip to Front Royal. Then it is an action packed morning and afternoon as we attempt to match the dizzying pace of encounters from May 23-25, and appreciate its impact on opposing War Departments. Our final trek of the day picks up the pursuit of Jackson by elements of two Union armies, culminating at the exact site of the only general to be killed in action in the 1862 Valley Campaign.

Sites to visit:
· Luray Valley
· Asbury Chapel
· Battle of Front Royal
· Cavalry/Infantry Clash at Fairview
· Turner Ashby Monument

Early bird rates are $745 for Members and $785 for Non-Members.

Discover America's military history during the Civil War!

02/14/2024

We have some new followers, so we'd like to re-introduce ourselves! 👋

Our programs were co-founded in 1988 by the late Historian Ted Alexander (pictured with the Civil War Trails, Inc. sign) and the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. We are a nonprofit organization and aim to provide quality tours while supporting our Civil War heritage!

Meet our Team 🤝
Karen Lowry joined our organization in 2019 and she helps with choosing tour themes, group experiences, coordinating tour guides, snapping group photos and more!

Karen lives in Hagerstown, Md. with her husband Wayne. She is a local Vet Tech and in her spare time enjoys touring abroad, learning about local history and ghost hunting.

Lark Kennedy has been with the Chamber and Civil War Tours since 2013. She handles advertising, graphics, tour handouts, customer service and event logistics. She had taken on a more administrative role, but will be touring with us at the April conference (Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger).

Lark lives on a farm in Mercersburg, Pa. with her husband Philip. They raise local beef cattle, nicknamed "Moomoos," and she enjoys working on Sunset Spring Farm renovation projects in her spare time.

We are looking forward to the 2024 conference season!

02/06/2024

Meet our outstanding tour guide, Gary Ecelbarger! Gary will lead the Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign conference in Staunton, Va happening in April!

He is highly regarded as an authentic and dynamic Valley tour guide who specializes in off-the-beaten-path sites and incorporating new and oftentimes provocative research findings into his touring programs. Read on for his bio! 👏

Gary Ecelbarger is a leading authority of the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Four of his ten books focus upon battles and personalities of this campaign, and nearly a dozen of his monographs, essays and articles are also dedicated to 1862 Valley topics. Experienced in symposia, C-Span has recorded and broadcast several of his lectures and panel discussions, as has YouTube and various Podcasts. Ecelbarger has served as a historical consultant for 1862 Shenandoah Valley battlefield preservation and interpretation. He is most highly regarded as a Valley tour guide, which he has conducted for nearly 30 years within the famous Blue Ridge-Allegheny corridor of Virginia.

Ecelbarger was born and raised in a Western NY Erie Canal town, eight miles upriver from Niagara Falls. He obtained his M.S. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (in nutritional biochemistry!) and has worked in Washington D.C. area hospitals since 1992. To no one's surprise, he and his wife (Carolyn -- a Georgetown professor) have purchased a small property in the center of the Valley and will relocate there in 2026. After completing his current writing project (a two-volume work on George Washington during a single year in the Revolution), Ecelbarger intends to write a comprehensive history of the final three weeks of the 1862 Valley Campaign.

More details about the upcoming Valley Campaign conference/tour: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign

**Don't forget, early bird rates apply until February 19!

01/31/2024

Are you familiar with the Peale House or the Miller-Kite House? They both served as Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters in 1862!

We will see these sites and more as we follow Jackson’s footsteps during our next tour: Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign with Gary Ecelbarger, April 18-21, 2024.

💥Scroll to the end for Early Bird Tour Rates💥

On the first day of the Conference, we will experience the first phase of the Valley Campaign from March thru April 1862. We will study in detail the Battle of Kernstown, which is the largest battle fought east of the Alleghenies for 9 months of the war.

From there, we head south, “up” the Valley Pike following Jackson’s retreating army and its defensive positions, including the scene of the skirmish at Meem’s Bottom where Turner Ashby’s close call cost him his beautiful horse.

Our tour day will end in front of the Miller-Kite House, which was the fifth Stonewall Jackson Headquarters and the site where some of the most momentous decisions were made to set the stage for the rest of the campaign.

Day 2 of the Conference includes amazing lectures by Scott Patchan, Bill Miller, Don Pfanz, Frank O’Reilly, Michael Harris and Gary Ecelbarger.

Day 3 we will relive the Heart of the Valley Campaign and Day 4 will be a whirlwind of action in the village of Port Republic and the Battle of Cross Keys.

Join us for this amazing conference in April and based in Staunton, Va. The conference includes bus tours, lectures by well-known historians, visiting historic sites and more.

👉Early bird pricing is $745 for members and $785 for non-members - must register by Feb. 19 for the early rate.

Full itinerary/register: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign

We’ve been hosting Civil War tours since 1988 and are dedicated to providing wonderful historic tours at great prices for our guests.

Thanks Karen Lowry for the photos and thanks Civil War Trails, Inc. for the great signage!

01/25/2024

On April 20, our tour group led by Gary Ecelbarger will relive the Heart of the Valley Campaign by traversing the beautiful Luray Valley, following the footprints of Stonewall Jackson's "foot cavalry" on its clandestine trip to Front Royal.

Then, it is an action packed morning and afternoon as we attempt to match the dizzying pace of encounters from May 23-25, and appreciate its impact on opposing War Departments.

Our final trek of the day picks up the pursuit of Jackson by elements of two Union armies, culminating at the exact site of the only general to be killed in action in the 1862 Valley Campaign.

General Turner Ashby was killed by a Union bullet that pierced his side and passed through his chest. The monument shown here was dedicated on June 6, 1898 under the auspices of Turner Ashby Chapter 162, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Thanks

We will be visiting the monument on the tour! Early bird discounts are available until February 19 - please join us!

Details: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign



Thanks Karen for the photos! And thanks Civil War Trails, Inc. for the signage!

01/21/2024

Have you ever been to the Miller-Kite House that was Jackson's Headquarters from April 19-30, 1862? It's one of the stops on our April 18 Bus Tour - just 162 years after Stonewall!

The house was built in 1827 by Henry Miller Jr. and Samuel Gibbons performed the joining and carpentry. Gibbon's son, Simon Beauford Gibbons, was later a student of Jackson at the Virginia Military Institute. Plus, the time that Jackson stayed here, Simeon was a colonel of the 10th Virginia Infantry, which was encamped nearby.

We learned this fun fact from the Civil War Trails, Inc. sign at the site 🙌

Early bird discounts for our April 18-21 Conference, Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign, are good until February 19. Join us for bus tours, historic sites and amazing lectures.

Full details: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign



Special thanks to Karen Lowry for the photos!

01/13/2024

As many of you are aware, our program coordinator Eric Wittenberg is dealing with significant health challenges and medical expenses. He has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Eric is undergoing chemo treatments, but is also confined to a wheelchair due to damage to his pelvis.

If you are willing and able, please consider helping Eric and his wife, Susan, during this time. https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-consider-helping-eric-and-susan-wittenberg

❤❤

Hello, my name is Phil Spaugy, and I am launching this GoFundMe page to help ou… Phil Spaugy needs your support for Please Help Eric Wittenberg fight Cancer!

01/12/2024

Have you heard the news!? Our next conference will be: Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign led by Gary Ecelbarger!

We will be based in Staunton, Va. from April 18-21. There will be 2 and a half days of bus tours and one lecture day moderated by Eric Wittenberg with talks by Michael C. Harris, Don Pfanz, Scott Patchan, Bill Miller and Gary Ecelbarger.

Sites we will visit on the tour include Pritchard's Hill, Rose Hill Park, Meems Bottom, Asbury Chapel, Turner Ashby Monument, Port Republic, Widow Pence Farm and many others!

Early bird pricing is $745 for members and $785 for non-members - must register by Feb. 19 for the early rate.

See full details or signup here: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/1862valleycampaign

01/09/2024

Our next HISTORYtalk will be "In the Wake of Antietam: The Loudoun Valley Campaign of 1862" by Kevin Pawlak. Cost is $6 per person. Following the talk will be a Q&A period.

Talk Synopsis
Following the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862, and the conclusion of the Battle of Antietam, the Federal Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia rested and refitted on either side of the Potomac River. By late October 1862, urged on by President Abraham Lincoln and his recently announced Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal army crossed into Virginia once more, armed with a plan to capture Richmond and defeat the Confederacy. The ensuing battles that erupted in the Loudoun Valley and beyond raged for two weeks and added several hundred casualties to the nation’s growing list of names. Confederate forces attempted to slow the advancing Federal army against the backdrop of the 1862 midterm elections. Several fights erupted in Loudoun and Fauquier counties from October 26-November 10, 1862. The campaign proved to be not as decisive as Lincoln hoped. It proved to be George McClellan’s last campaign as a field commander in the Civil War.

Biography:

Kevin Pawlak is the Historic Site Manager of Ben Lomond Historic Site and Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park and serves as a Certified Battlefield Guide at Antietam National Battlefield. He graduated from Shepherd University in 2014, majoring in History with a concentration in Civil War and 19th Century America and minoring in Historic Preservation. Kevin previously worked at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. He is on the Board of Directors for the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association, the Save Historic Antietam Foundation, and the Antietam Institute. He is also a regular contributor to the Emerging Civil War online blog. He is the author and co-author of four books, including To Hazard All: A Guide to the Maryland Campaign.

Register here: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/lectures

12/14/2023

Please join us TOMORROW NIGHT for Faces of Union Soldiers at Culp's Hill by Matt Borders & Joe Stahl via Zoom. Cost is $6 per person and the talk will begin at 7 p.m. EST. Zoom Login details will be sent with your email registration confirmation.

Synopsis:

The sight of the longest period of fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg, the fighting at Culp's Hill stands out for holding the Federal right flank during those trying days in July. What of the men who fought the battle though? Who were they who held the breastworks and forced back repeated Confederate attacks? Join us as we dive into those who bore the battle, looking at who they were and what happened to them.

Register here: https://www.civilwarseminars.org/lectures

Matt Borders holds a BA in United States history from Michigan State University, as well as a MS in Historic Preservation, with a focus in Battlefield Interpretation from Eastern Michigan University. He has been a seasonal ranger at Antietam National Battlefield, the historian for the American Battlefield Protection Program, a certified battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield and is currently a ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield.

Joseph W. Stahl retired from the Institute for Defense Analyses where he authored or co-authored more that 50 reports on defense issues. Since his retirement he has become a volunteer and NPS Licensed Battlefield Guide at Antietam and Harpers Ferry. He grew up in St. Louis. He received BS and MS degrees from Missouri University of Science And Technology and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He is a member of the Company of Military Historians, Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF), Hagerstown Civil War Roundtable and is co-author of the first book on ID discs Identification Discs of Union Soldiers in the Civil War. He has spoken to various Civil War groups including the Northern Virginia Relic Hunters, South Mountain Coin and Relic Club, Rappahannock, York, Chambersburg, and Hagerstown Round Tables, Chambersburg Civil War Tours, SHAF and the NPS Antietam. In addition Joe has authored more that two dozen articles about items in his collections for the Gettysburg Magazine, the Washington Times Civil War Page, Manuscripts, America’s Civil War, Military Collector & Historian the Journal of the Company of Military Historians, the Civil War Historian and the Skirmish Line of the North-South Skirmish Association. Displays of items from of his collection have won awards at several Civil War shows.

He has been a member of the North-South Skirmish Association for more than 25 years and has shot Civil War era muskets, carbines and revolvers in both individual and team competitions.

12/08/2023

During the Early's Invasion conference, we were delighted to present Kernstown Battlefield with a $500 donation to use in their preservation efforts.

Pictured is Scott Patchan presenting the check with our group in the background at the Pritchard House.

12/03/2023

We presented a donation for $1,004 to Martin Burke for Duffields Depot recently. Martin gave us a wonderful tour of the building and the funds were raised during our Early's Invasion conference in October.

"On behalf of the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission (JCHLC), I am writing to express our deep gratitude for the unexpected gift of $1,004.00 from the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars.

"The entire amount will be spent to rehabilitate the interior of Duffields Depot, the oldest combined passenger and freight station in the United States. CCWS’s contribution will be combined with other funds and spent on a contract to analyze the interior paint, to identify the original/first color scheme. There are no research sources, that JCHLC knows of, that say an 1843 railroad station has the following colors. We believe the floor was painted, plaster walls were tinted pink, and the wood trim either wood grained or painted in a slightly darker color. We’ll just have to wait for the report.

"The JCHLC greatly appreciates the support. CCWS’s gift makes our goal of caring for and rehabilitating Jefferson County’s most important treasures that much easier. CCWS’s contribution could not come at better time since level funding from the Hotel/Motel Tax requires that the commission build public support for preservation projects in other ways.

"Again, let me thank the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars on behalf of the Landmarks Commission.

Sincerely,
Martin Burke, Chair of JCHLC

Thanks to all that helped raised the $1,004 for the Depot! Our guests raised $502 and we matched it for a combined $1,004 total. Learn more about the Depot here: http://jeffersoncountyhlc.org/index.php/duffields-depot/