Benjamin Franklin Connections

Benjamin Franklin Connections

Franklin County is proud to be named for Benjamin Franklin, American founding father, writer, printer, diplomat, activist, and scientist. But, to date, proof of a visit from Mr. Franklin to the county has not been found. Yet, besides the name, there is a connection...
James Smith and the Siege of Fort Loudoun

James Smith and the Siege of Fort Loudoun

James Smith, who was born in Mercersburg, another frontier settlement in Franklin County, was captured in 1755, at age eighteen, as he was building the Braddock Road. Smith was taken captive by Caughnawaga Indians and was adopted by the tribe to replace a fallen...
Franklin County’s Italian Chapel

Franklin County’s Italian Chapel

Approaching Letterkenny Chapel, the bell tower, the quoin- brickwork, and the curved arches draws the eye because it is a different. It is not typical for the Cumberland Valley. With a second look, it is easy to see the Italian inspiration in the design, but how and...
What is 11/30?

What is 11/30?

Yes, it will be the name of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau’s new home–the 11/30 Visitors Center. But long before the visitors bureau took up residence at the crossroads of downtown Chambersburg, 11/30 was where Molly Pitcher Highway meets the Lincoln...
Franklin County Old Jail Turns 200

Franklin County Old Jail Turns 200

If the walls of the Franklin County Old Jail could talk, the Franklin County Visitors Bureau is sure it would want to hear the stories. Located at 175 East King Street in Chambersburg PA, the Old Jail celebrates 200 years in 2018. Built in 1818 as Franklin County’s...