Uniontown, county seat, formed, 1776; population 15,692. Courthouse, Italian Renaissance; stone; architects, E. M. Butz and William Kauffman, Pittsburgh. Presbyterian Church has fine Tiffany windows. Mr. James Hadden, the historian of Fayette County, has a life-size bust of Washington, cut by himself from the wood of a wild cherry tree, which grew within the lines of Fort Necessity, in 1784. Washington owned the land on which the tree stood. Two miles south is Fort Gaddis, only frontier or settlers’ fort now standing in Fayette County, marked by tablet in 1908; there were sixteen such forts in this county, built of heavy logs, making durable houses for the frontiersmen, and safe retreat for neighboring settlers.
Connellsville; population 13,804. On grounds of the Carnegie Free Library is a bronze statue of Colonel William Crawford, pioneer and patriot, who, in 1765, built the first cabin home within limits of Connellsville; killed by Indians in 1782; sculptor, Charles S. Kilpatrick; tablet on base placed by Pennsylvania Historical Commission. Trinity Lutheran Church, Italian Renaissance; native white sandstone, trimmed with Indiana limestone; built, 1911; contains copy of Bougereau’s “Resurrection.” In the tower is chime of twelve bells. Architect, J. C. Fulton, Uniontown.
Lafayette was entertained, in 1825, at “Friendship Hill” near New Geneva, the home of Albert Gallatin, member of Congress, Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to two courts of Europe, signer of the Treaty of Ghent, Secretary of the Treasury in Jefferson’s and Madison’s administrations; the house was built, 1789, enlarged, 1882, and with the estate of seven hundred acres, is still of great beauty; Albert Gallatin’s library remains just as he left it, on a high eminence, overlooking the Monongahela River, on the edge of a precipice three hundred feet above the river, the view is said to be similar to that from Heidelberg Castle; the main entrance is near the old Morgantown Road, an historic highway.
Franklin County
XIV
FRANKLIN COUNTY
FORMED September 9, 1784; named for Benjamin Franklin, whose fame was then world-wide. Earliest settlers Scotch-Irish, later Germans. Chief industry agriculture, the land east is limestone and very fertile; west, slate lands prevail, abounding in pure streams and rich meadows; the Conococheague and Conodoquinet Creeks drain the central part of the county, they are crossed by many stone arch bridges of graceful architecture, the most notable is at Hiester’s Mill, three arches. The principal road, now part of the Lincoln Highway, enters the county near the historic Thaddeus Stevens Iron Works, built, 1837, at Caledonia, which comprised about 20,000 acres, now in State Forestry Reservation, and with the Mont Alto tract, makes a total of about 40,000 acres; the mill and machinery were entirely destroyed, in 1863, by order of General Early, on account of Stevens’ well-known activity as an abolitionist; this road was route of greater part of Lee’s Army to and from the battlefield of Gettysburg to Chambersburg; site of encampment before the battle, a little beyond the hospital, east from Chambersburg. Other roads leading west, of historic interest, are the Two Mountain, and the Path Valley, formerly Indian trails.
County seat, Chambersburg, settled, 1764, population 13,171. In Centre Square is a boulder with tablet commemorating the burning of Chambersburg by Confederate Cavalry, July 1, 1864. Facing the square are the brick courthouse, Southern colonial with fluted columns, cupola and clock, contains portraits of judges; and the Central Presbyterian Church, with Tiffany windows. Near are, Miller’s drug store on site of Jack Tavern, where the first court was held in 1784, large mortar in front was made from one of the pillars of the burned courthouse. United States Post Office, Main and King Streets, built, 1912, semi-classic, light colonial brick with gray stone facing. Masonic temple, built, 1823, saved by Confederate Masons when the town was burned. Zion Reformed Church, built, 1812, exterior unchanged, particularly good lines in steeple, has Tiffany windows. On King Street stands the house John Brown occupied, second from Union Baptist Church; Nicklas store, on Main Street near Queen, is site of old tavern where President Washington and Alexander Hamilton spent the night, en route to quell the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794; Market House, Second and Queen Streets, built, 1830, brick, colonial, with clock tower.
Wilson College comprises seven buildings, including Thompson Memorial Hall, built, 1904, modified Gothic, with auditorium and fine organ, architect, George C. Baum, Philadelphia. Falling Spring Presbyterian Church and Chapel, organized, 1736, services first held in Benjamin Chamber’s sawmill, present church built, 1803, chapel, 1873, native stone, has Tiffany memorial windows to Judge and Mrs. Alexander Thomson, parents of Frank Thomson, Esq. Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church, four miles northwest from Chambersburg, built, 1794 by the Scotch-Irish, colonial, with high, straight-backed pews, and original old high pulpit, with sounding board, pewter Communion service from England and ten-plate stoves. Dr. McIntosh preached here; has an interesting old graveyard, keys kept at adjoining farmhouse.