Tuesday, July 16, 2024 Franklin County Visitors Bureau commemorates Chambersburg’s 1864 history with a re-enactment, inviting all to celebrate the community’s spirit and resilience. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau warmly invites everyone to honor the remarkable individuals of 1864 Chambersburg and celebrate their bravery at the 1864 Ransoming, Burning, and Rebirth of Chambersburg event on July 20. At first glance, Chambersburg appears to be an ordinary town with tree-lined streets, historic buildings, and a charming downtown.
However, the events of July 30, 1864, reveal a much deeper and dramatic history. Travel back 160 years to a scorching July day—July 30, 1864. Confederate General John McCausland entered Chambersburg.
He and his top officers headed to the Franklin Hotel in the town square for breakfast. There, McCausland ordered the arrest of prominent citizens and announced his mission in Chambersburg: to demand a ransom of $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in Yankee dollars. Failure to pay the ransom would result in the town being set ablaze.
Unable to meet the ransom demands, by noon, nearly twelve blocks of Chambersburg were engulfed in flames. Over 2,000 residents were left homeless, and more than 500 structures were destroyed in the Great Fire. The year 2024 marks the 160th anniversary of this pivotal day.
On Saturday, July 20, 2024, the community will gather to commemorate the 1864 Ransoming, Burning, and Rebirth of Chambersburg. This event celebrates the comm.