Chambersburg, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chambersburg, Indiana
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Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Orange |
Township | Paoli |
Elevation | 656 ft (200 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code |
47454
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Area code(s) | 812, 930 |
GNIS feature ID | 450763 |
Chambersburg is a small, unincorporated community located in Paoli Township, within Orange County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. An "unincorporated community" means it is a group of homes and businesses that does not have its own local government like a city or town.
Contents
History of Chambersburg
How Chambersburg Was Founded
Chambersburg was officially started in the year 1840. A man named Samuel Chambers was responsible for planning and setting up the community. He decided to name this new place after himself.
Chambersburg and the Underground Railroad
Chambersburg played a special role in history as a "station" on the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad with trains. Instead, it was a secret network of safe houses and routes. These routes were used by people who were escaping slavery in the Southern United States. They traveled north to find freedom.
People who helped on the Underground Railroad were called "conductors." They guided those seeking freedom from one safe place to the next. These safe places, like homes or churches, were called "stations." Chambersburg was one of these important stations. It offered a temporary safe haven for people on their difficult journey to freedom. This network operated before the American Civil War.
The Community's Post Office
A post office was opened in Chambersburg in 1849. This meant that people in the community could send and receive mail more easily. The post office served the area for many years. However, it eventually closed down in 1912.