Shepherdstown, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shepherdstown, Pennsylvania
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Unincorporated community
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Union Hotel
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 Shepherdstown, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Shepherdstown, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Cumberland |
| Township | Upper Allen |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Shepherdstown is a small community in Pennsylvania, United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but part of Upper Allen Township. You can find it in Cumberland County, just south of Mechanicsburg.
A famous building here is the Union Hotel. It was built in 1860 by Abraham Zook. This historic hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Contents
Discovering Shepherdstown's Past
Shepherdstown was started in 1822. It was named after William Shepherd, who helped found the community.
School Days in Shepherdstown
Long ago, Shepherdstown had a simple one-room schoolhouse. On February 2, 1953, a new school was built nearby. It was first called Upper Allen Elementary School. This new building replaced many small one-room schools in the area. Seven teachers from those old schoolhouses moved to the new building.
In 1965, this school was renamed Upper Allen I. Another school, Upper Allen II, was built right next to it. Later, Upper Allen II became Upper Allen Elementary School. Upper Allen I was then called Shepherdstown Elementary School because it was so close to the community. Both schools have been updated many times. They had big renovations in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Today, these schools are part of the Mechanicsburg Area School District. They are located on a campus with Mechanicsburg Middle School and the Trails and Trees Environmental Center.
Community Growth and Development
The Upper Allen Township Dog Park opened on June 30, 2018. It was built along Old Hollow Road, next to Daybreak Church. At the time it opened, it cost $20 per year for local residents. People from outside Upper Allen Township paid $50 per year.
Plans for new homes in Shepherdstown began in 2011. These plans were for 37 townhomes on the south side of the community. The development is called Terraces at Shepherdstown. Construction on these homes started in 2021.
In 2019, a new shopping and living area was announced. It is called Shepherdstown Crossing. Sometimes it's also known as Mills at Shepherdstown Crossing. This development is located on the north side of Shepherdstown. The buildings were designed to look like old factories from the American industrial revolution.
The original plan for Shepherdstown Crossing included two apartment buildings. It also had plans for two fast-food restaurants and a three-story building. Later, there was a plan to replace one fast-food restaurant and the three-story building with a Chick-fil-A. This idea caused some discussion among local residents. However, the Upper Allen Township commissioners approved the plan on December 7, 2022. The Chick-fil-A restaurant successfully opened on January 11, 2024.
Shepherdstown Crossing also features a tall clock tower. This tower is forty-one feet high. It was put up on December 13, 2022.
People from Shepherdstown
- Ray Crist: An American chemist who made important discoveries.
