Downtown Shippensburg Threatened By Fire

On December 13, 1869 at 5:00 p.m. Shippensburg fire bells rang for an alarm of fire. As firemen ran to the fire stations it was soon learned that the fire was located on East Main in the area of Railroad Street and that all hands would be needed to extinguish the blaze. The Vigilant’s with their button hand engine and two wheel hose reel and the CV’s with their Philadelphia style hand engine and two wheel hose reel quickly raced along Main Street to the scene. The blaze started in a small frame stable by a burning wad shot from a gun. The fire quickly spread to the east, west and north. Before firemen could control the fire the stable of origin was destroyed along with another stable, a warehouse containing grains and feed for a store, a corn crib and hog pen. One other stable also suffered fire damage along with numerous other buildings. Damages were estimated at $3,650. The Vigilant and Cumberland Valley Fire companies answered the alarm.