Hunterstown ...Then and Now

Battle of Hunterstown

Annual Walking Tour...

"The old town is still filled with the charm of a late 1700’s hamlet, untouched thus far by modern development.
Quaint homes and settings undisturbed, harkening back to another time include Kilpatrick’s Headquarters at the Grass Hotel,
the John Tate House, Barn & Blacksmith Shop where
George Washington shod his horse’s shoes in October 1794.
One of the Tate sheds even bears artillery shell marks
left from the cavalry battle in 1863.
The Great Conewago Presbyterian Church is another impressive structure from the period, made of stone, and documented as a Confederate Hospital.
Each of these dwellings adds so much to the historic time capsule
that is Hunterstown, Pennsylvania."
                                                    Troy Harman, Ranger & Historian

National Park Service
NEW/TroyH.JPG
2005 Tour

The Historic Tate Farm
NEW/HistoricTateFarm.JPG
Has canon-ball hole in barn, shell fragmant in dining room beam.

The Historic Tate Farm

 
The restored farmhouse and formal garden was the scene of trade
with the Indians and settlers along Beaver Dam Creek
and later part of the Gettysburg Campaign.

July 2, 1863 Union and Confederate cavalry collided head on
during The Battle of Hunterstown.

Washington had his horse shod at the farm's blacksmith shop 
on his return from quelling the Whiskey Rebellion in October of 1794.

The outbuildings at the Tate Farm are original:
a summer kitchen with walk in fireplace, a granary, spring house,
carriage house, garden shed, outhouse, stable,
and large barn with a cannonball hole.


The Tate Blacksmith Shop
Blacksmith.JPG
President George Washington stopped here in October of 1794.

Natalie Home
NEW/Lenamarie.JPG
Corner of RT 394 & Granite Station Road

J. G. Gilbert Store

A grim photograph shows the Gilbert Store
used as a temporary morgue
after the Battle of Hunterstown.
The dead were laid out under the porch
awaiting transport to nearby railheads.

The Village of Hunterstown
HunterstownfromTateFeltyRidge.JPG
Looking down from the Tate-Felty Ridge

"Gettysburg National Military Park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon said the park was happy to hear about the Trust's continued concern about the preservation of the area."
 Hanover Evening Sun article

Crowd of 350 people
NEW/Crowd.JPG
Standing at

The Historic Jacob Grass Hotel
NEW/GrassHOTEL.JPG
Judson Kilpatrick's Headquarters

The Jacob Grass Hotel

Union headquarters for Judson Kilpatrick.
It was in this very location that the orders were given
to General George Armstrong Custer to "charge"
the Confederate line that was located just
over the ridge on the Hunterstown Road
on July 2, 1863.

The Dutterer Farm
NEW/Dutterer.JPG
Still Has Original Bee-hive Oven.

George Grass Log House


The first settlers followed an Indian trail through here.
Later David Hunter plotted a town in 1767.

NEW/FeltyFarm2.JPG
The Felty Farm, Hunterstown Road

"With that said, every effort must be made to preserve the principle battlefield
at Hunterstown along with the charm and richness
of the old town sitting directly north of it."
Troy Harman,
Park Ranger and Historian

North Calvary Battlefield, Hunterstown Road
NEW/NorthCalvryBattlefield2.JPG
In need of Preservation!

"You can build a house anywhere but you can't move hallowed ground."
Mary Goundrey Koik,
Civil War Preservation Trust spokeswoman

The Confederate Line...
NEW/FieldofWheat2.JPG
Looking south towards the Gilbert Farm...

"In spite of all the uncertainties of meeting the enemy,
they went forward willingly and gave their all."
                    ~ Paul Shevchuk

All photographs on this site by Laurie Harding unless otherwise noted.

Contact Us...

All rights reserved 2008. No use of content without written permission of Hunterstown1863.