The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) has approved a $100,000 grant for the Franklin County Historical Society – Kittochtinny. The announcement was made by state Representatives Rob Kauffman (R-Chambersburg), Rich Irvin (R-Shippensburg), and Chad Reichard (R-Waynesboro), who all supported the grant.
The funding will be allocated to three primary tasks: safeguarding delicate artifacts, preserving a historic structure including writings and artwork on its walls, and creating a more visitor-friendly exhibit space. A climate control system will be installed in the 1881 cellblock at Chambersburg’s Old Jail to stabilize temperature and humidity levels. This measure aims to preserve both the building and the historical collections managed by the society.
The Franklin County Historical Society is located in the Old Jail on King Street in Chambersburg. It provides tours of the Old Jail and John Brown House Museums, along with access to an extensive genealogy library.
“We each support the efforts of the Franklin County Historical Society to preserve these important buildings and artifacts,” said Kauffman, Irvin, and Reichard. “The Old Jail and the John Brown House are both significant to the rich history of Franklin County. We are pleased this grant has been approved and these treasures will be further protected for future generations to learn from and enjoy.”
This funding comes under PHMC’s Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grant program, which assists projects that rehabilitate or preserve historic resources listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
