Widow Piper's Tavern
Also known as: Old Courthouse; Shippensburg Civic Center
Why it's listed
Built about 1735 of stone at the crossroads of King and Queen Streets in Shippensburg, this two-and-one-half story building with a one-story kitchen wing is probably the oldest stone building in the town. Its position at the center of the early settlement, near an old Indian path that later formed part of the Forbes Road, made it a natural gathering point. Lucinda Piper, known locally as the Widow Piper, owned the building before 1750, when it operated as a tavern. In 1750 and 1751 the Court of General Sessions for newly formed Cumberland County met here, until the court moved to Carlisle in 1751. Travelers stayed upstairs, while drivers slept on pallets near the fireplace. Later the house became a private residence. In the 1930s a group of private citizens donated it to the Civic Club of Shippensburg, which restored and furnished it. The building is significant for its early stone construction and for its role as a public meeting place in the county's first years.
Significance in brief: The building is described as probably the oldest stone building in Shippensburg and is important for its use as a public meeting place. The document states that the first Court of General Sessions for newly incorporated Cumberland County was reputedly held here in 1750 and 1751, and that the house served as a tavern and gathering place for travelers and local residents.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74001779, listed January 17, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW corner of King and Queen Sts., Shippensburg |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | January 17, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001779 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1735 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and furnished by the Civic Club of Shippensburg; now a tourist attraction and meeting place for the Civic Club. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Shippensburg Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.05447, -77.51299 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74001779.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7998803
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.