If any building were to be called the center of the Battle of Gettysburg, it would be the Fahnestock store. Located at the corner of Baltimore and West Middle Streets next to the rotary or diamond at the center of the business district, the store was the largest of its kind in Gettysburg. Well before the battle it was already a prominent landmark both physically and psychologically within the town. Its announcements of new goods ran weekly in the local newspapers (the top screenshot has announcements from a variety of stores with the Fahnestocks’ multiple announcements leading out). Their goods ranged from dry goods for the kitchen to farming instruments to women’s outerwear to tools.

While virtually every citizen in town likely patronized the Fahnestock store, their overall economic ties ran far deeper. Prominent carriage maker Charles W. Hoffman ran up hundreds of dollars in debt by purchasing from the Fahnestocks on credit. Daniel Skelly, brother of Jack and Ed Skelly, worked as a clerk for the Fahnestocks. Hoffman, of course, employed his three sons, William and Wesley Culp, and Ed Skelly before he headed South (possibly trying to dodge repayment of his loans). Jennie Wade and her mother repaired clothing and garments sold from the store and also worked on cloth coverings for the Hoffmans, among others. Several of the Bushman kids worked as clerks.

As new businesses and stores opened, they often announced their locations with a reference to the Fahnestock store, as shown in the second screenshot. The Sunbeam Gallery was just one of several businesses that noted the Fahnestock landmark to orient readers on where to find their new establishments. Further, when the Confederate army neared the city in late June, the Bushman family (which lived on Baltimore street a couple of blocks south) hid a variety of goods in their house to minimize “requisitions” from Jubal Early‘s men.

The following 1852 newspaper announcement gives an idea of the comparative sizes of the competing merchandisers based on the license fees they paid.

Samuel and Susan Fahnestock had six children, five of which lived to adulthood. In coming posts, we’ll explore more about their lives.