Just 15 Minutes From Gettysburg Is A Small Pennsylvania Town With A Civil War-Era Inn That's Still In Business

Roughly 8 miles west of Gettysburg, known for its historic Civil War battlefield, lies another small community with a historical pedigree. Set along the old road that crosses South Mountain toward Chambersburg, most travelers might drive through Cashtown without realizing just how significant this otherwise quiet area once was. But Cashtown's location made it a strategic way station, placing it directly in the path of one of the most consequential campaigns in American history.

The community expanded around this busy thoroughfare, a route that carried wagons, commercial traffic, and travelers. The village was laid out in the early 1800s. Records of Franklin Township (which dates back to 1785 and is named after Benjamin Franklin) identify the earliest known reference to the name Cashtown in 1821. The name is often attributed to Peter Marck, an early tavern keeper said to have insisted customers pay in cash rather than barter for goods or services. Cashtown's first postmaster, Adam S.E. Duncan, was appointed in 1835, illustrating how Cashtown was evolving into a bona fide transportation and communications crossroads.

During the Civil War, Cashtown first witnessed Confederate activity in October 1862, but the village's pivotal moment came with the Gettysburg Campaign in June and July of 1863. As Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia poured into Pennsylvania, Cashtown became a concentration point. Lee ordered his scattered forces to assemble around the town after learning that the Union Army had crossed the Potomac and was moving north. Major General Henry Heth's division moved east on July 1, encountering Union cavalry and helping to ignite the Battle of Gettysburg.

The U.S. boasts a number of charming inns well worth a visit — think the Red Lion Inn located between New York and Boston. But perhaps none is steeped in Civil War history quite like the Cashtown Inn. Anchoring the town since 1797, the brick building served as an early stagecoach stop where travelers could rest on their journeys across South Mountain. In 1815, after obtaining his tavern license, Peter Marck turned the property into a formal place of hospitality with four rooms. Travelers crossing the mountains availed of the conveniently located inn for food and lodgings. 

When General Lee's army concentrated around Cashtown, the property became a headquarters for Confederate officers, including General A.P. Hill, who reportedly made the inn his command post. During combat, the basement of the inn was utilized as a field hospital, and after the Confederate defeat, a wagon train carrying wounded soldiers passed through Cashtown on its way south to Virginia. Today, you can see a natural spring that supplied water and remnants of two large brick ovens used to bake bread for the soldiers, giving you an up-close window into the inn's past. 

Toward the middle of the 20th century, the inn narrowly avoided the wrecking ball. A 1948 bypass of part of Route 30 diverted traffic away from the village, and the property fell into disrepair. One former owner even considered converting the building into low-income apartments, but fortunately, a preservation push saved it. Jeremy and Danielle Davis took ownership in August 2021 and reopened the inn after a period of closure. The property today offers three suites and four guest rooms, plus complimentary breakfast, an on-site restaurant (open Wednesday through Saturday), and a gift shop.

The Cashtown Inn's location makes it especially appealing to travelers who want to explore Gettysburg, one of the country's most historic towns. With approximately 50,000 casualties, the three-day Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest of the war's major engagements and served as the inspiration for Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in American History. Gettysburg National Military Park, which encompasses the fields, roads, and monuments associated with the battle, is one of America's most visited destinations and currently enjoys an impressive 4.9 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor. 

At the park visitor center, you can watch an introductory film and examine a wide array of war artifacts. Guided tours or a self-guided auto tour allow you to explore the battlefield where the Union victory effectively ended Lee's invasion of the North. Pay a solemn visit to Gettysburg National Cemetery, where over 6,000 soldiers and veterans — more than half of whom died at the namesake battle — are buried. The David Wills House (closed at the time of writing, but scheduled to reopen in November 2026) is where Lincoln stayed before the dedication ceremony and finished preparing his famous address.

The Beyond the Battle Museum, named the best new museum in the country by 2024 USA Today 10Best, delves into the stories of civilians caught in the Gettysburg Campaign through 12 exhibit galleries. Don't miss the restored 1860 Shriver House, where everything from bullet holes to bloodstains offers a chilling portrait of one family's harrowing wartime experience. With so many historic sites to explore and one of Pennsylvania's most charming and walkable downtowns, Gettysburg makes for a great day trip when staying at the Cashtown Inn. If you're flying in, limited flights are available into Maryland's Hagerstown Regional (35 miles away), while Baltimore's BWI is about twice that distance.