Existing comment:
"...the busiest scene I ever witnessed..."
On July 8, 1863, the U.S. Sanitary Commission commandeered the three story Fahnestock Bros. buildings as their "stone house" for food and other supplies. From here these critical provisions were distributed daily to the many field hospitals in and around Gettysburg that serviced over 21,000 wounded left behind by both armies.
The volume of life saving supplies arrived in such quantity that the stone rooms "...up to the ceilings were filled... the sidewalk was monopolized and even the street was encroached upon."
For a few critical days the Sanitary Commission was the primary source of food for both wounded and townspeople. This site in the eyes of one witness was "...the busiest scene I ever witnessed." The immediate crisis quickly passed and by July 25th the premises was returned to the Fahnestock family.
The building has been altered several times since its circa 1810 construction. In 1984 it was substantially rehabilitated for use as senior citizen housing. |