Gathering place at the heart of the Revolution
Located along the historic Great Wagon Road, Widow Piper’s Tavern stood at the heart of 18th-century travel, trade, and military movement through Shippensburg. Taverns like this were far more than places to eat or drink: they were essential logistical and social hubs during the American Revolution.
The tavern takes its name from Widow Piper, a woman who operated the establishment after the death of her husband. Widows frequently ran taverns in colonial Pennsylvania, managing complex businesses that served travelers, local residents, and soldiers alike. In doing so, they occupied a rare space of economic authority in the 18th century.
During the Revolutionary War, Shippensburg’s position on major transportation routes made its taverns important stopping points for militia units, supply wagons, messengers, and Continental troops moving between the interior and the frontier. Taverns were part of the “civilian infrastructure” that provided food, lodging, stabling for horses, and–just as importantly–information. News of battles, troop movements, prices, and politics flowed through these rooms alongside ale and meals.
Address: 6 South Queen Street, Shippensburg, PA 17257
Access Notes: Street parking is available, and parking is also available to the rear of the property. Docents give tours on the second Saturday of the month from 1 pm to 4 pm, April through July and September through November. For private tours, call 717-532-5978.
Visiting Tips:
Shippensburg offers several restaurant options close to this stop:
Monterrey Tacos, 29 East King Street, Shippensburg, 717-300-3104
University Grille, inside Clarion Hotel, 32 East King Street, Shippensburg, 717-530-1148
Forrester’s Wheelhouse Cafe, 300 North Earl Street, Shippensburg, 717-300-3606
The Lollipop Shop, 112-114 East King Street, Shippensburg, 717-530-1272
King Street Diner, 2 West King Street, Shippensburg, 717-530-1235
King & Saint Cafe, 512 West King Street, Shippensburg, 434-466-0844
Nonna Ilva, 85 West King Street, Shippensburg, 717-477-6157
Rice & Pho Vietnamese Restaurant, 100 West King Street, Shippensburg, 717-709-9988
Widow Piper’s Tavern pairs naturally with other Great Wagon Road and Shippensburg-area Patriots’ Path sites, helping visitors trace how people, supplies, and ideas moved during the Revolutionary era.
Patriot’s Story: Colonel James Smith
circa 1737–1813
James Smith is one of Shippensburg’s most significant Revolutionary figures. A veteran of the French and Indian War and a former captive of Native American tribes, Smith brought deep frontier experience to the patriot cause. By the early 1770s, he had settled in Shippensburg, where he became a vocal opponent of British authority. In 1775, Smith helped organize local militia forces in Cumberland County and was instrumental in mobilizing resistance to British rule. He served as a colonel in the Pennsylvania militia and later became famous as a leader of the “Black Boys,” a frontier protest movement opposing British policies that favored Native trade at the expense of settlers. During the Revolution, Smith supported Continental forces through recruitment, leadership, and coordination of frontier defense, protecting supply routes critical to the war effort. After independence, Smith represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress and remained an outspoken advocate for veterans and frontier communities until his death.
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Credits &Permissions
Images associated with Widow Piper’s Tavern were courtesy of the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.
Content in this section was curated by volunteers from the Army Heritage Center Foundation.