Located just outside Shippensburg in Southampton Township, Cumberland County, the Peebles Homestead is a well-preserved example of an 18th-century frontier farmstead that reflects both early settlement and Revolutionary-era life in south-central Pennsylvania. The property dates to the 1770s, when Alexander Peebles Sr., a Scots-Irish settler, blacksmith, and farmer, established the homestead on 217 acres granted to him in 1773 as the Cumberland Valley was rapidly developing beyond Pennsylvania’s eastern settlements. 

At the center of the property stands a two-story limestone Georgian-style house, accompanied by a detached stone summer kitchen and later agricultural outbuildings. Together, they illustrate the self-sufficient lifestyle of early farm families who balanced agriculture, craftsmanship, and community life on the colonial frontier. The limestone home faces South to maximize solar exposure in the cold winter months. This southern orientation was common in colonial era farmhouses.  The Peebles family was part of this landscape not only as settlers, but also as participants in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution — with Alexander Peebles Sr. serving in the Cumberland County Militia, obtaining the rank of Captain.  Peebles enlisted in the French and Indian War in 1758 at the age of 18.

The Cumberland County Militia served in the defense of Philadelphia in 1777 (known as the Philadelphia Campaign), and were present at the Battle of Brandywine. They engaged the British Cavalry at the Battle of Clouds (Battle of White Horse Tavern) and engaged in combat at the Battle of Germantown. Later they saw further action near Blue Bell, Sunbury, and Fort Augusta. Peebles returned home safely from the war and was a respected member of the community.

In 2007 and 2008, the state of Pennsylvania performed an archaeological dig at the Homestead. The 1,347 artifacts that were recovered are now stored at the State Museum. The Homestead is currently 156 acres and is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and has been recognized by Preservation Pennsylvania for its historic significance. Alexander Peebles’ name (Alex Peoples) appears on the veterans monument at the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Though privately owned and not open to the public, the Peebles Homestead remains an important heritage landmark, recognized for its architectural integrity and its connection to Revolutionary-era service and settlement. Today, it stands as a tangible reminder of the people who shaped the region through hard work, resilience, and commitment to the emerging American nation.