Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Shippensburg is a borough in Cumberland and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles (66 km) southwest of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,492 at the 2010 census. Of this, 4,416 were in Cumberland County, and 1,076 were in Franklin County.

Shippensburg was incorporated as a borough on January 21, 1819. In the past, there were furniture factories, engine and pump works, and other industrial works located within the town. Shippensburg is the home of the Beistle Company, the oldest and largest manufacturer of decorations and party goods, which sells its distinctive honeycomb paper decorations worldwide. It is also the location of Pague and Fegan, the oldest continuously operated hardware store in Pennsylvania. In May 2012, Volvo Construction Equipment began a $100 million expansion project to bring its American headquarters to Shippensburg.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, commonly known as Ship, or SU, is a public university located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, United States, 40 miles west-southwest of Harrisburg, and 53 miles northwest of Westminster, Maryland. It is one of the 14 state universities that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

Shippensburg University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS).

History

The commonwealth legislated the State Normal School for "the education and training of teachers" in the seventh district (7 counties) to be in Shippensburg, and in 1871 the cornerstone was laid for the 212 ft (65 m) building designated the Cumberland Valley State Normal School. In 1917 the school was purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

On June 4, 1926, the school was authorized to grant the bachelor of science in education degree in elementary and junior high education. The school received a charter on October 12, 1926, making it the first normal school in Pennsylvania to become a state teachers college. On June 3, 1927, the State Council of Education authorized the school to change its name to the State Teachers College at Shippensburg.