Editing Shepherdstown, West Virginia (section)

===19th century===
[[File:Ca-1861-1865-bridge-ruins-C&O-Canal-Lock-38-Potomac-Shepherdstown.tif|thumb|left|Lock 38 of the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Canal]] and ruins of a bridge across the Potomac River, ca. 1861–1865]]
Running along the [[Maryland]] side of the Potomac River, the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Canal|Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal]] reached Shepherdstown in the early 1830s. Lock no. 38—named "Shepherdstown River Lock"—was built across from Shepherdstown at mile 72.7 of the canal. One of only three of its kind on the canal, it allowed canal boats to transfer between the canal and the river to serve industries in Shepherdstown with shipments of cement, coal, flour, corn, wheat, oats, flour, and timothy seed.<ref>{{Cite book |title=C&O Canal Explorer |publisher=C&O Canal Trust}}</ref> Shepherdstown is the only town in West Virginia that has a canal lock named for it.

Two free schools were built in the town in 1848. One still stands on the southeast corner of Princess and New Streets. When West Virginia became the 35th state (in 1863), these became the oldest free schoolhouses in the state.

The Hamtramck Guard (The Shepherdstown Light Infantry) was dispatched to nearby [[Harpers Ferry, West Virginia|Harpers Ferry]] to subdue [[John Brown (abolitionist)|John Brown]]'s raid on the [[Harpers Ferry Armory|federal armory]] (October 1859). At the outbreak of the Civil War, this group became Company B, [[2nd Virginia Infantry]], [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. They became part of the famous "Stonewall Brigade."

After the nearby [[Battle of Antietam]] in Maryland, September 17, 1862, General [[Robert E. Lee]]'s infantry crossed the Potomac at Pack Horse Ford. The town was overwhelmed with 5,000–8,000 casualties from the battle. Every house, building, church, alley, and street was filled with the wounded and dying. The [[Battle of Shepherdstown]] (also known as the Battle of Boteler's Ford or Cement Mill) occurred on September 20, 1862, during Lee's retreat. More than 100 [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] soldiers died here and were buried in Elmwood Cemetery. Elmwood contains the graves of 285 Confederate veterans.

From 1865 to 1871, Shepherdstown served as the county seat of Jefferson County due to war damage to the courthouse in [[Charles Town, West Virginia|Charles Town]]. The Town Hall (northeast corner of German and King streets) housed the courthouse until it was moved back to Charles Town.

In 1872, the Town Hall Building was chartered as a "Classical and Scientific Institute." The building was then leased to the state and Shepherd College was born. In 2004, the Shepherd College became Shepherd University. The East Campus occupies about one-third of the town proper, and the West Campus occupies a large area just northwest of the corporate limits.