The history of this bed and breakfast along with a restaurant and tavern is more easy to obtain than most original buildings in the borough of Gettysburg. The building is located at 401 Baltimore Street which is also on the corner with South Street. Prior to the construction of this building, it was one of the original lots of the property that was owned by Alexander Dobbin who built the Dobbins House. This location, now known as the Farnsworth House, is on Lot 6, and the tavern that’s outside is on Lot 5. The dividing line is the small creek that runs between the outdoor patio and the house.
Prior to the battle, in the 1830s, John F. McFarlane built the house in 1833. His initials are marked on a stone in the house that reads: J McF 1833. Tax records from Adams County Courthouse shows that the building was a two-story brick-house that was owned by a tanner. John McFarlane’s wife passed away in 1840s. Due to the loss of his wife and financial setbacks, the house was turned over to the Bank of Gettysburg. The bank owned the house between 1842-1852. In the 1850s, a man named Harvey Sweney (or Sweeney) was interested in buying the property. He bought it from the Bank of Gettysburg on April 7, 1852.
So many little stories are within the history of Gettysburg. Harvey Sweney was married to Catherine McAllister. Catherine, surprisingly, is related to the McAllister family that ran the mill along Rock Creek that crosses the Baltimore Pike. Catherine and Harvey would have seven children in total, however, only five would live past their childhood. After Harvey died in 1890, the house would remain in the Sweney name through 1909. That’s when the next resident owner would buy the house in 1909 and would remain in the family hands till 1972.
Since 1972, the house has been owned by Loring Shultz and his family. He was born in Cashtown and has understood and went to what is now the middle school in Gettysburg. Mr. Shultz is a veteran and he graduated from the Air Force. Mr. Shultz would buy the Farnsworth House in 1972 for $53,000. For most of the beginning of the restaurant, all the employees were Gettysburg college students. Currently in 2025, Mr. Shultz family still owns the building and the tavern.