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.

Shippensburg is the home of the Beistle Company, the oldest manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the U.S.

In May 2012, Volvo Construction Equipment began a $100 million expansion project to bring its American headquarters to Shippensburg.

In July 1730, 12 Scots-Irish families came to the site of the present-day Shippensburg and built cabin homes along Burd's Run.

The village received its name from Edward Shippen, a prominent resident of Lancaster (and onetime mayor of Philadelphia) who obtained the patent to the land from the heirs of William Penn.

On July 9, 1755, Edward Morris, the governor of Shippensburg, ordered that a fort be built after he learned of General Braddock's defeat at the hands of the French and Indians.

[citation needed] On March 24, 1761, Shippen wrote, "I desire everybody in Shippensburg to take care of ye Fort for I will suffer a log of it to be thrown down on any pretense whatever.

U.S. Route 11 passes through the center of town as King Street; US 11 leads northeast 20 miles (32 km) to Carlisle, the Cumberland County seat, and southwest 11 miles (18 km) to Chambersburg, the Franklin County seat.

Pennsylvania Route 533 leads west out of town as Morris Street, 5 miles (8 km) to Orrstown.

Pennsylvania Route 174 (Walnut Bottom Road) split east from US 11 at the east edge of the borough, leading 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to Exit 29 on Interstate 81 and 6 miles (10 km) to the village of Walnut Bottom in South Newton Township.

The fair includes agricultural exhibits, a craft show, food vendors, and carnival rides amongst other things.

Every summer on the last Saturday of August, Shippensburg holds the Corn Festival, an event that brings regional artisans and vendors to operate stands downtown.