Mercersburg is located in
Franklin County just southwest of
Chambersburg along Highway 16 near the Tuscarora Trail and the Maryland state line.
Buchanan's Birthplace State Park is just north. The park commemorates President James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, who was born here. Mercersburg was visited frequently by Confederate raiders during the Civil War. The James Buchanan Hotel was built in 1796 by James Buchanan, Sr., and was the boyhood home of the future president. The building was later converted to a hotel and listed as a state historical marker. Many more local buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.