History, Art, Architecture, and a Long-Running Street Fair--All Part of Mechanicsburg's Charm

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania located in Cumberland County is very familiar to me. My grandmother lived there most of her life and all of mine and my father studied at the Mechanicsburg schools. Since she's been gone, I've been back a few times a year for various events. Once every several years I even lose my mind long enough to think it will be fun to join in the hustle and bustle of Jubilee Day, the longest-running, one-day street fair on the East Coast.

Jubilee Day started 92 years ago as the "Farmers and Merchants Jubilee Day." Today, it is held every third Thursday in June. During this time, Mechanicsburg's Main Street shuts down to accommodate approximately 70,000 visitors who attend the event and each year the press stands among the throngs to report on the food, the vendors and the musical entertainment on tap that day. I, too, was assigned there once. My job was to explain how technology plays a part in the festival these days. You can read all about it here. If attending Jubilee Day sounds like something you'd enjoy, you can learn more by clicking on this link. This year's extravaganza takes place on June 16 and runs from 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

One thing I also learned about Mechanicsburg in the last five years or so is that it has the dubious distinction of being the northernmost town to surrender formally to the Confederacy--but only after the townspeople fed the troops. Volunteers shared this interesting fact when I visit a re-enactment staged in a local park for a story in 2013. History buffs reported that Brig. Gen. Albert Jenkins demanded residents deliver 1,500 rations to the town hall within the course of 90 minutes. He punctuated his sentence with a gunshot.

Just this past Saturday, I learned more about the small town when I signed up for a walking tour hosted by the Mechanicsburg Museum Association. A group of about 10 gathered at the small museum located at 2 Strawberry Alley to view various artifacts like records dating back to the 1800's, which listed deliveries to numerous businesses around the area. I admired this picture which hung on the wall and scene of Mechanicsburg from years ago.

Seen inside the Mechanicsburg Museum.

The museum association is responsible for the preservation of the 1889 Washington Street Station, the 1866 Stationmaster's House, the 1886 freight station, the 1867 passenger station and the Frankenberger Tavern, which dates back to 1801.

The Stationmaster's House--take a virtual tour by clicking here.

Frankenberger Tavern built in 1801

Built by George Frankenberger, the tavern offered cattle drovers a place to sleep and a warm meal in exchange for a small fee. By all accounts, it was a successful business, due, in part, to the fact that Main Street was the main road from Harrisburg to Carlisle in the 1820's. In 1983, the structure was moved 100 feet from its original location to accommodate business development.

A fire swept through the house next door recently putting the historical structure in jeopardy . Thankfully, only a few logs in the back of the building were singed, but you can get a glimpse of the devastation in the following picture. John Klinger, our tour guide, informed the group that the association  acquired the adjacent lot and plans are in the works to clean it up and re-purpose the space.

The property next to the Frankenberger Tavern caught fire putting the historical structure in jeopardy.

Across the street from the passenger station of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, (which now serves as the museum) is the American House Hotel, which served diners and business travelers passing through the area. Today the structure has been converted into apartments.

Formerly the American House Hotel serving travelers passing through Mechanicsburg. 

This imposing building on Main and Market opened in 1926 as The First Bank & Trust Company. The site was once home to Franklin Hall. Erected in 1866, Franklin Hall housed municipal offices and a space to accommodate approximately 600 people for movies and concerts, and included a third-floor Masonic Lodge.

Old Franklin Hall built in 1866

Originally The First Bank & Trust Company circa 1926

Pre-civil war residences like the one below were also discussed during the walk. A retired teacher who was on the tour said he knew the man who lived at this house located at 240 Main and that the structure was used as a bakery during the war.

  

Although the facade was updated in 1957 to accommodate larger equipment, part of the current fire station dates back to 1907 and if visitors venture behind the building, they will see several pieces of history that have been preserved, including a hydrant dating back to 1858 and bells from Borough Hall and Irving College, which was founded in 1857 as the first women's college in Pennsylvania. An old fountain that served horses, humans and dogs is also located on the site.

Mechanicsburg's all-volunteer fire station

Artifacts behind the fire station

A fire hydrant dating back to 1858

The oldest public building in Mechanicsburg, known as the Union Church, was built in 1825 and never laid claim to a regular pastor or permanent congregation, but was used temporarily for a small fee by congregations who couldn't afford a place of worship.

Mechanicsburg's Union Church built in 1825

Another tribute to the past along the main road is the Eckels building. Dr. George Eckels and his brother Walter opened their drugstore located at 36 E. Main Street in 1879 and it remained in the Eckels family for a century. Built in 1857, the structure was once home to Dr. M.B. Mosser. The business, which today operates as an ice cream parlor, also serves diners. Wooden booths and tables date back to 1929 and a marble soda fountain evokes nostalgic memories. For this reason, a scene in the movie"Girl Interrupted" was filmed there in the 90's. If you visit, be sure to walk towards the back of the dining room to have a look around the Pharmacy Museum. The business is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Eckel's Ice Cream Fountain steeped in history

Below is a picture of Eckel's when it was owned by Dr. M.B. Mosser, before the storefront was added.

Two other structures, which I found interesting for their flaws are shown below. Our guide informed us that log structures were cobbled together here: 

And two buildings were fused together here in this structure that serves as a funeral home. You can see the seam quite clearly.

Located several steps up the road is what is known to locals as the"G Man," otherwise known as the "Gingerbread Man." I still remember my grandmother asking if I was going to the "G Boy" back in the day and getting quite the laugh. Curiously, it's up for sale. I'll have to follow up on this one since it's been a mainstay in the area for years, but then again, Grandpa's Growler recently closed up shop also. 

Jacob Hurst's Dry Good's Store circa 1911--in operation since 1865.

The "G Man" building used to be known as Jacob Hurst's Dry Good's Store and had operated on the site since 1865. Prior to that, it was a tavern and from 1936 to 1979 it was known as Klair's 5 Cents to Dollar store. 

For those who have yet to visit, downtown Mechanicsburg is safe and an easy walk comprised of just a few blocks. For retro fans, there's not only Eckels, but also Cache in the Attic. Art lovers will enjoy Metropolis Collective and 2nd Floor Gallery, which I wrote about in The Burg News here.

Handmade, artisan chocolates can be found at Brittle Bark  and history buffs will enjoy Civil War and More. 

These are but a few highlights of the charming town. The Museum Association is always planning new exhibits to share their enthusiasm for the history of the area, so if this type of information is also of interest to you, be sure to keep an eye on their website.

Roaming with the Wolves in Lancaster County

You may wonder what this post has to do with "Cheese Plates and Room Service," and I'll admit it is a stretch to say that this fits in with the theme, but  you could consider the Lititz Wolf Sanctuary a hotel for wildlife and instead of cheese plates, frozen turkeys and roadkill tend to be their snack of choice. Plus, there is an historic B&B onsite called "The Speedwell Forge Bed and Breakfast," where you can plan to stay if you visit the Sanctuary, so I suppose I'm not deviating from the theme too much this time. 

Rather than focusing on the onsite B&B however, I've chosen instead to describe the sanctuary due to the unique nature of the place. For those who enjoy wildlife, it's a must-see destination to add to your travel plans if you happen to be poking around Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The non-profit organization was borne out of love and dedication to the well-being of the wolves that lay claim to the sprawling expanse of land.

Darin Tompkins, caretaker at the sanctuary, tells the story of how it all began, explaining that founder and owner Bill Darlington was fascinated with wolves, allowing several to roam the property until the Pennsylvania Game Commission changed the rules in the 1980's. “They were considered pets, but when the rules changed making it illegal, Bill had to get a license and a permit to keep the animals. He fenced in part of his yard and owned five wolves at the time. Before long, the game commission began calling Bill to see if he could take in others whose owners couldn’t afford the permits, or the fencing, or just simply didn’t want to deal with the animals anymore.”

According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, due to a bounty that was placed on wolves starting in the late 1600's and continuing through the early 1900's, it's been 100 years since the last wild wolf existed in Pennsylvania.

Darlington certainly had the room to accommodate the wolves on his 120 acres of land, which once operated as a horse and dairy farm in the 1970's. “Until 1993, Bill funded it all himself. He invited friends over and took them on tours. They would spread the word and others would visit. Eventually Darlington established the wolf sanctuary as a non-profit and started doing tours to help with expenses,” said Tompkins.

When Darlington passed in 1998, his daughter Dawn took over and has been running the place with Tompkins ever since. “Since 2007, we’ve made a lot of changes, added new enclosures and revamped old ones to keep up with the changing laws," said Tompkins. Today the wolves roam approximately 30 acres in enclosed areas on the property.

Wolves at the Sanctuary in Lititz

Volunteering at the Wolf Sanctuary

Volunteers come from miles around and do everything from cleaning, to running the gift shop, to conducting tours. Guides stand at the front of each enclosure and feed raw meat to the wolves, who anxiously await their meals, much to the delight of the crowd. Guides engage the public, answering questions and imparting information on life, habits and behavior of the wolves on their property and in the wild. “We try to make it informative and educational,” said Tompkins.

Volunteers who achieve the rank of tour guides must first expend a lot of time and effort. “We require our volunteers to put in 500 hours to be a tour guide,” said Tompkins, adding that few are allowed behind the fences. “I don’t take just anybody in the pens. Volunteers have to learn our routines, know the animals, learn their and be aware of their body language.”

Wolves roam grounds of the Wolf Sanctuary in Lititz, Pa. 

Dennis Binkley has been a tour guide for approximately eight years now. The Lancaster County resident said, “I’ve always had a fascination with wolves and my wife and I went up six or seven years ago and we kept going back, so we signed up as volunteers.” His wife helps run the information center, while Dennis gives tours. “I love talking to people and educating them on the wolves,” he said. Binkley said the wolves aren’t vicious toward humans, but only about 10 of them permit touching. “We can interact with a few we bottle fed as puppies and they will rub against you, but if you reach down to try to touch them, they take off,” he said of the animals.

“Some come once or twice a year, others come quite often,” Tompkins said of the volunteers. “It’s hard to get people to volunteer during the week, which is why our tours are limited to specific days."

Feeding the Wolves

Because one wolf can eat 25-30 pounds of raw meat in one feeding, providing them with enough food can be very expensive, according to Tompkins. “Companies who distribute meat to grocery stores will sometimes bring it to us if the meat has been refused. For instance, once there was a leak and blood was on the boxes, so they called and asked us if we wanted it. People clean out their freezers sometimes and bring us food and sometimes when there is a power outage, people bring us food too. Hunters sometimes give us food as well.” The organization has also been known to receive calls when roadkill is spotted.

Visiting the Sanctuary

Tours are conducted at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from June through September. “We like to have the tours early before it gets too hot for the wolves,” said Tompkins. From October through May, public tours are held on Saturdays and Sundays starting at noon. Entry fees are $12 per person, $10 for children and $11 for senior citizens.

Tours are also conducted on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment.

The Bed and Breakfast, mentioned earlier, also belongs to Darlington and dates back to 1760. Two private cottages are situated on the property and feature eat-in kitchens, whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. The main house features three guest rooms and visitor staying there are permitted to tour the grounds for free.

For more information on the Bed and Breakfast visit Speedwell Forge B&B and to learn more about the Wolf Sanctuary visit at: www.wolfsanctuarypa.org.

Music, Art, Architecture and More in Historic Winchester, Virginia

If you're interested in a change of scenery, Winchester, Virginia is an interesting place to poke around. From my home base in Pennsylvania, it's less than a two-hour drive, so it's a convenient destination for a weekend getaway just to explore.

Fans of music legend Patsy Cline can tour her childhood home from April through October and architecture enthusiasts can download a handy self-guided walking tour of the area. Those interested in the arts can visit a museum containing thousands of artifacts and history buffs can choose from any number of guided tours to learn more about the region.

These are just a few suggestions on what to do and see when visiting the city.

Take a Walking Tour

A handy self-guided walking tour titled, “250 years of History and Architecture” is available online here and will take you on a short walk to 29 different destinations from the Old Frederick County Courthouse, to George Washington’s Office Museum, which served as Washington’s headquarters during the French and Indian attacks. The final destination on the tour will take you to the historic George Washington Hotel built in 1924.

The Old Court House Civil War Museum

An old stone house on Loudoun Street

The George Washington Hotel

Listed among the Historic Hotels of America, the George Washington Hotel is centrally located and convenient to area attractions.

The tidy, five-story brick building was one of the first “fire-proof” hotels to be built in the United States and visited by many luminaries throughout the years, from Bob Hope to Lucille Ball and Betty Crocker, who hosted an apple pie baking contest there as part of the popular Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

In addition to providing comfortable accommodations, the hotel offers visitors a glimpse of historic artifacts displayed in glass cases throughout the property. Other amenities include an onsite restaurant called Georges and live entertainment at the Half -Note Lounge.

Guests of the hotel can relax in an impressive and luxurious Roman-style indoor pool located on the lower level.

Shop and Dine on Loudoun Street

Not far from the George Washington Hotel is Loudoun Street, an outdoor "mall" where tourists can steps inside historic buildings like the Old Court House Civil War Museum and Miller’s Drug Store, known as the "oldest continuing family-run drug store" in America.

Restaurants line the streets, giving visitors ample dining choices and during the warmer months customers gather outside at tables, shielded from the sun by over-sized umbrellas, where they enjoy eating, drinking and people watching.

Shoppers and window shoppers alike will be pleased with the eclectic variety of shops, which offer an array of unique items.

Learn More about Patsy Cline

This year marks the 53rd anniversary of the untimely death of Virginia “Ginny” Patterson Hensley, otherwise known as legendary singer “Patsy Cline,” who met an untimely death at the young age of 30 due to an airplane crash.

Her childhood home is tucked away on a small, residential street in Winchester and is open to visitors from April through October. Located on the National Register of Historic places, the humble abode Cline shared with her mother from 1948-1957 appears how it would have looked when Patsy was growing up there and is furnished with personal items owned by the family. Relatives were consulted to help ensure the authenticity of the decor.

Cline's childhood home on Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia

Guests can view the small living room where she practiced her music, the sewing area where her mother crafted her outfits, the kitchen nook where many a conversation likely took place and the bedrooms where they laid their heads to rest each night.

A bedroom in the Cline house.

The Cline living room.

Volunteers Moe and Bill Hull will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the beloved singer and will even play you a clip of her first-ever professional appearance, circa 1957, where she sang “Walkin’ after Midnight,” on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.

A nook in the Cline kitchen provides a view to a large backyard.

A sewing area where Patsy's mom made her outfits.

The 45-minute tours are held from Tuesday through Sunday from April through October. To schedule a tour, click here. 

Visit “Stonewall” Jackson’s Headquarters

Stonewall Jackson's headquarters

Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson’s headquarters sits back among other houses in a residential area along a tree-lined street. Those visiting during the warmer months will likely witness neighbors out and about doing landscaping work in the yards of their private homes.

Jackson was known as a fearless soldier who arrived in Winchester in 1861 and set up headquarters at the Taylor Hotel, drawing so much attention that he was offered to use a vacant house on Braddock Street by Lt. Col. Lewis Moore, the great grandfather of actress Mary Tyler Moore.

Today the house showcases much of the original furnishings purchased by Moore in the 1850's, along with personal and professional artifacts of Jackson, many of which were donated by Jackson’s granddaughter.

On display are personal items like his prayer book, his prayer table, a lock of his hair, his death mask and pictures of Jackson’s family.

Docents tell the story of “Stonewall” Jackson while leading visitors through the house and sharing excerpts from his logs. In one particularly interesting log entry, Jackson describes in detail the wallpaper he admired in the room where he worked. This original wallpaper was uncovered during a renovation and Mary Tyler Moore decided to replicate it as close to the original as possible so visitors can get a feel for what Jackson found so striking so many years ago.

The house is open for tours from April 2 to October 31, seven days a week. For more information click here. 

Learn about the Art, History and Culture of the Shenandoah Valley

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley

Open Tuesday through Sunday, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley provides a glimpse into the arts, history and culture of the region.

Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Michael Graves, the museum showcases more than 11,000 pieces, which make up the permanent collection and includes baskets, ceramics, textiles, furniture and more. Many of the objects can be viewed by online by clicking on this link. 

The Glen Burnie House located on the grounds dates back to the 18th century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Those who visit during the warmer months can tour six acres of gardens that are open from April through October.

Gardens of the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (picture courtesy of Judy Watkins, Virginia Tourism Corporation) 

Now that the weather is improving, it's a great time of year to visit the region. Please keep in mind some attractions are closed on Mondays, so be sure to visit the individual websites before making final plans.