Cumberland County Historical Society

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Carlisle, PA
Cumberland County Historical Society

Archives & Library hours:
By appointment - https://www.historicalsociety.com/make-an-appointment/
(2)

The mission of the Cumberland County Historical Society is to collect, preserve, interpret and promote research and education about the history of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

09/04/2026

Happy ! 🎓🎨

Today is all about rocking your school pride! Did you know Cumberland County is home to a rich mix of historic colleges, public universities, professional schools, and technical institutions?

Show your spirit for all of our local institutions:
🔴⚪ Dickinson College (Carlisle) – Red & White (Red Devils)
🔴🔵 Shippensburg University (Shippensburg) – Red & Blue (Raiders)
🔵⚪ Messiah University (Mechanicsburg) – Navy & White (Falcons)
🔵⚪ Penn State Dickinson Law (Carlisle) – Blue & White (Nittany Lions)
🔵🟡 Central Penn College (Summerdale) – Blue & Gold (Knights)
🛡️ U.S. Army War College (Carlisle Barracks) – Military Crimson & Gold
🔴⚫ HACC – Harrisburg Area Community College (Cumberland Valley Campus) – Red & Black (Hawks)

🎓 We want to know: What team or school are you repping today?

💬 Drop your school name or colors in the comments below!

09/03/2026

🍺 Cheers to a little Cumberland County history! 🍺

Roland Keck downs a mug of beer at the Bavarian Festival held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on September 3, 1976. The festival was sponsored by the Cumberland County Tourist Council and the Union Fire Company.

📸 Photo by Jim Bradley.

Do you remember attending the Bavarian Festival at the Carlisle Fairgrounds? Share your memories with us in the comments!

#1976

09/02/2026

Happy ! 🥥🐴

Did you know one of the most famous sound effects in history requires zero horses and two coconut halves? 🎬✨

Before digital sound libraries, sound artists (called Foley artists) discovered that banging two hollow coconut shells together created the perfect clip-clop of horse hooves on cobblestone, dirt, or wood.

🫱 Try it yourself next time you visit! Stop by our interactive sound exhibit to test out the rhythm:
🚶 Walk: clip... clop... clip... clop...
🐎 Trot: clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop!
🏇 Gallop: clip-a-clop, clip-a-clop!

How fast can you make your "horse" run? Tag us in your videos using the coconuts in our transportation section.

09/01/2026

📸 If you missed it earlier this year at Bosler, you have another chance to see it this fall!

Picture This: Carlisle Through the Years 🏛️

Carlisle turned 275 this year! 🎉 Celebrate this incredible milestone with Cara Curtis, Archives & Library Director at the Cumberland County Historical Society, as she shares fascinating photographs that tell the story of our town’s past.

From bustling streets and familiar landmarks to quiet corners and everyday moments, these images offer a unique look at how Carlisle has grown, changed, and stayed wonderfully itself through the years.

📍 This is NOT a “then and now” photo presentation—instead, enjoy a fascinating journey through Carlisle’s history, one photograph at a time!

Come discover Carlisle from a different perspective and see the stories hidden within these historic images.

https://www.historicalsociety.com/event/picture-this-photo-presentation-of-carlisle-through-the-years/

08/29/2026

Stop in and see what our gift shop has to offer!

08/28/2026

📣 Calling All Homeschoolers! 📣

Our 2026–2027 Homeschool Series is now available! Join us for a hands-on journey through history with our very own Education Director, Matthew March. 🏛️📚

The best part? CCHS members attend for FREE! Not a member yet? The cost is just $10 per child for each program.

Interested in becoming a member? We would be happy to chat with you and share all the wonderful reasons to join the Cumberland County Historical Society! Membership offers great benefits while helping support the preservation and sharing of our community's history.

We can't wait to learn, explore, and make history with you this school year!

https://www.historicalsociety.com/education/homeschool/

08/27/2026

🚂 Step back in time to August 27, 1973, with this view of the Reading Railroad station at Carlisle Junction. Once a bustling hub of rail transportation, stations like this connected Cumberland County to communities across Pennsylvania and beyond, playing a vital role in commerce and travel.

📸 Photo by Jim Bradley from the Cumberland County Historical Society collections.

08/26/2026

🐾 Today is National Dog Day! 🐾

What a great day to celebrate not just man’s best friend, but everyone’s best friend! ❤️🐶

Whether they are our loyal companions, adventure buddies, protectors, or simply the ones who are always happy to see us, dogs have a special way of bringing joy into our lives.

Share a photo of your favorite four-legged friend with us! 🐕🐾

08/25/2026

Even after 146 years, we are still discovering new photographs connected with the Carlisle Indian School.

While we have long had another image of Red Dog, Oglala Lakota, taken during his visit to the School in August 1880, this is the first photograph we have seen of him at the School itself.

In this remarkable image, Red Dog is pictured in front of the bandstand. Another photograph from his visit was taken at Choate’s studio, where he posed with students Lizzie Glode and Lucy Day.

Discoveries like these continue to add new pieces to the story of the Carlisle Indian School and remind us that there is always more history waiting to be uncovered.

Address

21 N Pitt Street
Carlisle, PA
17013

Telephone

+17172497610

Website

http://www.historicalsociety.com/

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