This magnificent Federal limestone residence was built in 1820 when Walnut Bottom Road served as a busy thoroughfare for travelers, farmers and merchants plying their trade.  From 1826 to 1857 it served as The James Given Tavern where many a weary traveler stopped to quench their thirst, spend the night and enjoy the tavern’s simple fare.  CCHS was bequeathed the property by Mrs. Mary Wheeler King in 1992 and has been the proud steward of the mansion, preserving and maintaining it ever since. 

Two Mile House, so-named because of its distance from Carlisle’s town square, contains 12 rooms, 10 with fireplaces featuring Doric-style pilasters and a central panel with oval medallion.  The first floor’s central passage, dominated by an open staircase, is flanked by double parlors and the kitchen boasts an enormous cooking fireplace. 

The mansion including its five acres of landscaped property is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Come Visit!  The Two Mile House is free and open to the public from May thru September on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00pm, or by appointment.  The site is open every year on Labor Day for the annual McLain Celtic Festival and is also available to rent for your special occasion.

The Two Mile House       
Photo by Rachel Drumheller      

Donate!  The Cumberland County Historical Society has been the proud steward of the Two Mile House since 1992 when it was bequeathed to us by Mrs. Mary Wheeler King.  Maintaining and preserving this historic site is a job we take very seriously but which often puts a drain on our already strained resources.  If you would like to help us take care of this magnificent piece of our past so that we can all enjoy it for years into the future, please consider making a donation.