HOLIDAY CLOSINGS
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
McLain Festival – CCHS Closed
Join us at the McLain Festival
at the Two Mile House.
Monday, September 1, 2008
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During winter months, CCHS will observe the
same delayed opening schedule as the Carlisle School District.
Closings are dictated by the severity of the weather.
If in doubt, call 717-249-7610 for closing information.
| Two Mile House |
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Open Wednesdays 1:00pm - 4:00pm and by special appointment May through
December. |
Directions
New Interstate Exit numbers in the Carlisle
area
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Old Number
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New Number
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12
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44
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13
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45
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14
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47
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15
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48
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16
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49
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17
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52
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Maps / Parking Information :
Parking Information
The map below shows CCHS with its free but limited parking behind
the facility as well as metered parking nearby at the U.S. Post Office.
Other parking is available at the Pomfret Street Parking Garage.
For an even more detailed map sketching of
downtown Carlisle, click
here.
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Directions to the Cumberland County Historical Society :
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From I-76 (Turnpike):
Take Exit 52 South to Carlisle.
Make a right at bottom of exit ramp.
At 7th traffic light turn right on High Street.
Go one block and turn right on North Pitt Street -
red brick building on right hand side. To park,
go beyond building to alley, make a right and then
a right into lot behind building.
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From I-81 Northbound reflecting new Interstate exit numbers:
Take Exit 47 W (Hanover Street) north to Carlisle.
At 5th traffic light turn left on High Street.
Go one block and turn right on North Pitt Street -
red brick building on right hand side. To park,
go beyond building to alley, make a right and then
a right into lot behind building.
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From I-81 Southbound:
Take Exit 49 - High Street.
Stay to right at bottom of exit ramp.
At 7th traffic light turn right on North Pitt
Street - red brick building on right hand side.
To park, go beyond building to alley, make a right
and then a right into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 34 Southbound (from Perry County):
After passing Masland Carpets on the right and
crossing the railroad tracks and staying towards
the right onto North Hanover Street,
At third traffic light, turn right on West High
Street,
Take next right on North Pitt Street - red brick
building on right hand side. To park, go beyond
building to alley, make a right and then a right
into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 34 Northbound (from Mt. Holly,
Gettysburg, York Springs):
After going under the I-81 overpass, at the 5th
traffic light turn left on West High Street.
Take the next right to North Pitt Street - red
brick building on right hand side. To park, go
beyond building to alley, make a right and then a
right into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 641 (Newville Road):
Make a right under the railroad overpass.
Make a left at light to West High Street.
At 5th traffic light make a left on North Pitt
Street - red brick building on right hand side.
To park, go beyond building to alley, make a right
and then a right into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 11 Eastbound - Shippensburg, Chambersburg
(Carlisle or Ritner Pike or Molly Pitcher Highway):
After passing where Rt. 641 comes into Rt. 11,
Proceed on West High Street and at 5th traffic
light.
Make a left on North Pitt Street - red brick
building on right hand side. To park, go beyond
building to alley, make a right and then a right
into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 641 Westbound (from Mechanicsburg):
After going under the I-81 overpass,
At 7th traffic light turn right on North Pitt
Street - red brick building on right hand side. To
park, go beyond building to alley, make a right
and then a right into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 74 (Boiling Springs and Allenberry):
Take Forge Road or Rt. 74 North towards Carlisle.
After going under the I-81 overpass you are on
Old York Rd.
Continue to light at "T" and make a left to East
High Street.
At 6th traffic light make a right on North Pitt
Street - red brick building on right hand side.
To park, go beyond building to alley, make a right
and then a right into lot behind building.
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From Rt. 74 Southbound (Waggoners' Gap):
At "T" in road make a right.
Continue to West High Street, make a left.
At 2nd traffic light turn left on North Pitt
Street - red brick building on right hand side.
To park, go beyond building to alley, make a right
and then a right into lot behind building.
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To the Two Mile House :
Easy access from Route 81
If heading South on Route 81 take exit 45, turn left; if heading North
take exit 45 and turn right.
Proceed on the Walnut Bottom Road.
Admission
CCHS
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Members of CCHS are admitted free
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$5.00 library user fee (non-members)
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Students are admitted free
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Museum and special exhibits free to the public
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A docent is required for Museum touring
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Please call for group tour arrangements
The Two Mile House
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Free to the public
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We welcome group tours, please call for appointment and fee schedule.
Accessibility
The Historical Society and the Two Mile House are accessible
to
handicapped visitors.
Parking is also available at both sites.
History of the Cumberland County
Historical Society
When James
Hamilton, Jr., died in 1873, he left no heirs but he did leave a legacy
that has benefited historians and residents of Cumberland County for more
than a century. In his will he bequeathed a sum of $2,000 and a sixty-foot
square lot in downtown Carlisle for the establishment of a library.
James Hamilton, Jr., graduated from Dickinson College in 1812. Following
in his father's footsteps, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in
1816. He was described as "a respected lawyer and a person of affluent
circumstances who preferred living a quiet and retired life".
In writing the constitution of the Library, Hamilton's executors interpreted
his wishes. They were explicit that the Library was for "the advancement
of literature and the elucidation and preservation of the history of Cumberland
County. Accordingly on April 17, 1874, a "Hamilton Library and Historical
Association of Cumberland County" was proposed, making the Society one
of the first county historical societies established in Pennsylvania.
After the first fund raiser, a well publicized, "Grand Concert" held
in the local Opera House, the building "a very pretty and suitable structure
of brick and two-storied", was underway by the late spring of 1881.
For about 75 years the Society's primary efforts were directed toward
the development of the research library and the reading of historical papers.
During these years, however, the Society also acquired items, through gifts,
that were displayed in the reading room and in available space on the second
floor. The areas eventually evolved into gallery space.
After World War II development of a more effective museum became a priority.
Building expansions provided additional space. Efforts to build the museum
collections received generous support from the community. In the 1970s
exhibits were developed, modern record keeping and conservation practices
led the way for an active exhibition program.
During the 1980s the Society's financial base was enhanced by an endowment
campaign to hire professional staff. The endowment continues to grow today
under the guidance of an active Board of Directors.
Growth in activities has also resulted from the educational partnership
with the county's school districts established in 1989. The Society was
designated as the official Historical Society for the county by the County
Commissioners. In 1992 The Two Mile House was bequeathed to the Society
by Mary Wheeler King.
Increased visitation, membership and volunteers as well as increases
to the Society's collections during the last three decades caused a need
for more space. The Society completed a three-year capital campaign in
1996 to expand its building on Pitt Street. In 1997 the new addition was
opened and doubled the size of the Society's home.
Technology Grows at the Cumberland
County Historical Society
WOW! In the Winter 1999 edition of "Cumberland County History"
it was noted that the use of computer technology at the Cumberland County
Historical Society has grown dramatically since the purchase of our first
computer in 1984. Major growth occurred in 1997 with the generous
gift of George F. and Elizabeth V. Gardner of a computer system for the
library. This marked the real beginning of our computer revolution!
It is hard to believe how much the Society has relied on computerization
in 1999 alone. At the beginning of the year several Society staff members
were working closely with the newly created Computer Committee to develop
long range and short term goals for use of computer technology throughout
the Cumberland County Historical Society. One of those goals is to
organize Society collections in the Museum, Library, and Photo Archives
using computer technology. To achieve this the Society purchased
the computer software program, PastPerfect.
This software has kept the staff and trained volunteers busy.
Once we have completed entering information, this computer software will
maintain an inventory of all Museum, Library and Photo Archives holdings
at the Cumberland County Historical Society. The end result will be a more
efficient and effective way of locating and retrieving items throughout
the Society.
In 1998 a new computer was purchased for the Photo Archives.
This purchase facilitated the work of volunteer Homer Henschen, working
with Richard Tritt, to develop guidelines for utilizing PastPerfect in
the Photo Archives. Eight volunteers have now been trained to assist
with this effort. Thousands of photographs have been entered into
the system. During 1999 a scanner was purchased and is now part of
the process of documenting the Photo Collection. When information regarding
a specific photo is accessed through PastPerfect a picture of the image
appears along with the information on the computer screen.
1999 also saw the purchase of a new computer for the Museum. Prior to
this time the Museum staff and volunteers had to share computers with other
staff members and volunteers when the time was not necessarily convenient.
The purchase of the computer allowed the entering of Museum items into
the new software to move forward. Thanks to the foresight of the
late Dr. Warren Gates, who initiated a computerized data base of museum
objects, the Museum had the ability to move a step ahead of the Library
and the Photo Archives since his efforts were able to be easily transferred
to the PastPerfect software. Currently Museum staff and volunteers
are editing and entering newer accessions into PastPerfect.
In the Library, the staff worked with the Computer Committee and the
Library Committee to determine how the new PastPerfect software would best
assist the Library with the conversion of the library collections to Past
Perfect. It was decided during 1999 that a reclassification of the
library monograph collection would occur as information regarding these
books was added to PastPerfect. This reclassification will eliminate
a problem the Library has had for many years involving many books having
exactly the same call letters. In the revised system, each book will
have a unique call letter following professional library standards.
A procedure manual for the library was created for PastPerfect use in the
library. Volunteers such as Charlie Maclay, Kris Senecal, Bill McNaughton,
Mary Bamber, and Jane Long and the library staff have worked hundreds of
hours during 1999 adding the information into the computer system, replacing
call letter labels, reshelving books, replacing card catalog cards and
changing indexes. As the changes are implemented, visitors to the
library will discover changes to the current card catalog and in the not
too distant future will be able to use the library computer station to
search for information.
In addition to PastPerfect staff members and volunteers have actively
been using computers throughout the Society to apply for grant funding,
compose letters, create data bases, design in-house brochures, maintain
financial records and answer e-mail requests. With the creation of
the CCHS web page we have been able to reach a greater audience.
During 1999 the CCHS had over 10,000 'hits' to our Web Site and during
December 1999 the CCHS received 75 e-mail requests! This number rose
to almost 80,000 hits and well over 300 CCHS-specific e-mails weekly
by the end of 2002. This increase in activity has caused the much needed
creation of more volunteer positions. In December, 2002, our hopes
for networking became a reality with the connection of 18 computers for
Internet, E-mail and PastPerfect library software. Networking will
allow users to access information about the collections contained in the
Museum, Photo Archives and Library from anywhere in the building, through
the use of a central server system which is updated daily with new information
and acquisitions. We are PowerPoint-ready, a unique presentation software
package, with a dedicated laptop PowerPoint computer, digital projector
and software making our offerings not only portable, but in step with the
21st century. Presently, we utilize 26 computers, two complete networks,
and e-mail addresses for each member of the staff to make our experience
at CCHS the best we can for our patrons.
In April of 2005, we opened the new museum and added a Virtual Museum
Tour (red button at the left) showing what is offered in our museum for you, the virtual patron.
That tour may be accessed by using the navigation button at the left.
Another milestone was passed in April, 2008, when our award-winning
web page reached the 300,000 hit mark!
As of the beginning of 2007, we have almost 30 computers that handle various
jobs of word processing, financial work, marketing support,
Internet connection and research, extensive emailing, PastPerfect cataloging of
library, genealogical concerns, museum, and photo archive materials, book, journal, and research e-commerce, gift
shop items for sale, network administrations, photo scaning and reproduction,
and security cameras. What a technological journey we have undertaken!
