The number and variety of crimes committed by members of a society, the types of crimes occupying the attention of that society's law enforcement personnel, and the degree of enthusiasm and skill that they and their fellow citizens exhibit in punishing offenders reveal much about that community.
Agricultural fairs of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries contributed significantly to the dynamics of American rural life. Of such fairs the one held at Williams Grove annually from 1873 through 1916 was among the most important not only regionally but nationally as well.
William and Lydia Longsdorf raised an exceptional brood. Their children, one in particular, literally, caused bells to ring and lights to go out. The Longsdorfs erased tradition when it stood between them and their legitimate goals.
One mission of Cumberland County History is to make available to a wider audience than might otherwise see them documents pertaining to Cumberland County.
Since the end of WWII Lower Allen Township has experienced a great growth in population and an accompanying change in character from rural to urban and suburban. There is concern in many quarters that continual growth will result, inexorably, in the destruction of part of its cultural heritage, that is, its old houses, mills, barns, and other structures which now dot the countryside.
The Hoge family of America is of pure Scottish ancestry. Their ancestors came from the heart of Scotland, near Edinburgh, where they lived until religious and political difficulties drove them away.