Index of Cumberland County Birth, Wedding, Divorce & Obituary Newspaper Records - 2003
This index runs from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2003.
Book Review: Pictorial History: Shippensburg Area, Big Spring Area, Carlisle Area, Mechanicsburg Area and West Shore Area
Merri Lou Schaumann, ed., Pictorial History: Shippensburg Area, Big Spring Area, Cm-lisle Area, Mechanicsburg Area and West Shore Area (Carlisle: Cumberland County 250'" Anniversary Committee, 2000). 5 volumes, 96 pp. each. Photographs, maps. $16.95 each volume, $75.00 set.
This series is a treasure trove of images that reveal our county's rich history during the age of photography, as well as before. It is not an attempt to expose in depth any particular subject or place, but rather offers a broad, sweeping overview of scenes, both remarkable and mundane, that one might have seen about the county in decades and centuries gone by. In these days when we are so inundated by written information at work and home that many people forego reading as a pastime in favor of television and the like, what a splendid way to make the past easily and visually accessible to all age groups and to encourage interest therein!
The arrangement and layout of the books is well thought out. Divided into five affordable, soft cover volumes - one each for the Shippensburg area, Big Spring area, Carlisle area, Mechanicsburg area and West Shore area - the series spans the county, offering chapters on each township and borough. An 1872 map at the beginning of each volume shows the geographical locations of the municipalities and at least some of the villages featured therein. Within each municipality's chapter, photos documenting particular villages, hamlets, streets, institutions, families, or events are usually grouped together, and within that grouping, displayed in chronological order. This allows the reader to view the progression of time, and to get a sense of how the passing years affected the people, buildings, and landscapes of each locality. One can watch with fascination the local evolution of family and community life, architecture, commerce, industry, transportation, technology, aesthetics, fashion, and forms of recreation.
The collection of images is quite comprehensive, being drawn not only from the archives of the Cumberland County Historical Society and other local repositories, bur also from the private collections of residents. The generosity of the individuals who contributed these photographs, whether to historical institutions or directly to this project, cannot be overstated. Hopefully, many others who view and appreciate these images will realize the benefits of donating historical materials in their own possession to appropriate local repositories, where the information can be permanently preserved and shared with the public.