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Focus on the Collections: Flags

In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the composing of the poem, “The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, the staff has selected three items related to the theme, flags. Although in no way related to the iconic flag from Fort McHenry, the information about flags in our collections will hopefully be of interest and illustrate the uniqueness of our collections

A Tugboat Named Carlisle

Carlisle, the town, is widely known. Its place in history is secured by the accomplishments of many famous residents, institutions and events. It has earned many accolades over the centuries but there is one unique honor bestowed upon the community that is little known and that is the fact that the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad named one of their tugboats Carlisle.

The Letter

Alexandria, [District of Columbia], 25 February 1810. Thomas Cruse sat down, opened his desk, took out a clean sheet of paper, dipped his pen in the bottle of ink and wrote “Dear Sir.” He was writing to his brother-in-law, Judge James Hamilton of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Samuel Postlethwaite: Trader, Patriot, Gentleman of Early Carlisle

Largely overlooked in local histories, Samuel Postlethwaite deserves a prominent place on a list of early Cumberland County notables. A frontier trader, he helped supply the Continental Army in the American Revolution and played an active role in Cumberland County’s government and social institutions during the early days of the American Republic. In the 1790’s, he served in the Pennsylvania legislature as the senator from Cumberland County.

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