Recent

As America commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War there is a renewed interest in the history of the conflict, its battles and its impacts. This paper looks at what came to be referred to as the "Battle of Papertown," an incident that resulted in the death of a young Carlisle man.

William Petrikin immigrated to America from Scotland and settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania sometime in 1785. He arrived in the midst of a period of intense political activity when, after the victory for independence, citizens across the newly formed republic turned their attention to the formation of their government. "An ardent love of liberty was the cause of his emigration" and he wasted little time in immersing himself in the politics of his new community, state and nation.

The 2013 issue of Cumberland County History marks the 30th year of publication of the Journal. That alone is an important milestone, but it is also appropriate at this time to acknowledge the significant contribution to the success of this publication made by Executive Director, Linda F. Witmer. Her ongoing support for the Journal has made it possible to continue publication during the rich and the lean times at CCHS. She has made an indelible mark on the Society in so many ways and this publication, in its thirtieth year speaks to the success of her tenure at the Society.

The Indian Industrial School operated on the site of what is now known as Carlisle Barracks from 1879 to 1918. The school has been extensively documented and its best known student, Jim Thorpe, put Carlisle in the international spotlight for his performance at the Olympic Games in 1912.