Carlisle: All-American Spirit and History

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Karen Hendricks

Colonial-style China, featured at 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion, Carlisle

By Karen Hendricks

As we celebrate Presidents Day, here’s a piece of Pennsylvania-themed presidential trivia:

Only one president has ever acted as commander-in-chief of troops in the field. Which president? What was the situation?

Answer: President George Washington acted as commander-in-chief of troops while staying in Carlisle, Pennsylvania for a week in 1794 when he organized federal suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. That’s because Carlisle was Washington’s choice for the location of our first arsenal and school for the U.S. Army.

These fascinating facts relate to two stories I recently covered for two regional magazines. Both stories are based in Carlisle, a quaint, charming historical town that also features a fun, hip vibe. In 2015, Carlisle was named one of America’s Top 100 Best Small Towns in 2015 by Livability.com (Carlisle came in at #16).

All-American Spirit: Carlisle’s 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion, published in the February 2017 issue of Susquehanna Style, is a restaurant review for popular downtown spot, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion. It’s all very straightforward and comfortable: a simple and traditional American menu, blended with whiskey and history. Click here to read more!

Also location in Carlisle, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) is considered the nation’s leading cover-jan-feb-2017-celebrate-gettysburg organization dedicated to educating and preserving the legacy of Americans who have served their country as U.S. army soldiers.

The range, depth, and breadth of USAHEC is staggering: a 54-acre site housing 16 million military items (and growing), including what’s considered the world’s largest collection of Civil War photographs with a grand total of 1.7 million military photographs. USAHEC not only includes an indoor museum component, but also outdoor exhibits, and an extensive library, archives, and artifacts collection—all free and open to the public. “It’s one of the treasures of our region,” says Aaron Jumper, communications coordinator of the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

And enjoy a collection of behind-the-scene photos taken during my research and interviews for both stories! (Click on any photo to arrow through the collection.)

Downtown Carlisle, PA

A rustic eatery, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion:

1794 The Whiskey Rebellion, High Street, Carlisle

Deviled duck eggs, one of the most popular choices, come in three delicious varieties—traditional, smoked trout and chipotle gorgonzola.

Colonial-style China, featured at 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion, Carlisle

Behind the bar, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion

Colonial style dining room, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion

Welcome to 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion

Rustic touches, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion

Susquehanna Style photographer Donovan Roberts Witmer works his magic

Always a pleasure working with Susquehanna Style photographer Donovan Roberts Witmer

The whiskey menu: 50+ selections

Colonial-era roofing slates add to the decor

1794 The Whiskey Rebellion, High Street, Carlisle, PA

USAHEC’s mile-long Army Heritage Trail connects 14 interactive exhibits

Outdoors exhibits, USAHEC

Tanks, inside and outside, at USAHEC

U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, PA

Welcome to the interacive Soldier Experience, telling the Army’s story, one solider at a time

Each visitor’s “dog tag” reveals an actual soldier’s story

See if you can follow instructions from your drill leader!

Take aim, in this interactive display

Experience the parachute!

With a total collection of 16 million military items , USAHEC keeps the “Treasures” exhibit well-stocked

Lindsay Strehl, USAHEC outreach and programs coordinator

Strehl points out her favorite artifact

Civil War veterans hand-wrote their memories, in this large ledger created during a ceremony held by the Carlisle GAR

Strehl’s enthusiasm for history is contagious!

Vietnam exhibit, USAHEC

Veterans are welcome to record their stories at USAHEC

Find out the fate of your soldier by scanning your dog tag at the end

Art helps many soldiers cope with the stress of their military service

Featured artwork

“My memories of Korea aren’t colorful.” – John A. Cook

All eras of history are covered at USAHEC

Numerous soldiers’ stories personalize a visit to USAHEC

A more recent component of today’s warfare

Interactive displays bring history to life

Engaging facts and stories spark an appreciation for our military history

Write a letter to an actual soldier serving today.

Introducing the Ice Man

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Karen Hendricks

Ernie DiMartino

By Karen Hendricks

Despite the cold temperatures, a handful of outdoor winter festivals thrive, mainly due to the warm, welcoming central Pennsylvania communities in which they’re hosted. Organizers say warm community hospitality is the key to shaking off the winter blues during Chambersburg’s IceFest, January 26-29, or the Lititz Fire & Ice Festival, February 17-20. Both celebrations feature fantastic ice sculptures lining downtown districts, free or low-cost admission and a festive spirit woven throughout community-wide events.

Click here to read my latest story for Susquehanna Style magazine, Frozen Fever: Ice Festivals Bring Warmth to Winter in Central PA (January 2017).

Photo Courtesy: Chambersburg IceFest

Photo Courtesy: Lititz Fire & Ice Festival

And meet the talented man who is carving out a name for himself, “Ice Man” Ernie DiMartino:

“Our major tool is the chainsaw—modified to make it faster or more powerful, plus die grinders, disc sanders, and ice chisels,” says Ernie DiMartino, owner of DiMartino Ice, who provides the creative talents behind both festivals’ ice sculptures.

The majority of one-block sculptures are created and stored at his Pittsburgh-area facility in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. He begins carving Chambersburg’s sculptures in September.

DiMartino’s team includes about 10 sculptors including two nephews and his stepson, but whom he says are all “like family.”

Ice-carving became a part of the family-owned ice business about 25 years ago when a neighbor, trained as a chef, taught DiMartino his skills in order to diversify the business. Today, DiMartino Ice provides sculptures for 13 annual festivals concentrated in the winter months.

“There’s a greater demand for interactive carving today—for example, a snowman with a space for visitors to put their faces where the snowman’s face would be. Or Cinderella’s horse and carriage which we created last year in Chambersburg, with people able to sit in the carriage,” DiMartino says. “Sponsors love it and people love it because they post the pictures on social media and share the fun.”

DiMartino says visiting Chambersburg and Lititz every winter is like going home. “I feel and the rest of team feel a part of those communities; we are very well received; we eat together as a family with festival organizers, for example. It’s nothing we ever asked for; it just evolved. In Lititz, Dawn Rissmiller opens her home to us. In Chambersburg, Café Italiano opens the restaurant to cook breakfast for us. Some of my guys are chefs–they jump in and help cook breakfast. We return for lunch and dinner too because they’re like family.”

“I never go on vacation,” DiMartino says with a laugh. “I’m always trying to find time for vacation; I think I’d like to go to Chambersburg or Lititz in the summer.”

Ernie DiMartino

Ice-Cold Facts:

One block of sculpture ice weighs 265 pounds.
It takes the sculptors one hour of labor for every block of ice carved.
It takes four refrigerated trucks to haul the sculptures from Jeannette to each festival.
Largest sculpture DiMartino ever built: Chambersburg’s ice slide created from 75 blocks of ice, measuring 40 feet long.
Highest sculpture DiMartino ever built: An 18-foot high Eiffel Tower for First Night State College.

Links:

Trail Blazing

Posted on June 9, 2016 by Karen Hendricks

Cumberland Valley Rail Trail / Credit: Cumberland County Visitors Bureau

By Karen Hendricks

The rails-to-trails movement–converting unused railroad lines into recreational trails–is “on track” with today’s environmentally-friendly, recycling movement. There are numerous rail trails located in central Pennsylvania, such as York County’s Heritage Rail Trail and Cumberland County’s Cumberland Valley Rail Trail.

In fact, Pennsylvania is one of the top states for trail mileage (1,763 miles) and number of trails (173), according to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to “transforming unused rail corridors into vibrant public places.”

While I was researching rail trails, bike paths, and bicycle-friendly communities, I met some of the kindest, most genuine people who truly care about communities and ensuring that outdoor recreation is part of their community’s mix: Continue reading →

Brewing Big Business

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Karen Hendricks

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By Karen Hendricks

If you’re a small business owner like me, you’re in the majority. What?

That’s right, the nation’s 28 million small businesses account for 54% of all sales in the U.S. And, small businesses provide 55% of all American jobs, according to the US Small Business Administration.

It’s a great time to celebrate the collective power and the sheer vitality small businesses bring to our marketplaces, through Small Business Saturday, this Saturday, November 28, 2015. Small Business Saturday, and its growing support, has a correlation to a freelance magazine article I recently wrote:

Here in Pennsylvania, there’s a movement of small, fiercely-independent businesses that collectively are brewing big business–the craft beer industry. Continue reading →