Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society

Just a reminder, if you would like to order a Gretna t-shirt, the deadline is May 1. Please click on this link if you would like to order. https://bit.ly/3u3TnPt

Welcome spring and summer in style with a "Spirit of Gretna" t-shirt created by our very own Sara Williams. If you would like to order a shirt, please click on the link below to download the order form. https://bit.ly/3u3TnPt Orders and money are due by May 1. Thank you for you continued support!

At this time, we are no longer accepting T-shirt orders. We have sent in the last order. However, due to the weather and Covid there may be a delay in getting shirts for the holiday. Thank you so much for your understanding and your support. We wish you all a joyous holiday.

To learn more about "If Cottages Could Talk" project and a written example, please go to our website: https://mtgretnahistory.org/ Click on Gretna Chronicles Click on Gretna Chronicles Newsletter Winter 2020 and go to pages 7-11 for more detailed information and paper copies to complete. We hope to hear from many of you!

Cottage Research Instructions You may complete your cottage history information two ways; using the paper or online form: If Cottages Could Talk: The History of My Mount Gretna Cottage/Home. Please note, if you would like to submit your form online, you must complete all information at once. 1. Submitting by mail:... Download the form and print at home. Submit the completed form and any documentation such as pictures, deeds (copies or scans) to the Mount Gretna Area Historical Society. (address below) 2. Submitting Online, please follow the steps below: a. Make sure you have all your documentation completed to enter onto the form. b. Click on the link provided to enter your information onto the Google form. c. Enter all the information at one time, the form will not save your information if you do not complete at one time. d. When finished hit the send button located in the upper right-hand corner to send your completed document. e. Photos and other documentation can be mailed separately to MGAHS. MGAHS Address Phone Number MGAHS 717-964-1105 PO Box 362 Mount Gretna, Pa. 17064 Online form link: https://forms.gle/MGg9pyXDUYnm5r4RA

We are here for T-shirt pick up and here is another satisfied customer!

Correction: Monday, Dec. 7 you can pick up your T-shirts behind the Post Office. This is Monday only! Saturday morning and Thursday evening T-shirt pick up will still be at the Historical Society.

Reminder....tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 5, you can pick up your T-shirt order at the Historical Society from 9-12. Other dates and times for T-shirt pick up at MGAHS porch: Monday, December. 7 from 9-11 AM Thursday, December 10 from 5-6:30 PM.... We will be sending in a second order for T-shirts on Friday, December 11. Please send your check and order form to the MGAHS. We are hoping they will be here for Christmas. Below is a picture of the decal that is also available for $5. We will have them at T-shirt pick up! Make great stocking stuffers! We again thank you for your continued support.

T-Shirts are here and you can pick them up this Saturday, December 5 at the Historical Society from 9-12. We will be on the front porch. We also will have MGT decals for sale for $5. Again, we thank you for your support!

We are truly thankful for all of you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day.

T-shirt update.... The initial order has been placed and should arrive by December 1. We will be in touch for pickup instructions. We also will have a magnetic decal available at pick up, these are $5 and make great stocking stuffers.... Again, we want to thank everyone for your continued support, we appreciate all of you!

We want to thank everyone for the tremendous support we have received for the Spirit of Gretna t-shirts. The deadline for orders is November 1. Look for an announcement mid November for when t-shirts can be picked up. Again, we thank you for your continued support of the Historical Society.

Update! Someone from the Mt. Gretna Historical Society will also be outside the Post Office this Saturday, October 10, from 8:30am-10:30am with Spirit of Gretna t-shirt information.

If you would like to place an order or see the shirts: Ralph Zimmerman will be outside the Post Office this Tuesday, October 6 and Thursday, October 8 between 9 and 11:30, he will have samples of the shirt and will be able to take orders. These would make great Christmas gifts! All proceeds will benefit the Mount Gretna Historical Society. We truly appreciate your support.

Please click on the link below for order form. https://drive.google.com//1zJhoefXRsuQw01sqlNo6lmS7t/view

We are very excited to share that we will be selling T-shirts to benefit the Mount Gretna Historical Society. Please see the attached order form to order "Spirit of Gretna" T-shirts, designed by Gretna's very own Sara Williams. We appreciate your support!

Remember these banners? Of course you do! They are visible throughout Campmeeting and Chautauqua. We have three of these decorative and collectible banners left. Contact us at mtgretnahistory.org if you are interested in owning and displaying one. Banners are $100 each which covers our cost!

We are very excited to share with you our online video tour of the Historical Society! Please go to our website: mtgretnahistory.org to view the virtual tour. Special thanks to Josh Zaring for doing the video and all the people involved who helped create this wonderful virtual tour.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Labor Day.Wishing everyone a wonderful Labor Day.

Have you ever wondered about the history of your cottage? How did your cottage get its name? Are there any special stories about your cottage? The Historical Society is excited to announce that we will have resources for you to do research on your cottage and then share what you learn. Please check back in two weeks for more information! Below, is Cool and Tranquil IDRO cottage, located on Second Street in the Campmeeting. The first picture is taken in 1905 and the second picture is taken in 2016.

Nearly a year has passed since the Soldiers Field dedication (7.27.2019) and the awesome re-enactment of Camp Hastings. I made this video shortly after and mana...ged to wait almost a year to post it. by @joshzaring #mtgretnahistory #mtgretnalife #mountgretna @ngphistoryproject @mountgretnamuseum See more

Award Presented to Mt. Gretna Historical Society’s Past President On Tuesday, July 14, the Board of Directors of the Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society presented Susan Hostetter, Immediate Past President of the organization, with its prestigious Buch Award. This award, which was established by the Historical Society in 2015, was created to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves through exemplary dedication to and support of the Historical Society’s mission of... preserving and promoting Mt. Gretna’s rich history. The award is named in honor of Fred and Ruth Buch, two of the founders of and major contributors to the Society. Susan Hostetter is the fourth person to receive the award. Current Historical Society President Ralph Zimmerman presented Susan with the award and also unveiled a plaque, which will bear the names of all Buch Award recipients, that will hang in the Mt. Gretna Museum. Susan, who served as President of the Historical Society from 2014 2020, was instrumental in raising the profile of the Historical Society and its Museum. During her tenure as President, the organization saw an expansion in its program schedule, growth in its volunteer base and the addition of children’s programs. Susan also oversaw the major role played by the Historical Society in helping coordinate the year-long 125th Anniversary celebration for Mt. Gretna’s Campmeeting and Chautauqua areas in 2017. The Historical Society Board extends its appreciation to Susan for her strong leadership and many contributions to the organization.

What a great idea! Please share why you love your porch with Gretna Music! Send your submission photo to [email protected]

After much discussion the MGAHS Board has decided that we will not be opening the museum this year due to safety concerns for our docents and visitors. We ask that you visit our website as we are planning some exciting virtual events.

Kelly Adams, granddaughter of Mary Weidman Adams, made a short film during the two months in quarantine at her family cottage in Campmeeting. Plase go to our website to watch this amazing video. The video is under The Cottage in our Quarantine Stories & Photos.

Happy Memorial Day, let us not forget all who served so we could be free. We thank you

We are sad to announce that the following events are cancelled due to Covid-19: Events held in the Hall of Philosophy: 1. Jean-Paul Benowitz: James Buchannan and Thaddeus Stevens. (July 3)... 2. Local Iron masters: Huber, Stiegel, and Coleman (July 10) June and July History on the Porch has been cancelled also.

Please support our local fire company!

Your Opportunity to Help Us Document History in the Making: Collecting Your Stories and Photos We are living in one of the most unique times in history. It is only natural that Mount Gretna Area Historical Society is creating a digital archive of stories, photos and videos that tell the story of the Mount Gretna area during this time and which future... generations will appreciate. We need YOUR HELP. These photos, taken by Pat Allwein, show current scenes from around the town. Would you (from kids to adults) send in a photo and/or video, story, poem or song that captures your experience during this time? It's OK that you might not be here in Mount Gretna right now. You have a connection to Mount Gretna and that's enough. It can be from wherever you are living right now. If you live in the Mount Gretna area, would you take a photo that shows how you are "making lemonade out of lemons"?? If you can take a photo that has an identifying mark that shows where it was taken that's even better. We get wonderful old photos donated to us but often they have no identifying text or landmarks on them to place them as part of Mount Gretna's story so text and date or some familiar landmark accompanying the photo is important. You can email us your stories, and photos by sending to [email protected] For videos, because of the file size, if you know how to put them in Google Drive or Dropbox and then send us the link that would be best or email us and we will figure out another way to transfer them. We'd like to make a whole webpage of your stories and photos and keep a digital copy for our archives; a sort of time capsule. P.S. One suggestion to pass the time, make sure your family photos don't end up like the ones we get. Add descriptions on their backs. 100 years from now your family will thank you! See more

It is a beautiful first Saturday morning in May. Wishing all of you a great day and hope everyone is safe and well.

Time for Timely Trivia Who wrote the book, Phantom of the Forest a children’s mystery book about Hotel Conewago? The answer is...Ann Hark!

Time for Timely Trivia Who wrote the book, Phantom of the Forest a children’s mystery book about Hotel Conewago?Time for Timely Trivia Who wrote the book, Phantom of the Forest a children’s mystery book about Hotel Conewago?

Good morning! The answer for Timely Trivia is: a. 2 feet... The standard gauge parent railroad was 4 feet eight and a half inches.

A message from the Board: We have all been receiving and seeing many messages about the impact Covid-19 is having on organizations. The Mount Gretna Area Historical Society Board of Trustees is following closely the recommendations from the PA Department of Health and Governor Wolf. Volunteers continue to help with keeping our technology up and running, updating our Facebook and website, archiving and organizing documents, maintaining our building and grounds and cleaning the... interior of the building all at a distance or alone. We have a number of summer programs planned. We will keep you informed as soon as we know if they will occur: June 13, July 11th, August 8th - History on the Porch Join local history buffs on the Historical Society porch @ 10:00am for coffee and informal conversation, questions and answers about local history. July 3rd Jean-Paul Benowitz James Buchanan and Thaddeus Stevens: Lancaster Neighbors but Not Friends. Similarities and differences of two neighbors in Lancaster City who have impacted American history in two very different ways as well as explaining their connections to local history. 7pm in the Hall of Philosophy July 10th Dick Martin: Local Ironmasters: Huber, Stiegel, Coleman. Colonial charcoal iron production demanded the first organization of labor and community in our region, and had lasting effects on to our heritage and history. 7pm in the Hall of Philosophy July 18th History Walk: Take a guided walk around Campmeeting with Ron Hontz. Meet in the church parking lot at 11am. It goes without saying that we need your continued support in the way of renewing your membership and continued volunteer efforts. We are grateful that you recognize the importance of preserving our history. Even now, we are collecting and preserving items from today which will become a permanent record for others to view many years from now. Thank you for being a part of MGAHS. Be safe and be well.

Time for Timely Trivia! What was the gauge between the rails on the Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railroad? a. 2 feet... b. 3 feet c. 4 feet d. 4 feet 8 1/2 inches See more

The Mount Gretna Historical Society was established in 2004.

Time for Timely Trivia.... What year was the Mount Gretna Historical Society established? a. 2000 b. 2002 c. 2004

Wonderful website if you would like to learn some historic information about Mount Gretna: Tutouria.com select Mt. Gretna then Start Tour... you will be brought to a map above the word map at the upper left will be 3 dots with lines(ellipses) click on this and it will take you 15 different sites in Mount Gretna. Videos are very informative! Enjoy

Answer to Saturday’s Timely Trivia: D: 25 cents

Good morning! We hope this finds all of you well and safe. Beginning today, we are going to start what we are calling, Timely Trivia. We will post a question on Saturday and then again on Wednesday. Enjoy! Here is your first question:... 1. What was the fare on the Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railroad for a round trip from Mount Gretna to Governor Dick? A. 10 cents B. 15 cents C. 20 cents D. 25 cents

Opportunity Knocks! We have been offered first chance on the wonderful carousel goat, circa 1905, which was in Robert Coleman’s Mount Gretna Park. This goat is well-traveled but has its original paint and currently lives in Lebanon County. Its owner would like to keep it in Mount Gretna (to join its three other cousins now living at the Historical Society) and has offered us first chance to purchase it. We need to raise $20,000 to claim it. If you are interested in donating to this project by mid-April, please call us at 717-964-1956. Or you can go to our website and donate. If we are not able to raise the funds, this beauty will be auctioned by its owner and your donation will be returned to you or you can apply it to our archival fund for future purchase. Thank you for taking the time to read this post and considering donating.

I was so excited to see what our cottage name was in 1941! If you want to see the cottage names in 1941, stop over. Or just come visit and see all of the wonderful items we have!

Read our newsletter for interesting facts and information! https://mtgretnahistory.org//Newsletter-Final-Version-WINT

From all of us to all of you, Happy Holidays. We hope you are filled with much peace and love.

Mount Gretna Area Historical Society Christmas Gift Sale! Join us on Friday, December 6th between 9am and noon outside the Post Office to pick up early Christmas gifts or note cards for the holidays. We will have Tom Meredith's book, "Two for the Woods" and Jack Bitner's book, "Mt. Gretna: A Coleman Legacy". You can also become a member or give a membership to the Historical Society to someone special. OR.... Just stop by the table to talk about Mt. Gretna's History and enjoy a Christmas treat to express our appreciation for the support you have given our organization this year.

We are so blessed to all of you who support the Historical Society. From all of us to all of you... Happy ThanksgivingWe are so blessed to all of you who support the Historical Society. From all of us to all of you... Happy Thanksgiving

A wonderful time was had by all on Saturday evening. The South Londonderry Township Society’s history of Colebrook and its furnace was attended by 110 people. They also heard the reading of the Legend of the Hounds. Bill Stoffel, who provided sound effects for the legend, poses on the porch in hunter’s attire with Flora. Thanks to J.V. Bennett and Bruce Chadbourne for their information on Colebrook and its furnace.

You don't want to miss this activity.

Wonderful morning for History on the Porch

Soldiers Field Dedication video 3 of 3

Video 2 of 3 Soldiers Field Dedication

Soldiers Field Dedication. What a wonderful day. Thank you to everyone who helped make this day happen. Video 1 of 3.

Wonderful day yesterday at Soldiers Field! Thank you to everyone who made this day happen

Preparations for tomorrow! You do not want to miss this event. Dedication of Soldiers Field at 10 a.m. and living historians from 1-4. Thank you to all who helped make this event possible!

Good morning! The Spanish-American War lasted 4 months. Don't forget this weekend we have living historians at Soldiers Field Saturday and Sunday! Plus the dedication of Soldiers Field Saturday at 10 AM. Hope to see some of you there!

Soldiers arrived at Camp Hastings April of 1898. How long did the Spanish-American War last?Soldiers arrived at Camp Hastings April of 1898. How long did the Spanish-American War last?

Save the date...you do not want to miss this event!

President McKinley was the American President who declared war on Spain. Look for the final question on Monday! Have a terrific weekend.President McKinley was the American President who declared war on Spain. Look for the final question on Monday! Have a terrific weekend.

Which American President declared war on Spain?Which American President declared war on Spain?

Answer to Fridays question: According to the information we received, 2600 men were lost due to disease.Answer to Fridays question: According to the information we received, 2600 men were lost due to disease.

Approximately 3000 American troops lost their lives during the Spanish-American War. How many of these men were lost due to disease: yellow fever, malaria, typhoid fever?

Answer to Monday's question is: 9 Units went overseasAnswer to Monday's question is: 9 Units went overseas

Happy Independence Day! Please join us for some wonderful programs this week: July 5@ 7pm, Jean-Paul Benowitz will discuss Our Pennsylvania Dutch U.S. Presidents. Location: Hall of Philosophy July 6 @ 11AM History Walk with Ron Hontz... Meet at Mount Gretna Firehouse parking lot. See more

Question of the week: 24 Pennsylvania National Guard units were ordered to Camp Hastings to train and muster-in to the U.S. Volunteer Army. How many of those units went over seas to Puerto Rico or the Philippines? Answer will be shared on Friday, July 5. Have a wonderful week!

Good morning! Thank you for continuing to follow along with this series as we learn about the soldiers of the NGP during the Spanish American War. Here is another post from the NGP History Project to get the week started! To make sure that you stay up-to-date, and don't miss any new info, please "like" and "follow" Mt. Gretna Area Historical Society and NGP History Project. We would also appreciate if you could help spread the word by sharing these posts on your own social m...Continue reading

The answer to Monday's question is: Cavalry. Next question will be posted Monday. Have a wonderful weekend.The answer to Monday's question is: Cavalry. Next question will be posted Monday. Have a wonderful weekend.