The Railroad Strike of 1877

Virtual Program The first nationwide strike had a tremendous impact on Pennsylvania, rousing workers and communities to oppose the wage cut imposed by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The strike culminated in Pittsburgh on July 21, when 40 people were killed and 38 buildings were burned. The program will also describe Robert Ammon’s efforts to get the […]

Central Pennsylvania’s Railroads as Strategic Targets During the Civil War

Dane DiFebo will discuss how Confederate military strategists targeted specific Northern railroads and railroad infrastructure during the key campaigns and the invasions of the North during the American Civil War. By using a comparative lens, in describing the Union military’s usage of and assaults against Southern railroads, he will also address what Pennsylvania’s war on […]

Historians’ Well-Being: Preserving the Past While Nurturing the Self

Calling all history students and professionals! As stewards of the past, we often face unique stressors like funding constraints, self imposed/fabricated competition, and navigating public perception. This event will provide valuable insights and tools to help you thrive in this demanding profession while prioritizing your mental well-being. Virtual Program Register Here (Zoom)

Black Freedom-Making in the Early National Cumberland Valley

As soon as the Pennsylvania General Assembly enacted its first gradual abolition law in 1780, African Americans got to work using its provisions to expedite the coming of freedom. This virtual talk examines the strategies that Black Pennsylvanians, enslaved and free, employed to chip away at slavery’s continued existence in the Keystone State during the […]

An Evening Chat with COL Jessica D. Grassetti

In celebration of Women's History Month, please join us for an evening discussion with COL Jessica D. Grassetti. COL Grassetti is a 23-year Army Veteran and current resident student at the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks. The evening's discussion highlights will include observations derived from a myriad of operational and strategic level assignments, […]

240th Dickinson Anniversary Play

Two hundred forty years ago, the Board of Trustees of Dickinson College held its inaugural meeting in a log building on the town square in Carlisle. Benjamin Rush, who in Philadelphia had initially proposed ‘a college beyond the Susquehanna River’, appointed John Dickinson, then governor of Pennsylvania, to chair the meeting. Together, the Board of […]

Herbs and Plants in Colonial Gardens

Master Gardner Carol Glasgow will present on the following: What You Will Learn Colonial Garden Development and Influences The Garden of the Colonial Housewife Colonial Garden Styles and Designs Plant Examples: Medicinal – Culinary – Dye – Fragrance/Strewing Pollinators in the Colonial Garden

The Agricultural Reform Movement and Barn Building in Cumberland County

Reform advocates of the 19th-century sought better farming methods, including crop rotation and various fertilizers to rejuvenate the soil. Their goal was for the farm to operate more efficiently with well-ordered agricultural complexes. Barns were to be designed for the ease of labor by the farmer, and specialized outbuildings were to be placed for the […]

Interviewing War Veterans: A How-To History Workshop

Interviewing War Veterans: A How-To History Workshop with award-winning journalist and author Joseph David Cress. A newspaper reporter for over 33 years, Cress will share his insights using examples drawn from his World War II Memories four-book series. He will also facilitate a discussion among participants on what they can do on their own to […]

An Evening with Jeff Shaara

Join CCHS for An Evening with Jeff Shaara at the West Shore Country Club   TICKET SALES ENDED Jeff Shaara is known for writing historical fiction and documenting American wars and their most historically relevant characters. In total, Jeff has written fifteen New York Times bestselling novels, including Gods and Generals and The Last Full […]

On A Great Battlefield: The History of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1863-2023

Over 18,000 books and articles have been written on the three-day battle of Gettysburg, but historians have devoted minimal attention to the history of the landscape itself and the complicated, divisive, and controversial nature of preserving, interpreting, and commemorating America’s most hallowed ground. Dr. Murray’s program explores the first preservation and commemorative efforts of the […]