The rail adventure continued as we parted ways with Ashley meeting her family in the greater Johnstown area while I ventured further east to Elizabethtown. I met my brother-in-law at the station and bid the train a fond farewell, welcoming an extended break from so much sitting and waiting. With what I was still anticipating as at least a four or five day span until I could possibly surprise my parents, I spent the time happily catching up with my sister and her family and finalizing the finer details of executing my grand scheme. We eventually decided the best course of action would be for my sister to invite our parents over on Sunday (since they were attending their 45th high school reunion on Saturday) and hope for the best.

We enjoyed a few brewery visits, outdoor time, and lots of playing with toys (with my niece, of course) over the following days. When the forecast predicted a rare sunny day in central Pennsylvania, we hopped in the car with a picnic lunch and took a short scenic drive to the Governor Dick Environmental Center in Mt. Gretna. The nearby Mt. Gretna area is a well-known recreation destination popular during the summer months for its art shows, concerts, and historic home tours. The area originally produced charcoal from chestnut trees to supply Cornwall Furnace which once forged cannons for George Washington’s army. Rail lines linked Mt. Gretna to Reading and Elizabethtown in the late 1800s, and rail travelers could reach the small resort village from anywhere in the United States. Robert Coleman, an iron-foundry heir and generous landowner in Mt. Gretna, built a narrow gauge railroad in 1889 that carried visitors from a wooded park, around a lake, and up to the top of Governor Dick Hill which offered a view stretching as far as Lancaster and Harrisburg.

In 1892, Methodists decided Mt. Gretna would be a good location for a Chautauqua, the adult education movement popular in early America and in this case featuring a conical-roofed outdoor auditorium used for lectures, religious services, and concerts modeled after the Chautauqua Institution in New York state. Construction of summer cottages quickly followed, as the first “Chautauquans” moved into the area, and a Hall of Philosophy and small wooden temple for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle were built soon after. The Conewago Creek was dammed to create Conewago Lake which became popular for swimming and canoeing as summer tourism continued to grow into the early 20th century. The influx of visitors eventually supported an amusement park complete with a roller coaster and elaborate carousel. Mt. Gretna boasted hotels, restaurants, and shops frequented by fair-weather visitors throughout the summer.

Built in 1909, the 125-room Conewago Hotel was reportedly one of the first in the country to offer private baths and telephones in the rooms, as well as an elevator, uniformed employees, and “chefs from New York”. The success of the hotel lasted only 20 years, as automobiles gained widespread use and rail travel waned, tourists now choosing to drive further toward the Atlantic shore and shunning the rigidity of rail routes. The Great Depression delivered the final blow and the grand hotel was dismantled in 1940, while the Mt. Gretna tourism industry suffered at large.

While the resort town may not be quite as popular today as it was 100 years ago, many visitors continue to seek the area for the serene natural setting, cultural activities, and quaint restaurants. The Playhouse and The Jigger Shop Ice Cream Parlor remain in operation to this day. Some historians date 1976 as Mt. Gretna’s modern revival, as art shows, plays, conventions, and music performances began returning to the small town. The artistic culture continues to thrive, giving the community a strong identity relative to its size and making it a desirable place to live according to most residents.

Our visit to the Governor Dick Environmental Center followed in the footsteps of the narrow gauge rail travelers from the early 1900s. The trail system covers the hillside offering routes for hikers and mountain bikers, as well as some bouldering areas for aspiring climbers. After an exploration of the displays in the Environmental Center, we embarked on the trail which would lead us to the remaining observation tower at the top of the hill. The Observation Tower Trail is a gently-sloping walk suitable for the whole family. You’ll find historic markers along the way, including a sign indicating the former location of the rail lines running along the hillside, as well as the foundation of an ill-fated resort home built on the side of the mountain. Soon after its construction in the early 1900s, this tall skinny building was faced with constant vandalism as it sat largely unoccupied waiting for vacationing owners to arrive. Vandals soon forced the unlucky owners to abandon their barely-used resort home and the building was destroyed. The foundation stones remain just off of the Observation Tower Trail (as seen in the featured photo at the very beginning of this article).

Visitors can still climb the remaining observation tower by following a series of ladders connecting each platform floor of the tower. With a handy spray-painted arrow labeled “Up” on one side of the tower, climbers shouldn’t get confused as to which entryway begins the ascent. While I don’t know if I could see either Lancaster or Harrisburg from the top of the tower, the expansive view was still worth the close-quarters climb up the creepy structure.

We refueled with our picnic lunch and decided to make the drive to the neighboring town of Hershey to visit Tröegs Brewery, a perennial favorite proudly located in the Keystone State. The Tröegs facility is always impressive and constantly expanding, with the production area in full view during the self-guided tour, a large outdoor beer garden, massive indoor seating area, great selection of brews on tap including the ever-changing “Scratch” series, and top-notch food available in a casual, counter-order kitchen area. Having just eaten, we didn’t enjoy any food on this visit but the beer was impressive as always. If you’re traveling through Hershey, make time for Tröegs – even if you don’t like beer, the food alone is worth the trip. The brewery gets very crowded on the weekends, so time your visit for a weekday if at all possible.

After a round of disc golf at South Hills with my brother-in-law later in the week, we ventured into Lebanon to sample the wares at Snitz Creek Brewery. The beers were surprisingly good and our burgers were well made. While Snitz Creek is dwarfed in size by Tröegs, the beers are nearly equal in quality. Pair the rauchbier (German smoked beer) with a cheeseburger topped with fried Seltzer’s sweet bologna and you’ll be happy for the rest of the week. Snitz Creek also brews Flying Dutchman Ale in collaboration with my nearby alma mater of Lebanon Valley College, which was nice to see and something I wish I would have started during my college years.

With a few more days until my parents would arrive, I took a drive into Middletown to visit yet another brewery – Tattered Flag Brewery and Still Works. Tattered Flag has some unique beers on tap, and while this may not have been one of my favorite breweries, the atmosphere is comfortable and makes for a great place to spend an afternoon. With a distillery and coffee shop on premises, the location offers a little something for everyone in your group. Tattered Flag has a full menu available, and the food looked good but all I sampled was a fried pickle chip from my brother-in-law’s basket so I can’t provide much feedback. Check it out if you’re passing through or close by Middletown.

Whenever we’re in Elizabethtown we always look forward to Folklore Coffee and Funk Brewing. Both are located on Main Street and easy to access on foot or bike. Folklore brews excellent coffee, with distinctively rich espresso and inventively flavored tea and coffee concoctions. Ashley prefers the London Fog (organic Earl Grey, steamed milk, and vanilla), while I usually stick with a classic cappuccino and/or Americano. With its location right on the square, Folklore offers probably the best people-watching spot in E-town and is the perfect place to see the college students, professors, and residents mingle. Funk Brewing pours excellent beer with a focus on hoppier varieties, with live music three nights a week and a new backroom dedicated to televised sporting events. Both are highly recommended when in Elizabethtown. Moo-Duck Brewery is located across from the Amtrak station several blocks off of Main Street and offers a quieter, more laid-back location for sipping beers. I personally prefer the quality of Funk’s brews to Moo-Duck’s, but the latter has a wide variety of solid styles to choose from and provides a nice alternative to the generally crowded and lively taproom at Funk.

The day of my parents’ arrival finally approached after five days of visiting in Elizabethtown. While I wouldn’t be too disappointed if the surprise didn’t work out as planned, I was still hoping that the veil of secrecy withstood family chatting and the infamous Grandma-net. What else would you call the communication system that carries messages between family members through your grandmother? My niece tried to convince me to hide behind the couch and yell “Surprise!” when they opened the door, but to her brief dismay I decided that may not be the best way to greet my parents. They arrived on a Sunday morning and I’m happy to report they both had no idea I’d be waiting for them after they stepped inside. After a whirlwind greeting and the immediate shock of seeing me wore off, I explained why I was there and Ashley wasn’t (yet) and asked if I could catch a ride with them back to their house later that day. They said “No!” so I promptly boarded the train back to Texas. Just kidding – after a day of food and conversation, I hopped in their car that evening to begin a week of catching up in my childhood home of Cross Roads.

Coming up in Part 3 – a potential guest post from Ashley telling the tale of her adventures while we were apart, or the continuation of my part of the story. See you soon!

SOURCES

I found history on Mt. Gretna and Governor Dick at the following links:

http://www.mtgretna.com/community/mtgretnashistory.html

and

http://www.parkatgovernordick.org/history.html