Thornwald Park is a 32-acre park located in South Carlisle, on Walnut Bottom Road. The large Mansion sitting at its center, not officially a part of the park, was built in 1909, and today hosts a bed and breakfast. The park itself has large grass areas and pathways in between the trees. Carlisle residents come to Thornwald to enjoy a walk, have a picnic or simply to find some green spaces close to the city center.

The park has a rich history dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. To find out more, check out the timeline and history of the park, which reveal the different uses of and debates about Thornwald Park and its Mansion over the years.

Timeline | Thornwald Estate | Public Ownership| Debate over use | Converted mansion into retirement home | Dedication of Thornwald Park |The amphitheater | The land | Historical Resources

Material from: Students in History 211: American Landscapes. Dickinson College. Spring 2016. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/carlisleparks/

Created in 1974, Memorial Park is a 2-acre park in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (149 West Penn Street) that offers both passive and active recreation sites.  It also is home to Hope Station, a community center that seeks to empower children to become active leaders.

Photo from: Carlisle Office of Parks and Recreation

Memorial Park Home  |  History  |  Lincoln Cemetery  |  From Cemetery to Park |  Railroad Station  |  Community Voices   |   Cemeteries as Sites of Discrimination   | Photo Gallery |  Historical Resources

Material from: Students in History 211: American Landscapes. Dickinson College. Spring 2016. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/carlisleparks/

Heberlig-Palmer Park is located on the corner of Lincoln Ave and Birch Ave in Carlisle, PA. The park as it stands today is a testament to the community surrounding it — the love and care of the West Side Neighbors over the past few years has transformed this piece of land from a blank canvas to a truly integral gathering space for the town. Browse through the information we have collected on Heberlig-Palmer Park to see just how much this patch of land has changed over the past 80 years!

If you’re feeling inspired to develop a community park in your area like the West Side Neighbors have, check out the National Recreation and Park Association’s Guide to Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities through Parks: A Guide to Success.

Heberlig-Palmer Home  | History  |  Photo Gallery  |   Recent and Future Plans  | Historical Resources

Material from: Students in History 211: American Landscapes. Dickinson College. Spring 2016. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/carlisleparks/

LeTort Park is a twelve-acre park located on Pomfret Street in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is home of LeTort Stream, Carlisle Little League, a fully equipped playground and splash pad, and numerous community activities. Click on the links to find out about the park’s history and recent events.

History  |  Photo Gallery  |  LeTort Park Home  |  Historical Resources

Recreational Activities | Kiwanis Club Donation | Playground | Girl Scout Recognized  | GreenFest  | Mental Health Awareness Week | Trail Markers | Splash Pad | Native Garden | Softball Field

Material from: Students in History 211: American Landscapes. Dickinson College. Spring 2016. http://blogs.dickinson.edu/carlisleparks/

As lifelong residents of Carlisle, we strive to actively support the residents and the broader community and to contribute as best we can to maintaining its status as an ideal area to raise a family.

We draw from our mutual educational and professional backgrounds to offer high quality, family friendly activities that are also enjoyable and accessible for casual visitors.

Our mission is to offer a local activity that educates and encourages a personal sense of accomplishment, while inspiring visitors to learn more about the arts and the creative process. To that end we encourage those who express interest in learning more to reach out to local arts groups, artists, and artisans. We intend to function as a gateway to the broader world of the arts wherever possible.

Our mission is to provide smart, creative planning, engineering, landscape architecture and surveying services to the greater Carlisle region. We have been very involved with several local initiatives to expand and improve green space, design urban redevelopment projects, engineer stormwater management solutions and be a part of other great projects in the area. We are committed to being integrated our local community and economy, as a company and as individuals working and living here. Our downtown Carlisle presence keeps us in the midst of the energy and activity of this vibrant community.

In collaboration with our community, we support and challenge families to help the recognize their strengths, while providing our expertise to educate and empower them to reach their goals, with the ultimate objective of eliminating the need for Head Start in Our Community.

The mission of the Shippensburg Head Start Program is to provide individualized, comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and meaningful experiences for all enrolled children and their families in order to effectively prepare and assist them to deal with their current environment as well as for the future.

Shippensburg Head Start Program is an early childhood program that serves low income families and children 0-5 years old . We have Head Start/ Pre-K Classrooms in Carlisle, Newville, and Shippensburg.

The mission of Safe Harbour is to provide housing and supportive services for individuals and families to help them achieve independent living by increasing their basic life skills. Adequate and safe housing is a fundamental part of the GCP’s vision of a future in which all residents can live rich and meaningful lives. Safe Harbour provides housing to homeless and potentially homeless individuals and families in the Carlisle Area. With Safe Harbour’s supportive services, clients are able to get back on their feet and continue to help this community grow and flourish.

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet is a celebrated leader in the world of classical ballet. Embracing an attitude of lifelong learning more than 59 years ago, Founding Artistic Director Marcia Dale Weary envisioned a school where children would have the opportunity to receive exceptional ballet training. Today CPYB is the nation’s preeminent school of classical ballet with an international reputation for training young men and women. The school’s renowned teaching methodology couples performance opportunities with innovative educational initiatives, an esteemed faculty, and a proven syllabus – all in an environment that promotes the acquisition of the life skills crucial to a child’s development.

Thousands of young people have passed through Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s acclaimed studios in Carlisle, Pa. CPYB alumni continually occupy top positions in the leading ballet companies from San Francisco and Miami to New York, London and beyond. Through the organization’s threefold mission – to inspire, educate and enrich – the legacy of Marcia Dale Weary and Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet redefines the art form, preserves its history and shapes its future.

Commuter Services is a professionally staffed organization funded by federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality funds. Through our free services, we work to reduce traffic congestion by helping commuters find alternatives, other than driving alone, and by reaching out to employers so they can help their workforce find those options. Using alternatives also helps improve air quality, and fewer cars in rush hour can mean safer highways, too.

Our mission is to promote commuting options that reduce congestion, conserve natural resources and improve safety and mobility at a regional level, by educating and implementing innovative Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs.

The Charles Bruce Foundation will support the visual, written and musical arts throughsponsorship and stipend to individuals as well as organizations.  Preference will be afforded to but not limited to residents and organizations based within 100 miles of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

As a crisis pregnancy and family resource and support center, we have been serving the greater Carlisle community since 1979. We offer a variety of free education and human services in the form of counseling, prenatal education, parenting education, referrals, pregnancy tests, and baby/maternity food, clothing and supplies. It is our mission to help local families find positive solutions to their crisis situations. Our vision includes continuing current programs as well as offering ultrasound and maternity housing services.

YWCA Carlisle is committed to Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women and providing peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Our programs, services and events have been meeting the needs of the Greater Carlisle Community for over 95 years! We operate the Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Service for the entire Cumberland County. We offer preschool programs and activities to empower young girls in our schools as well as provide health & wellness classes. Racial and Social Justice programs, workshops, trainings and community potluck discussions round out the organization’s mission impact.

As an association of advocates for Cave Hill, we are dedicated to sharing appreciation of Carlisle’s wildest park. We work together to protect the unique ecological, historical and recreational values of this 19th-century trolley park and legendary cave on the Conodoguinet, and to develop a plan for it’s enjoyment in the 21st-century. As a unique green space walkable from town, Cave Hill will play a central role in promoting fit lifestyles and healthy relationships with nature among youth, and in complementing the redevelopment of Carlisle’s north side.

The Carlisle West Side Neighbors are a group of residents who are spreading the gospel about our great neighborhood and looking to improve it along the way. We started our group in the Spring of 2011 and have been connecting residents who share a love of our North West Corner of Carlisle. In these past few years, many new and exciting things are starting in our area with the demolition of the Tire and Wheel and Masland Factories. We make our presence known at the public meetings related to these projects to ensure the voices from our neighborhood are heard.

We invest our time in new projects that will directly benefit our neighborhood. Our first major undertaking is a renovation of Heberlig Palmer Park. Are you interested in getting involved? Please let us know!!

Carlisle Victory Circle Inc. is a Community Based Youth Organization with a mission to challenge young people to prepare for their future through education and character development. We strive to make a difference in the lives of middle and high school students of the Carlisle Area School District. The vision and community goals are relevant to three GCP priority areas.

Being a small business, Thomas-Printers believes in the role a healthy community plays in helping both businesses and individuals thrive.

Leadership Cumberland provides leadership development to promote community awareness, encourage personal engagement and enhance workplace vitality for individuals, businesses and organizations throughout Cumberland County.

The Cumberland County Library System’s mission is to meet the cultural, educational and informational needs of library users and community residents in Cumberland County.

We are a group committed to “investing in our future” by achieving the goals identified in our Vision.

Public and Mass Transit provides an economically and environmentally sustainable way for transportation around the region. A Carlisle Circulator route was launched in Spring 2014 and has plans to expand in 2015.

Click here to access CAT routes and schedules.

The Downtown Carlisle Association was established in 1981 and strives to enhance the civic, cultural and economic vitality of the entire community – retail, service, academic, government and industry. Currently in it’s 30th year, DCA is one of the longest, continuous running Main Street based programs in the Commonwealth.

The DCA houses the “LoveCarlisle.com” brand and creates a glossy printed downtown guide and map. 25,000 of these maps are distributed throughout the downtown and mid-state to appropriate lodging and high traffic attraction sites. Additionally the LoveCarlisle.com website serves as resource for information on entertainment, attractions and visitation information for Downtown Carlisle.

The Carlisle House Bed & Breakfast now houses an Electric Vehicle charger that is compatible with all Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Standards and Recommended Practices, including SAE J1772 NEC 625, UL 2231, and UL 2594. Compatible vehicles include: Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, Fiat 500e, Honda Fit EV, Honda Accord Plug-in, Mitsubhishi i-MIEV, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Ford C_Max Energy, Ford Fusion Energy, Smart Electric Drive, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Toyota RAV4EV, and Wheego LiFe.

Additionally, find the Carlisle House and other EV Charging Stations on PlugShare.

Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties is a private, non-profit that provides services and support to those experiencing domestic violence. DVSCP provides a temporary emergency shelter, Counselors/Advocates, a 24-hour toll free hotline, one-on-one counseling, support groups, assistance to attain a Protection from Abuse Order, and advocacy in the criminal justice and social services system. All services provided are free and confidential. 

Carlisle Regional Medical Center (CRMC) has been in the Carlisle community for over 92 years.

Carlisle Regional Medical Center is a 165-bed acute care hospital serving Cumberland County and the surrounding areas. Offering a full range of medical services and procedures to patients in the region, the hospital had more than 135,000 patient interactions in 2011.

Carlisle Regional is one of the largest tax-paying entities and employers in Cumberland County, paying in excess of $2.2 million in taxes and more than $57 million in employee wages and benefits in 2011.

Mission

Carlisle Regional is one of the largest tax-paying entities and employers in Cumberland County, paying in excess of $2.2 million in taxes and more than $57 million in employee wages and benefits in 2011.

We are your premier regional medical center. We deliver state-of-the-art, compassionate care while providing a superior patient experience.

Vision

Through trusting and valued relationships we will be the pride of our community and the flagship of our industry. We are elevating the state of health care and wellness in our community to new heights by expanding our services and improving the lives of all who enter here.

Sadler Health Center Corporation is staffed with a team of qualified professionals including Family Physicians, Internist, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Dentists, and Dental Hygienists. These professionals are committed to providing the highest quality care to their patients including the uninsured and the underinsured.

Sadler Health Center Corporation specializes in providing services to the uninsured, underinsured, Medicare and Medicaid eligible, we provide Medical, Dental, Tobacco Cessation and Health Education, as well as Prescriptive Services and the Nurse Family Partnership program to eligible residents in our service area.

Our focus is to provide these services without regard for age, race, gender, or insurance.

Each year, the Partnership for Better Health invests more than $2 million in grants and initiatives to advance the health of our region. As a community health foundation, thousands of lives have been touched by our work.

We strive to create sustainable solutions to some of today’s toughest health challenges. Our major goals are to promote healthy lifestyles and increase access to affordable, quality health care throughout parts of Cumberland, Perry, Adams and Franklin Counties. We are proud to support The Greater Carlisle Project and value it as an opportunity to join with many others in creating a more livable community.

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area Council is a seven county non-profit organization that networks people, resources and projects to promote responsible use and conservation of our region’s natural, community and economic resources.

We are a church that highly values being partnered and connected within our community. We want to build bridges and seek opportunities to support and encourage community agencies and groups who are working to build a better community. As a Church our vision is to be a diverse family of Christ-followers who seek to live out the love, acceptance, hope and healing of Jesus in all areas of our lives.

Carlisle Young Professionals hosts events and creates opportunities for young professionals to network and develop their professional skills. CYP plays an important role in connecting motivated adults with organizations to work, volunteer, and socialize.

CADEC supports sound economic development within the Cumberland Valley and surrounding region and helps to maintain a vibrant and sustainable local economy by connecting people with partners and developing plans to succeed.

Founded in 1913, the Greater Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce has been serving the Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Area for more than 100 years. Our mission is to serve as a community catalyst that encourages and supports economic growth and stability.

YWCA Carlisle is a non-profit, social justice centered agency that works to eliminate racism and empower women in the Carlisle community and beyond. It runs programs for people of all genders from preschool through adulthood.

The Carlisle Family YMCA offers classes to the greater Carlisle community that empower them to live healthier lives. Classes range from education to outdoor activities to traditional fitness classes.

Providing Opportunities to Discover, Inquire & Grow at the Dickinson College Farm

Employment Skills Center prepares adults for better employment through education and training. Through our classes, students develop skills that help them secure self-sustaining jobs and become active members of our community.

Simply Well, located in the c. 1800 Noble Mansion, is a comprehensive local wellness center that offers Chiropractic Care, Holistic Health Coaching, Massage Therapy, Holistic Women’s Care and Midwifery, and a beautiful Yoga Studio. They believe that with the right support and guidance, the body has the ability to heal itself and function optimally.

The United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County unites people and resources to build a stronger, healthier Carlisle and Cumberland County. The mission of of the United Way of Carlisle & Cumberland County is to unite people and resources to build a stronger, healthier Carlisle & Cumberland County.

The Hope Station Opportunity Area Council seeks to lift up the entire neighborhood by tackling our most difficult problems through education, technology, job development and most importantly, teaching our children to become leaders by learning to respect themselves and others.

“Lions meet the needs of local communities and the world every day because they share a core belief – to serve their community.”

Carlisle’s West Side Neighborhood is a vibrant, diverse community anchored by many supportive community organizations and churches. We respect the ideas and opinions of all residents and encourage feedback on ways to strengthen our community through improved safety, security and personal neighborhood connections.

Since 1981, the Downtown Carlisle Association has been striving to enhance the civic, cultural and economic vitality of the entire community – retail, service, academic, government and industry. Currently in our 30th year, Carlisle has the distinction of being one of the longest, continuous running Main Street based programs in the Commonwealth.

Waste Not Energy Advisors LLC conducts energy audits and develop strategies to reduce energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings.

Rosenberry’s Electric, LLC provides sustainability related solar panel installation in central PA area.

Kings Gap offers environmental education programs from the pre-school environmental awareness program to environmental problem solving programs.

Visit this scenic alpaca farm and learn about these beautiful animals, local farming, and local textile production.

A biofuel research lab of Penn State University and provide the local community with technologies and educational opportunities related to biofuels.

Energy Smart Home Improvement helps customers have a healthy comfortable home…. paid for by energy savings! They find the most cost effective ways for each customer to increase the level of home comfort, reduce energy bills, and decrease carbon footprint.

Cumberland Valley Rails to Trails is a non-profit volunteers based organization that provides a 11 mile trail for people to enjoy walking, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding in the nature. It was once a stretch of railroad tracks from Shippensburg to Newville, PA.

The Carlisle Indian School is an important piece of American and Carlisle history. You can visit the site of the school for a self guided tour or you can stop by the History on High Visitor’s Center to ask about guided tours. It is a great place for local residents and visitors a like to learn about our history.

Preserving and Managing the Appalachian Trail to protect its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage.

The LEAF Project is a farm-based youth employment program which employs youth, ages 14-18, to work alongside farmers and chefs in South Central PA. The LEAF Project reconnects youth to the food they eat, the land on which it grows, and to each other.

If you’re looking for delicious, local food and hope to lower your food miles or meet your local farmers personally then visiting the Farmer’s on the Square (FOTS) market is for you! The market is year round – weekly during the summer months and twice a month in the winter. During the summer you can find the vendor’s by following your nose to their setup at 2 N. Hanover Street, right at the intersection of High St. and Hanover. This location was used for open-air markets from 1751 to 1952 and FOTS is the first one to be hosted since! During the winter months you’ll find them arranged inside at Project SHARE on 5 N. Orange St. in Carlisle. All markets occur from 3-7pm on Wednesdays.

FOTS strives to provide fresh, healthy, local food to those who need it most. Many of the vendors have attained third party certifications for their produce including USDA Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, and Food Alliance Certified. With every product you buy you’ll have a farmer’s face to match with it. All their vendors live and work within 50 miles of Carlisle – each one grows, raises, or makes from scratch the food that they sell!

Depending on the season and the available products you can find a amazing array of local produce and other products. Just a few examples include:

• Read-to-eat food like fresh-cut fries, popcorn, smoothies, soups, burgers and bratwurst!
• Hand-cut flowers and arrangements
• Fresh-picked vegetables and crisp, sweet fruits like apples, pears, plums and all sorts of berries
• Fresh seafood from Maine!
• A variety of fruit products like apple sauce, apple juice, and apple & pear butters
• Hearth-baked breads and home-baked crackers
• Granola, teas, honey popcorn, and cookies!

Furthermore, FOTS provides the Double Up Food Bucks program to extend the availability of their food to the community. Through the generosity of the Carlisle Area Health and Wellness Foundation, this program doubles the value of dollar benefits for eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) recipients – up to $20 per week per recipient.

The Artist Market of Pomfret St allows Pennsylvania artists to sell their wares. Hosted in the once vacant retail space of the building, the artist market brings together individuals interested in art and creates a wonderful space for the community.

Project SHARE is an interfaith cooperative effort which provides food, clothing, nutritional education, and links to programs to empower people in need within the greater Carlisle Area. They promote sustainability initiatives, including education, farming, gleaning, recycling, and many others.

The Letort Regional Authority protects and preserves the Letort Spring Run and its watershed while developing access and recreational opportunities associated with the stream.

Conserving landscape resources to enrich the quality of life and sense of place of the South Mountain region’s citizens and communities

The American Artisan Gallery provides a place where artists and sell their work. Their mission is to connect potential buyers with hand crafted pieces. The pieces are unique and there is sure to be something for everyone. Jewelry to cards to vases and paintings each piece is handmade and special. The American Artisan Gallery helps to bolster local business.

The Parks and Recreation Department provides Carlisle citizens with a variety of year-round recreational programs and secures and maintains adequate parks and open space to meet the needs of the community.

The Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania is a faith-based citizens’ initiative dedicated to achieving clean air to protect our health and quality of life.

The Cumberland Valley Visitor’s Bureau makes it easy for anyone visiting the Greater Carlisle Area to find exactly what they need whether it’s a local restaurant, a local farmer, or a local hike. This is especially important because the local businesses of Carlisle can get their name on the map (literally) ensuring that they have more opportunities to bring in potential customers. The website and accompanying map highlight all of Carlisle’s great qualities.

The services provided by the Carlisle Arts Learning Center better the Carlisle community by providing classes to children and adults regardless of socio-economic class. These programs promote self-esteem and self-expression. In addition, the Works in the Windows program provides artwork for vacant storefront windows keeping downtown Carlisle looking beautiful.

The Dickinson College Farm is a 180-acre certified organic farm in Boiling Springs that provides many different opportunities for students and community members, including working or volunteering at the farm, completing independent research at the farm, educational programs and workshops, events, and much more!

Secco is dedicated to providing fast, reliable, and professional Commercial Electrical, HVAC, and Refrigeration service to the Greater Harrisburg Area including businesses in the Dillsburg, Mechanicsburg, Carlisle, York, Harrisburg, and Hershey areas.

Understanding and celebrating history and promoting its preservation can enhance community life. History greatly defines community. Its study and preservation not only promotes tourism but enhances conversations about current issues and challenges in society. History is also incredibly entertaining, especially when we understand that it is happening all around us all the time.

ALLARM works to enhance local action for the protection and restoration of Pennsylvania watersheds by empowering communities with scientific knowledge and tools to carry out watershed assessments.

Sustainability is about more than recycling and the environment. Sustainability is about answering a fundamental question: How do we improve the human condition equitably in this and future generations, while conserving environmental systems necessary to support healthy and vibrant societies? This is Dickinson’s working definition of sustainability. Like most definitions, ours is born of a concern for the future of the planet, its people and its living systems, which are threatened by a growing human footprint that is consuming and degrading environmental resources at a rapid pace. It recognizes essential needs of vast numbers of people are not being met in the present, and that poverty and inequality are amplifiers of vulnerability to environmental and other hazards. It is motivated by values that seek balance among economic development, eradication of poverty and hunger, advancement of social justice, and protection of the natural world.