Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat
of Cumberland County
, Pennsylvania
, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley
, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 19,262. Including suburbs in the neighboring townships, 37,695 live in the Carlisle urban cluster. Carlisle also is an exurb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, to the east.
Carlisle is the smaller principal city of the Harrisburg
–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area
, which includes all of Cumberland, Dauphin
, and Perry
counties in South Central Pennsylvania
. In 2010, Forbes
rated Carlisle and Harrisburg the second-best place to raise a family.
The U.S. Army War College
, located at the Carlisle Barracks
, caters to high-level military personnel and civilians and prepares them for strategic leadership responsibilities. Carlisle Barracks ranks among the oldest installations in the and the most senior military educational institution in the United States Army
. Carlisle Barracks is home of the United States Army Military Heritage Museum.
Carlisle also hosts Dickinson College
and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Ahold
's US headquarters are in Carlisle
. They named the settlement after its sister town of Carlisle, Cumbria, England and even built its former jail-house (which Cumberland County now uses as general government offices) to resemble Carlisle Citadel. In 1757, Colonel-Commandant John Stanwix
made his headquarters there, and was later promoted to Brigadier-General later in the year on December 27, 1757. Fort Stanwix
is named for him. John Armstrong, Sr., founder of the town, fathered John Armstrong, Jr.
, born in Carlisle in 1758. It is interesting to note that John Stanwix sat in Parliament as Member for Carlisle during the 1740s, that his surname 'Stanwix' is the name of a historic village (now suburb) to the north of Carlisle, Cumbria, and that the surname 'Armstrong' is an old Reiver name common to the Anglo-Scottish border and the Carlisle district.
Late during the French and Indian Wars
, the Forbes expedition
organized in Carlisle in 1758, and Henry Bouquet
organized an expedition there for Pontiac's War, the last conflict of the war, in 1763.
The Carlisle Grammar School (now Dickinson College
) began as a Latin school on the frontier in 1773.
Carlisle served as a munitions depot during the American Revolutionary War
. This munitions depot ultimately developed into the United States Army War College at Carlisle Barracks
.
Carlisle was incorporated as a borough
on April 13, 1782. Benjamin Rush
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
, developed Carlisle Grammar School and chartered it as Dickinson College
, the first new college founded in the newly recognized United States. The 15th U.S. president, James Buchanan
, graduated from Dickinson College in 1809. In response to a planned march in favor of the United States constitution
in 1787, Anti-Federalists instigated a riot in Carlisle. During the Whiskey Rebellion
in 1794, the troops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
assembled in Carlisle under the leadership of President George Washington
. George Washington
worshiped in the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Hanover Street and High Street. Revolutionary legend Molly Pitcher
died in the borough in 1832, and her body lies buried in the Old Graveyard.
The Dickinson School of Law
, founded in 1834 and affiliated then with Dickinson College, ranks as the fifth-oldest law school in the United States and the oldest law school in Pennsylvania. A general borough law of 1851 (amended in 1852) authorizes a burgess and a borough council to administer the government of the borough of Carlisle. Carlisle served as a stop on the Underground Railroad
before the American Civil War
.
An army of the Confederate States of America
under General Fitzhugh Lee
attacked and shelled the borough during the Battle of Carlisle
on July 1, 1863, part of the Gettysburg Campaign
of the American Civil War
. On a column in front of the historic county courthouse, one still can see evidence of the destruction of the cannonballs.
United States Army Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt
founded Carlisle Indian Industrial School
in 1879 as the first federally supported school for American Indians off a reservation. The United States government maintained the school, housed at Carlisle Barracks as an experiment in educating Native Americans in the United States
and teaching them to reject tribal culture and to adapt to white society. Richard Henry Pratt retired from the Army in 1903 and from supervising the school as its superintendent in 1904. Athletic hero Jim Thorpe
entered the school in 1907 and joined its football team under coach Glenn Warner ("Pop" Warner) in 1908. Playing halfback, Jim Thorpe led the team to startling upset victories over powerhouses Harvard, Army, and the University of Pennsylvania
in 1911-12, bringing nationwide attention to the school. Carlisle Indian School closed in 1918.
The Dickinson School of Law
ended its affiliation with Dickinson College in 1914 and reorganized as an independent institution. Dickinson School of Law merged into The Pennsylvania State University in 1997 as Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
, a section of the Great Appalachian Valley
, on the south side of Conodoguinet Creek
, a tributary of the Susquehanna River
. Letort Spring Run, a tributary of Conodoguinet Creek, runs north through the eastern part of the borough.
Carlisle lies in south-central Pennsylvania at the intersection of Interstate 76
and Interstate 81
roughly 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of Harrisburg
, the state capital. It is approximately 69 miles (111 km) northwest of Baltimore
and 108 miles (174 km) west-northwest of Philadelphia. According to the United States Census Bureau
, Carlisle has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km²), all of it land.
Carlisle Tire and Rubber Company
Founded 1917
Masland Carpets
Founded 1866
Frog Switch Manufacturing
Founded 1876
Founded by John Hays
with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The average temperature in Carlisle is 51.3 °F (10.7 °C) with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 16 days a year and dropping below 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 119 days a year. On average, the borough receives 38.8 inches (986 mm) of precipitation annually. Snowfall averages 29.8 inches (757 mm) per year. On average, January is the coolest month, July is the warmest month, and September is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Carlisle was 102 °F (39 °C) in 1966; the coldest temperature recorded was -19 °F (-28 °C) in 1994.
of 2000, there were 17,970 people, 7,426 households, and 4,010 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,308.9 people per square mile (1,277.8/km2). There were 8,032 housing units at an average density of 1,479.0 per square mile (571.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 88.93% White, 6.92% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races
, and 1.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.
There were 7,426 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 17.2% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,969, and the median income for a family was $46,588. Males had a median income of $34,519 versus $25,646 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $21,394. About 8.6% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
FM
. In addition to the regularly scheduled shows there are specialty shows, among which are GM, Ford, Chrysler, Import/Kit Car and truck shows.
Most likely because of its location at the intersection of two major trucking routes (I-81 and I-76
), air pollution
within the borough often falls within the range considered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
as "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" [i.e., children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or heart disease]. The pollutant typically involved is PM2.5, particulate matter composed of particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), a ballet school and performing company known internationally for their alumni, is based in Carlisle.
Carlisle also is home of the headquarters of the Giant Food
supermarkets in Pennsylvania.
Carlisle was home to the Washington Redskins
training camp for many years. In 1986, cornerback Darrell Green
ran the 40 yard dash
at Dickinson College
in 4.09 seconds. Although the result was unofficial, it is the fastest "legitimate" time ever recorded in the 40 yard dash.
Union responds to nearly 1000 calls a year, and it also supports the surrounding area. Union is the oldest volunteer fire company in the United States.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley
Cumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 19,262. Including suburbs in the neighboring townships, 37,695 live in the Carlisle urban cluster. Carlisle also is an exurb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, to the east.
Carlisle is the smaller principal city of the Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area
Harrisburg metropolitan area
The Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area , as defined the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Valley, anchored by the cities of Harrisburg and Carlisle...
, which includes all of Cumberland, Dauphin
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
, and Perry
Perry County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,602 people, 16,695 households, and 12,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile . There were 18,941 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
counties in South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the fourteen counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, and York....
. In 2010, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
rated Carlisle and Harrisburg the second-best place to raise a family.
The U.S. Army War College
U.S. Army War College
The United States Army War College is a United States Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on the 500 acre campus of the historic Carlisle Barracks...
, located at the Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
, caters to high-level military personnel and civilians and prepares them for strategic leadership responsibilities. Carlisle Barracks ranks among the oldest installations in the and the most senior military educational institution in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Carlisle Barracks is home of the United States Army Military Heritage Museum.
Carlisle also hosts Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
and Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Ahold
Ahold
Ahold is a major international supermarket operator based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ahold is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.-History:...
's US headquarters are in Carlisle
History
American pioneer John Armstrong, Sr., circa 1751 laid the plan for the settlement of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Scots-Irish immigrants settled in Carlisle and farmed the Cumberland ValleyCumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
. They named the settlement after its sister town of Carlisle, Cumbria, England and even built its former jail-house (which Cumberland County now uses as general government offices) to resemble Carlisle Citadel. In 1757, Colonel-Commandant John Stanwix
John Stanwix
John Stanwix was a British soldier and politician.Stanwix entered the army in 1706, rose to a captain of the grenadiers in 1739, major of marines in 1741, and lieutenant-colonel in 1745, and was appointed equerry to Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1749...
made his headquarters there, and was later promoted to Brigadier-General later in the year on December 27, 1757. Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26, 1758, by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The fort guarded a portage known as the Oneida Carrying Place during the French and Indian War...
is named for him. John Armstrong, Sr., founder of the town, fathered John Armstrong, Jr.
John Armstrong, Jr.
John Armstrong, Jr. was an American soldier and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of War.-Early life and Revolutionary War:...
, born in Carlisle in 1758. It is interesting to note that John Stanwix sat in Parliament as Member for Carlisle during the 1740s, that his surname 'Stanwix' is the name of a historic village (now suburb) to the north of Carlisle, Cumbria, and that the surname 'Armstrong' is an old Reiver name common to the Anglo-Scottish border and the Carlisle district.
Late during the French and Indian Wars
French and Indian Wars
The French and Indian Wars is a name used in the United States for a series of conflicts lasting 74 years in North America that represented colonial events related to the European dynastic wars...
, the Forbes expedition
Forbes Expedition
The Forbes Expedition was a British military expedition led by Brigadier-General John Forbes in 1758, during the French and Indian War. Its objective was the capture of Fort Duquesne, a French fort constructed at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in 1754.The expedition...
organized in Carlisle in 1758, and Henry Bouquet
Henry Bouquet
Henry Bouquet was a prominent British Army officer in the French and Indian War and Pontiac's War. Bouquet is best known for his victory over Native Americans at the Battle of Bushy Run, lifting the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac's War.-Early life:Bouquet was born into a moderately wealthy...
organized an expedition there for Pontiac's War, the last conflict of the war, in 1763.
The Carlisle Grammar School (now Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
) began as a Latin school on the frontier in 1773.
Carlisle served as a munitions depot during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. This munitions depot ultimately developed into the United States Army War College at Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks is a United States Army facility located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It is part of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and is the site of the U.S. Army War College...
.
Carlisle was incorporated as a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
on April 13, 1782. Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Rush was a Founding Father of the United States. Rush lived in the state of Pennsylvania and was a physician, writer, educator, humanitarian and a Christian Universalist, as well as the founder of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania....
, a signer of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, developed Carlisle Grammar School and chartered it as Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
, the first new college founded in the newly recognized United States. The 15th U.S. president, James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, graduated from Dickinson College in 1809. In response to a planned march in favor of the United States constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in 1787, Anti-Federalists instigated a riot in Carlisle. During the Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
The Whiskey Rebellion, or Whiskey Insurrection, was a tax protest in the United States in the 1790s, during the presidency of George Washington. Farmers who sold their corn in the form of whiskey had to pay a new tax which they strongly resented...
in 1794, the troops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
assembled in Carlisle under the leadership of President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
worshiped in the First Presbyterian Church at the corner of Hanover Street and High Street. Revolutionary legend Molly Pitcher
Molly Pitcher
Molly Pitcher was a nickname given to a woman said to have fought in the American Revolutionary War, who is generally believed to have been Mary Ludwig Hays...
died in the borough in 1832, and her body lies buried in the Old Graveyard.
The Dickinson School of Law
Dickinson School of Law
Penn State University Dickinson School of Law is the law school of The Pennsylvania State University...
, founded in 1834 and affiliated then with Dickinson College, ranks as the fifth-oldest law school in the United States and the oldest law school in Pennsylvania. A general borough law of 1851 (amended in 1852) authorizes a burgess and a borough council to administer the government of the borough of Carlisle. Carlisle served as a stop on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
An army of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
under General Fitzhugh Lee
Fitzhugh Lee
Fitzhugh Lee , nephew of Robert E. Lee, was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish-American War.-Early life:...
attacked and shelled the borough during the Battle of Carlisle
Battle of Carlisle
The Battle of Carlisle was an American Civil War skirmish in Pennsylvania on the same day as the Battle of Gettysburg, First Day. Stuart's Confederate cavalry briefly engaged Union militia under Maj. Gen. William F. "Baldy" Smith at Carlisle and set fire to the Carlisle Barracks...
on July 1, 1863, part of the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. On a column in front of the historic county courthouse, one still can see evidence of the destruction of the cannonballs.
United States Army Lieutenant Richard Henry Pratt
Richard Henry Pratt
Richard Henry Pratt is best known as the founder and longtime superintendent of the influential Carlisle Indian Industrial School at Carlisle, Pennsylvania.-Military career:...
founded Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Carlisle Indian Industrial School was an Indian boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1879 at Carlisle, Pennsylvania by Captain Richard Henry Pratt, the school was the first off-reservation boarding school, and it became a model for Indian boarding schools in other locations...
in 1879 as the first federally supported school for American Indians off a reservation. The United States government maintained the school, housed at Carlisle Barracks as an experiment in educating Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and teaching them to reject tribal culture and to adapt to white society. Richard Henry Pratt retired from the Army in 1903 and from supervising the school as its superintendent in 1904. Athletic hero Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
entered the school in 1907 and joined its football team under coach Glenn Warner ("Pop" Warner) in 1908. Playing halfback, Jim Thorpe led the team to startling upset victories over powerhouses Harvard, Army, and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1911-12, bringing nationwide attention to the school. Carlisle Indian School closed in 1918.
The Dickinson School of Law
Dickinson School of Law
Penn State University Dickinson School of Law is the law school of The Pennsylvania State University...
ended its affiliation with Dickinson College in 1914 and reorganized as an independent institution. Dickinson School of Law merged into The Pennsylvania State University in 1997 as Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
Geography
Carlisle is located at 40°12′9"N 77°11′42"W (40.202553, -77.195016) at an elevation of 479 feet (146 m). The borough lies in the Cumberland ValleyCumberland Valley
The Cumberland Valley is a constituent valley of the Great Appalachian Valley and a North American agricultural region within the Atlantic Seaboard watershed in Pennsylvania and Maryland....
, a section of the Great Appalachian Valley
Great Appalachian Valley
The Great Valley, also called the Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough — a chain of valley lowlands — and the central feature of the Appalachian Mountain system...
, on the south side of Conodoguinet Creek
Conodoguinet Creek
Conodoguinet Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania in the United States. The name is Native American, and means "A Long Way with Many Bends".Conodoguinet Creek joins the Susquehanna River upstream of Harrisburg....
, a tributary of the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. Letort Spring Run, a tributary of Conodoguinet Creek, runs north through the eastern part of the borough.
Carlisle lies in south-central Pennsylvania at the intersection of Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
and Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
roughly 20 miles (32 km) west-southwest of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, the state capital. It is approximately 69 miles (111 km) northwest of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and 108 miles (174 km) west-northwest of Philadelphia. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, Carlisle has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14 km²), all of it land.
Industry
Carlisle's Main IndustryCarlisle Tire and Rubber Company
Founded 1917
Masland Carpets
Founded 1866
Frog Switch Manufacturing
Founded 1876
Founded by John Hays
Climate
Carlisle has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa)Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The average temperature in Carlisle is 51.3 °F (10.7 °C) with temperatures exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 16 days a year and dropping below 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 119 days a year. On average, the borough receives 38.8 inches (986 mm) of precipitation annually. Snowfall averages 29.8 inches (757 mm) per year. On average, January is the coolest month, July is the warmest month, and September is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Carlisle was 102 °F (39 °C) in 1966; the coldest temperature recorded was -19 °F (-28 °C) in 1994.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 17,970 people, 7,426 households, and 4,010 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,308.9 people per square mile (1,277.8/km2). There were 8,032 housing units at an average density of 1,479.0 per square mile (571.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 88.93% White, 6.92% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.
There were 7,426 households out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 17.2% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,969, and the median income for a family was $46,588. Males had a median income of $34,519 versus $25,646 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $21,394. About 8.6% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Colleges and universities
- Dickinson CollegeDickinson CollegeDickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
- Penn State Dickinson School of Law
- U.S. Army War College
Private schools
As reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics- Carlisle Christian Academy
- Blue Ridge Mennonite School
- Dickinson College Children's Center
- Hidden Valley School
- St Patrick School
- The Christian School of Grace Baptist Church
Radio
AM| Frequency | Callsign | Format | City of License City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 960 | WHYL WHYL WHYL is an Adult Standards music formatted radio station licensed to serve Carlisle, Pennsylvania, consisting of a 2 tower array broadcasting on 960 kHz. The call letters are the initials of Richard F. Lewis, Jr.'s wife, one of the station's former owners... |
Adult Standards Adult standards Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens... |
Carlisle, Pennsylvania |
| 1000 | WIOO WIOO 'WIOO', known as "Country Gold FM & AM", WIOO - AM is a 1000-watt daytime radio station licensed to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts an omnidirectional signal on 1000 kHz & which is duplicated on FM 97.9 MHz with fulltime service. The AM signed on the air in 1965. FM service was added in... |
Country Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... |
Carlisle, Pennsylvania |
FM
| Frequency | Callsign | Format | City of License City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88.3 | WDCV-FM WDCV-FM WDCV-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA, the station serves the Pennsylvania college area. The station is currently owned by Trustees of Dickinson College.... |
Variety | Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Dickinson College Dickinson College Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly... radio |
| 93.1 | W226AS WBYO WBYO is a radio station licensed to Sellersville, Pennsylvania, USA, the station serves the Philadelphia area. The station serves as the flagship station for "Word FM", a network of Contemporary Christian radio stations in eastern and south central PA... |
Contemporary Christian | Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Translator of WBYO WBYO WBYO is a radio station licensed to Sellersville, Pennsylvania, USA, the station serves the Philadelphia area. The station serves as the flagship station for "Word FM", a network of Contemporary Christian radio stations in eastern and south central PA... , Sellersville, Pennsylvania Sellersville, Pennsylvania Sellersville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,249 at the 2010 census. Sellersville is part of Pennridge School District.-Geography:Sellersville is located at .... |
| 97.9 | W250AP WIOO 'WIOO', known as "Country Gold FM & AM", WIOO - AM is a 1000-watt daytime radio station licensed to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts an omnidirectional signal on 1000 kHz & which is duplicated on FM 97.9 MHz with fulltime service. The AM signed on the air in 1965. FM service was added in... |
Country Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... |
Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Translator of WIOO WIOO 'WIOO', known as "Country Gold FM & AM", WIOO - AM is a 1000-watt daytime radio station licensed to Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts an omnidirectional signal on 1000 kHz & which is duplicated on FM 97.9 MHz with fulltime service. The AM signed on the air in 1965. FM service was added in... |
| 101.7 | W269AS Family Radio Family Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping... |
Christian Christian radio Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering... |
Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Family Radio Family Radio Family Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping... translator |
| 102.3 | WCAT-FM WCAT-FM WCAT-FM is Red 102.3, a 3,000 watt country music radio station in Carlisle, Pennsylvania serving Carlisle and the surrounding communities.-Personalities:Current air personalities include:*Rick Sten *Rich Creeger*Val Baldwin*Alex Harley... |
Country Country music Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... |
Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Broadcasts from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Camp Hill is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 2 miles southwest of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,636 at the 2000 census... |
Notable people
- Charles Jefferson AlbrightCharles Albright (congressman)Charles Albright was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:...
(1816–1883) – was a United States Congressman - James ArmstrongJames Armstrong (Pennsylvania)James Armstrong was an American physician and politician.Armstrong was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the son of Brigadier General John Armstrong and the brother of John Armstrong, Jr., who became the U.S. Secretary of War...
– was a United States Congressman from Pennsylvania - John Armstrong, Jr.John Armstrong, Jr.John Armstrong, Jr. was an American soldier and statesman who was a delegate to the Continental Congress, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of War.-Early life and Revolutionary War:...
– was a former United States Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of WarThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation... - Alice BridgesAlice BridgesAlice W. Bridges was an American swimmer, who at age 20, competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin. It first appeared that Bridges, who originally was a back-up contestant, had actually won her event...
, born in 1916, an Olympic Bronze Medalist, at age 20, in 100 m simming event; 1936 Berlin Olympics. Resided in Carlisle - D. Bethune Duffield (1821–1888) renowned scholar, attorney and poet; former School Board President and Chief Attorney of Detroit
- Cheston Lee EshelmanCheston Lee EshelmanCheston Lee Eshelman was born in McKnightstown, Pennsylvania near Gettysburg, and was an American inventor, aviator, manufacturer of aircraft, boats, garden machinery and small automobiles, and founder of the Cheston L...
– inventor, aviator, manufacturer (The Cheston L. Eshelman Company) and automaker (see EshelmanEshelmanEshelman was a marque of small American automobiles and other vehicles and implements including motor scooters, garden tractors, pleasure boats, aircraft, golf carts, snowplows, trailers, mail-delivery vehicles and more. The Cheston L...
) - Travone Hall – former amateur welterweight boxing champion
- J.E. Keeny – President of Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
from 1908–1926, was born in Carlisle in 1860. - Jeff LeboJeff Lebo-External links:*** @ basketballreference.com...
– Current men's basketball coach at East Carolina UniversityEast Carolina UniversityEast Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
. - Lois LowryLois LowryLois Lowry is an American author of children's literature. She began her career as a photographer and a freelance journalist during the early 1970s...
– is an author of children's literature who has been awarded the Newbery MedalNewbery MedalThe John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
twice, for Number the StarsNumber the StarsNumber the Stars is a work of historical fiction about the Holocaust of the Second World War by award-winning author Lois Lowry. The story centers around ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, who lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1943 and was caught up in the events surrounding the rescue of the Danish...
and for The GiverThe GiverThe Giver is a 1993 soft science fiction novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which is at first presented as a utopian society and gradually appears more and more dystopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life...
; several childhood years were spent in Carlisle, her mother's home town. - Marianne MooreMarianne MooreMarianne Moore was an American Modernist poet and writer noted for her irony and wit.- Life :Moore was born in Kirkwood, Missouri, in the manse of the Presbyterian church where her maternal grandfather, John Riddle Warner, served as pastor. She was the daughter of mechanical engineer and inventor...
– was a ModernistModernismModernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. - Anthony Ouellette – Estranged son of Hugh HefnerHugh HefnerHugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
- Billy OwensBilly OwensBilly Eugene Owens is an American former professional basketball player.As a high school senior, Owens averaged 34 points per game, and helped lead Carlisle High School to four consecutive state titles. He was considered to be the second best prep player of 1988, behind Alonzo Mourning...
– former NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player. - Molly PitcherMolly PitcherMolly Pitcher was a nickname given to a woman said to have fought in the American Revolutionary War, who is generally believed to have been Mary Ludwig Hays...
– heroine at the Battle of MonmouthBattle of MonmouthThe Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. A statue of her can be seen in Old Cemetery. - Samuel SmithSamuel Smith (Maryland)Samuel Smith was a United States Senator and Representative from Maryland, a mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, and a general in the Maryland militia. He was the brother of cabinet secretary Robert Smith.-Biography:...
– a U.S. Senator & Maryland CongressmanMaryland's 5th congressional districtMaryland's 5th congressional district comprises all of Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert Counties, as well as portions of Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties. The district is currently represented by Democrat Steny Hoyer, the House Minority Whip....
, born in Carlisle in 1752. - Jim ThorpeJim ThorpeJacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
– considered one of the most versatile athletes in modern sports. - Frederick WattsFrederick WattsFrederick Watts , is called the “Father of Penn State University” and was a prominent agricultural reformer, lawyer and businessman who headed the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Commissioner of Agriculture from 1871-1877 under President Ulysses S...
– U.S. Commissioner of Agriculture (1871–1876) and "Father of Penn State University" - James WilsonJames WilsonJames Wilson was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. Wilson was elected twice to the Continental Congress, and was a major force in drafting the United States Constitution...
– signer of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of independenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
, twice elected to the Continental CongressContinental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
, a major force in the drafting of the nation's ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
Other
Carlisle is famous to many people for its car shows, put on regularly by Carlisle Events throughout the spring, summer, and fall at the Carlisle FairgroundsCarlisle Fairgrounds
Carlisle Fairgrounds is located in downtown Carlisle, PA. It is the home of Carlisle Events and the location for the largest car, truck and motorcycle collector events in the country. Prior to Carlisle Events' emergence, anyone interested in restoring or showing 1950s- or 1960s-era cars had few...
. In addition to the regularly scheduled shows there are specialty shows, among which are GM, Ford, Chrysler, Import/Kit Car and truck shows.
Most likely because of its location at the intersection of two major trucking routes (I-81 and I-76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
), air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
within the borough often falls within the range considered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
as "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" [i.e., children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or heart disease]. The pollutant typically involved is PM2.5, particulate matter composed of particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), a ballet school and performing company known internationally for their alumni, is based in Carlisle.
Carlisle also is home of the headquarters of the Giant Food
Giant Food of Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Giant Food Stores, LLC is an American supermarket chain that currently operates stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia under the names of Giant, FoodSource, and Martin's. Giant is a subsidiary of Netherlands-based Royal Ahold...
supermarkets in Pennsylvania.
Carlisle was home to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
training camp for many years. In 1986, cornerback Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
ran the 40 yard dash
40 yard dash
The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football...
at Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
in 4.09 seconds. Although the result was unofficial, it is the fastest "legitimate" time ever recorded in the 40 yard dash.
Fire companies
There are currently two fire companies supporting Carlisle: Union in downtown and Carlisle Fire and Rescue on the north side of Carlisle.Union responds to nearly 1000 calls a year, and it also supports the surrounding area. Union is the oldest volunteer fire company in the United States.