Time Passages: Clock collectors reflect on 25 years gone by.

May 31, 2018 | by Susan Ryder

Illustration by Ryan Spahr

Time may be tickin’ away, may not be on your side and might not even be your friend.

But, recently, time was the guest of honor as Chapter 158 of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC) gathered at Messiah Village in Mechanicsburg to mark 25 years of honoring time and the devices that keep it.

James Kreiser came from Palmyra to mark the occasion. Many years ago, he started collecting and fixing clocks as an inexpensive hobby.

“Clocks are amazing little machines,” he said.

This group of dealers, collectors and repair people began in 1993 because there was no local NAWCC chapter. The late Avery Heisey served as its first president and Kenneth Markley as vice president.

Markley became interested in clocks by proxy. His father-in-law was a clock dealer, and Markley and his wife, Sue, inherited many of his timepieces. Since their retirement, they have sold nearly 3,000 clocks.

“I like the way they look, the way they sound,” Sue Markley said of her clock appreciation. “Each one has its own voice.”

Colleen Houtz and husband David (Howdy) Houtz, both chapter board members, started collecting clocks when Colleen’s aunt gave the couple a marble clock. It needed repairing, and they headed to Adamstown to get it fixed. Each weekend after, they returned and bought more.

Like Markley, Houtz enjoys the appearance of clocks, but, over time, her appreciation has deepened.

“Everybody starts with how they look,” she said. “Now, we’re more interested in movements.”

The chapter helped her as she become increasingly educated in the mechanics, she said.

“They are willing to share knowledge, teach us and help us with our collecting,” she said.

One of the people sharing knowledge is 84-year-old Merv Brubaker of Mechanicsburg—aka the “clock doctor”—who’s been repairing clocks since 1981. A physics teacher for 28 years, Brubaker has worked on 15,000 to 20,000 timepieces over the years, he said.

“I like the problem solving—what makes it tick,” he said.

He also has the distinction of “fixing” the Foucault (FOOkoh) Pendulum at Messiah Village.

In the early 1990s, the chapter helped purchase and construct this complex feat of engineering. The pendulum, which proves the Earth’s rotation, consists of a 55-foot cable suspending a 300-pound brass ball. It was stopping and not staying on course. After much investigating and a few overnight stays at the village, Brubaker discovered that a large fan used by a night maintenance person was interfering with its operation.

This type of expertise is indicative of many of the people who join NAWCC.

“Pretty much anyone who is an expert in time is a member of our organization,” said Thomas R. Wilcox, the group’s executive director and CEO.

Wilcox explained that timekeeping began with the stars and gave way to timepieces because of humankind’s desire to be more accurate and to give our lives regulation and organization.

Headquartered at the National Clock Museum in Columbia, the NAWCC boasts 13,000 members and 150 chapters. The museum serves as a center of horological (the study of timekeeping devices) research, education and collection. Wilcox announced that the NAWCC is receiving technology from Seiko that will allow for virtual reality clock and watch designing, noting that old and new technologies working together is the future of the industry.

This synchronicity is what Josh Romig enjoys about his work as a watch and clock repairman.

“Everything has to work together,” he said.

Romig, of Beaver Springs, began his business after a fall at his previous employment left him wheelchair-bound. He saw a need in the area and trained for the trade in York.

Not everyone in the chapter fixes timepieces.

Varlen Gibbs describes himself as “non-mechanical” but completely appreciates the intricacies of clocks.

“When I look into a clock and see the inner workings, it’s amazing, especially when you think they made some of these 200 years ago,” he said

Not all collectors prefer clocks or watches made centuries ago, before mechanization. Some enjoy more modern pieces. On display that evening were World War II-era watches, a novelty Kit-Cat clock, a 1911 Big Ben alarm clock and a 1980s Swatch Watch wall clock.

Whether collecting, dealing in or repairing timepieces, chapter members find great satisfaction in clock art, design and history. You could say that they’re out to enjoy the clock, not beat it.

To learn more about the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, visit www.nawcc.org.

Summer Squeeze: As the weather warms, take a lemon pledge.

May 31, 2018 | by Rosemary Ruggieri Baer

I’ve read that, “A lemon is not a lemon unless it’s a Sicilian lemon.”

Lemon trees do grow in abundance in Sicily, thriving in the volcanic soil and strong Mediterranean sun. During our trip there in 2010, we enjoyed the wonderful swordfish and branzino, often prepared with lemon, capers and olive oil. But I buy lemons by the bagful at home and cook with them in savory and sweet dishes all year long.

A memory I will always cherish is spending a sun-splashed afternoon in the tiny mountain town of Savoca in Sicily. We had stopped at a small bistro tucked into the side of this picturesque hill town perched high above the sea. The owner began a conversation with our friends who had lived in Italy and spoke fluent Italian. As we sat on the outdoor patio, he surprised us with glasses of shaved ice topped with ice-cold limoncello, a sweet lemon liqueur. I was in heaven, thinking, “This is real Italian ice!”

Back at home, I guess I’m the “lemon lady.” Some of my favorite uses include:

Substituting lemon for vinegar when making Italian salad dressing.
Squeezing fresh lemon juice over grilled veal chops or breaded veal Milanese
Adding lemon extract to buttery pound cakes.
Tucking lemon wedges along with potatoes, olive oil and fresh herbs into bone-in chicken pieces for roasting.
Marinating fish (especially swordfish and fresh tuna) in a simple mix of olive oil, lemon, pepper and sea salt.
Brushing shrimp kabobs with a glaze of olive oil, honey and grated lemon zest and grilling.
Putting a thick wedge of lemon into iced tea. And that goes for sparkling mineral water, like Pellegrino, as well.

Lemon lends itself to flavoring the lighter foods we look for as the summer months begin. While I love my Sunday gravy spaghetti sauce along with meatballs, sausage and pork, when it gets warm, I’m always searching for more seasonal pasta dishes. Pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil is good. But why not pasta with lemon? Here is a basic and simple recipe that you can make as written or spruce up with a few additions. The recipe takes a slight twist (no pun intended) from the classic “pasta with olive oil and garlic.”

Pasta with Lemon

Ingredients

½ cup good olive oil
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
Lemon zest from 1 lemon (be careful to get just the yellow zest not the white layer under the skin)
¼ to ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (play around with this based on your taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper (again adjusting the amount to your liking)
1 pound spaghettini (thin pasta, but not as thin as “angel hair” or cappellini)
½ cup finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.
In a large, deep skillet, warm the olive oil over medium low heat.
Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (only about 1 to 2 minutes). Do not let the garlic brown at all to avoid a scorched taste.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest with about 1 teaspoon salt. Season with freshly ground pepper. Transfer the lemon sauce to a pasta-serving bowl. (Use a little whisk to stir and emulsify it.)
Generously salt the boiling pasta water and cook the spaghettini according to package directions.
Before draining the cooked pasta, save ½ to 1 cup of the pasta water to loosen the sauce as needed. Place the cooked and drained pasta in the serving bowl and toss with the lemon sauce and chopped parsley. Use enough of the starchy pasta water to loosen the strands of pasta.

As you can see, this recipe is pretty simple. You might top each serving with a few grilled shrimp or chopped summer tomatoes tossed in olive oil. Instead of the parsley, you could toss in some fresh thyme, which pairs so nicely with lemon. If my husband had a choice here, he would ask for an addition of fresh white anchovies. If you enjoy butter, substitute ½-cup melted sweet cream butter for the olive oil. Or mix a chunk of unsalted butter into the finished dish.

Chilled, sparkling Prosecco, or any other light Italian white wine, is wonderful with this summer pasta. Ripe melon slices are all you need to complete the meal.

My husband and I both love martinis. But no olives for him. He prefers a twist of fresh lemon because, he insists, “Olives just take up too much room.”

Patio Pleasers: In summertime, the wines turn light.

May 31, 2018 | by Steve Juliana

As we approach summer, we adjust our tastes to wines that enhance this time of warm breezes and bright sunshine.

We look to quaffs that go well with get-togethers, whether on patios, decks or picnics. Food is usually present, but we don’t want any wine that is too heavy and will clash with rising temperatures and humidity. So, I’ve put a list together of light, easy-drinking bottles that are readily available and fit the bill of making our summertime even better.

Albarino is an apricot-scented wine from the province of Galicia in northern Spain. Legend has it that the fruit is related to riesling from Germany that has undergone centuries of cultivation to become the best seafood match on the Iberian peninsula. The same grape is known as alvarinho in Portugal, where it is used in the production of vinho verde or “green wine.”

Grillo is an obscure Sicilian grape that produces a wonderful white wine. Primarily used in the making of Marsala, this thick-skinned fruit produces a savory table wine when bottled alone, with notes of citrus and fruit and ending in an herbal finish. It’s an excellent summertime quaff that is more popular and available than ever before.

In the western hemisphere, we find Argentina’s most famous and widely planted white grape, torrontés. Light and savory, this wine boasts a floral bouquet, which fills the glass with the aroma of fresh-cut flowers. It’s a unique drink that displays the nuance of its cultivation in volcanic soils at high Andean altitudes.

One of the most popular white wines is pinot grigio from Italy. The best are from the mountainous regions of the European boot, but this version is not the one I prefer. Pinot gris is the same grape, reaching its zenith in the French area known as Alsace. The wine is fruity without overt sweetness, rich but in a way that finishes clean and has a mouth-feel that encourages another glass. Fine examples also can come from Oregon, where the wine is a little more austere, though still holding onto its Alsatian personality.

A first cousin of pinot gris is pinot blanc, both grapes mutations of pinot noir. The best are found from Germany, where the wine is light and amazingly refreshing. Not highly aromatic, with subtle fruit, it’s a clear winner when our weather turns sultry. A less-nuanced version is in Italy, where it is called pinot bianco. Certainly worth a try.

My favorite patio wine may be chenin blanc from France’s Loire Valley, where it is known as Vouvray. This wine has it all, with just the right amount of fruit and racy acidity that leads to a clean finish. This quaff has always impressed with its amazing personality as a crowd-pleaser, as well as a foil for cold foods and even desserts with fresh fruit. Available and affordable for you.

Keep sipping,
Steve

Art & Activism: Artist Romare Bearden could do it all, as a new exhibit shows.

May 31, 2018 | by Barbara Trainin Blank

Romare Bearden, “Homage to Mary Lou (The Piano Lesson),” 1983, lithograph, Courtesy of the Romare Bearden Estate Art© Romare Bearden FoundationLicensed by VAGA, NY, NY.

Romare Bearden used to say that an artist is like a whale—swimming with his mouth open and taking in everything.

And he did. The North Carolina-born artist was amazingly versatile, creating, at different periods, oil paintings, cubism, abstract expressionist work, figurative art, cartoons, watercolors, works on paper, large-scale murals and quilts. Interested in the jazz idiom, he took the structure of music and put it into 2-D form.

But the most distinctive aspect of his creative life were his collages, made of printed paper, newspaper and magazines, and fabric, said Diedra Harris-Kelley, co-director of the New York-based Romare Bearden Foundation, which was established by the artist’s wife. “He created them at a time when collages were not taken seriously as fine art.”

Bearden, who died 30 years ago, was a Renaissance man—a lifelong art history expert, a writer and activist, taking part in the 1963 March on Washington and on picket lines. He was also one of the founders of the Harlem Renaissance, an intellectual, social and artistic explosion that took place in the Harlem neighborhood of New York during the 1920s.

Recognition for his art came slowly, though. Bearden created at a time when the works of African-American artists were relegated to the basements of museums rather than to their galleries, Harris-Kelley said. In fact, he worked tirelessly to have works by these artists properly recognized.

Much of the glory he received was posthumous. After Bearden’s death, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York held a retrospective of his work, and his collage, “Family,” became the national poster for the federal government’s 2000 census, among other honors. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Studio Museum in Harlem.

In 2004, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., featured a Bearden retrospective.

Now, beginning this month, Harrisburg’s Susquehanna Art Museum is hosting an exhibit of Bearden’s work.

Entitled “Romare Bearden: Vision & Activism,” the exhibit, drawn from the Romare Bearden Foundation Collection, examines how the artist agitated for change through both his images and writing. Included is a diverse collection of original collage, watercolor, limited-edition prints, reproductions and rare archival material, including Bearden’s magazine covers and editorial cartoons.

“The exhibit also explores how Bearden, one of the most-important visual artists of the 20th century, countered racial stereotypes with images drawn from history, literature and the free world of his imagination,” said Lauren Nye, director of exhibitions at SAM.

The exhibit traces Bearden’s evolution into a true master artist, Nye said. It begins with his editorial cartoons for university magazines and, later, national publications and newspapers. The section called “Rewriting History” offers examples of when he took on the past to engender pride, as in “Black History,” a maquette (small preliminary model) for a public mural.

Much of Bearden’s art illustrated the domestic and home life of African Americans, not generally represented in the art world. He also did religious scenes of biblical drawings as well as charcoal drawings with universal messages, said Nye.

Some of his subjects were not African-American themed, as in the “Mayor [John] Lindsay” piece for Time magazine, in tribute to the mayor of New York.

“The Susquehanna Art Museum is really glad to be doing this exhibition,” said museum Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab, who personally met the artist. “We selected Bearden, in part, because he’s recognized by some, but not all, and should be recognized by all.”

There are other reasons that the museum selected Bearden. One is the “resurgence of interest” in the Harlem Renaissance, and another is the artist’s tie-in with political activism and the civil rights movement, which resonates with young people, Nye said.

Scheduling an exhibition of a major figure in African-American art during the summer months isn’t arbitrary either.

“That’s when many traveling visitors, as well as summer camps and programs, come to the museum in groups,” Schwab said. “I would contend that there has never been a better time in our nation’s history to familiarize people with an artist so noticed for social activism.”

“Romare Bearden: Vision & Activism” runs June 9 to Sept. 23 in the Main Gallery of the Susquehanna Art Museum at The Marty and Tom Philips Family Art Center. Museum members are invited to a special opening preview on June 8, 5 to 7 p.m.

The Susquehanna Art Museum is located at 1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.susquehannaartmuseum.org or call 717-233-8668.

Fun Central: Nature, biking, swimming, skating, history–all in a visit to Lancaster County Central Park.

May 31, 2018 | by Don Helin

Many cities have a patch of green that cuts through them, softening up the hardscape and giving residents a place to play.

In Lancaster, that’s Central Park, a space that helps connect city residents with the subdivisions and farmland just to the south.

Lancaster County Central Park totals 544 acres and boasts nine hiking trails, ranging in length from one-half to four miles. There also are baseball and soccer fields, tennis courts and even a skate park. The busiest offerings, said Environmental Program Manager Tammy Agesen, are the educational programs.

“We provide kids what they can’t get in the classroom because we’ve got the green space, the habitat and the skilled staff,” she said.

Agesen has a staff of three full-time and 10 part-time naturalists and environmental educators. Their skills range from biology to botany and geology to environmental education. Many have degrees in education, including early childhood and elementary education, so the staff manages different age groups and supports home school, scouting and public school programs.

The Environmental Center, where the staff holds most of its classes, is housed in a 19th-century bank barn. Next door is the Shuts Environmental Library, which holds more than 4,500 books about nature, wildlife, gardening and other topics for children and adults.

The library building dates back to 1769. For years, it held reference material for the environmental staff. Now, it partners with the Lancaster Library System so people can order books online from the main library and pick them up at the Shuts Library.

“One of our most popular programs is edible wild plants and insects, given by Lisa Sanchez,” Agesen said. “Sanchez teaches students how to hunt for the plant or insect, what’s safe to eat and what’s not, how to gather, and, finally, how to cook the plant or insect.”

Day-camp programs are especially popular in the summer, Agesen said. Camps are divided by age groups, ranging from ages 3 to 13. The camps for 3 and 4 year olds are designed for those who aren’t quite ready for an extended amount of time away from their parents.

The park’s Conestoga area is the site of year-round recreational activities. A swimming pool complex, located next to the park office, attracts nearly 30,000 visitors each year. There are three pavilions with views of the Conestoga River, and these areas are equipped with restrooms, play areas and volleyball courts, making them ideal for family picnics. The Conestoga Trail traces a route across the park on its way from northern Lancaster County to the Mason-Dixon trail in York County.

The Garden of Five Senses combines paved walkways with raised herb and flower gardens, scent boxes, reflecting pools and signage to lead visitors through a natural experience.

Agesen said that she especially enjoys teaching a program devoted to natural cleaners and beauty products.

“Students learn how to make natural lip balm, insect repellent and sun screens,” she said. “We put so many chemicals on our face and body that I believe natural products are particularly important.”

Rock Ford

Nestled within the park is the Rock Ford Plantation, the 33-acre, 18th-century home of Edward Hand, George Washington’s adjutant general.

Hand was born in Ireland before immigrating to this country, where he became a physician and fought in the Revolutionary War. Following his death in 1802, various absentee landlords rented the land to tenant farmers, and the property gradually fell into disrepair. In the mid-1950s, Rock Ford was identified as a site for a new trash incinerator/landfill and was almost lost. But historical preservationists, led by the Junior League of Lancaster, stepped in to save it at the last minute.

Rock Ford Plantation is considered one of the best examples of Georgian-style architecture in Pennsylvania. The mansion is furnished with period pieces dating to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including many items that belonged to Hand and his family. The plantation home opened to the public in 1960 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Each year, Rock Ford hosts a number of educational programs for children and adults. For the past three years, it has sponsored a “Sleepy Hollow” play, which complements the time period when the Hands owned the mansion.

Each year, the premier event is a Yuletide program held just after Christmas, said Sam Slaymaker, executive director of the Rock Ford Foundation, the nonprofit that maintains the site.

“Modeled on the Old English 12 days of Christmas, our open house features live music, period dancing, evening candlelight tours and open hearth cooking demonstrations,” he said. “Visitors are given a brochure showing what life would have been like for the Hands during the holidays.”

Lancaster County Central Park is located at 1050 Rockford Rd., Lancaster. For more information, visit www.lancastercountyparks.org or call 717-299-8215.

The Rock Ford Plantation is located at 881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster. For more information, visit www.rockfordplantation.org or call 717-392-7223.

Books & Beaches: It’s summertime and the reading is (mostly) easy.

May 31, 2018 | by Alex Brubaker

It’s summer. Your vacation destination is locked-in, dates are set, and the countdown has begun.

If you’re like us, a good book is the cornerstone of a great vacation. Whether you’re lazing by the side of the pool, kicking your feet up under an umbrella on the beach, or staying up late in bed (just one more chapter, you say), no smart phone can replace the erstwhile thrill of a true page-turner. No matter how you vacation, you’re going to need a good book by your side. Since we’re always recommending books over at Midtown Scholar, we thought we’d compile a list of some of the most binge-able page-turners that you’ll want to take on vacation this summer. (And no, we didn’t just select books with beaches on the cover.)

These books are new, and they’re superb.

“Circe” by Madeline Miller

“The archaeological evidence is sketchy, but the first pussy hat was probably knitted by Circe.” So begins the Washington Post’s review of “Circe”—and we don’t have evidence to the contrary. After vaulting to No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list in just its second week, Madeline Miller’s epic second novel has been lauded as one of the top must-read novels of 2018. Taking Homer’s much-maligned goddess from “The Odyssey” as her focal point, Miller turns a timeless tale on its head to subvert and address male anxiety about female power. Astoundingly relevant, Miller is able to use her extensive knowledge of ancient history as a vehicle to address these contemporary concerns. Addictively page-turning, Miller’s breadth of historical knowledge and powerful storytelling make for a hypnotic journey into the ancient past. Read “Circe,” then circle back to her award-winning debut, “The Song of Achillies.”

“Tangerine” by Christine Mangan

Already optioned for film by George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures and set to star Scarlett Johannson, “Tangerine” is one stellar debut by Christine Mangan. Incredibly smart and devilishly twisted, this plot-driven tale of psychological suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat. Not many debut authors can provide the taut, atmospheric story that Mangan delivers in “Tangerine,” confidently guiding the reader through every twist and turn until the very last page. We’ll leave it to Joyce Carol Oates to offer the final blurb for “Tangerine,” as she writes that the novel is “as if Donna Tartt, Gillian Flynn and Patricia Highsmith had collaborated on a screenplay to be filmed by Hitchcock.” Mic, dropped.

“Educated” by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 years old when she first set foot in a classroom. Until that point, she never saw a doctor, a nurse and was so isolated from mainstream society that she never even learned about the Holocaust or the civil rights movement. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Westover’s unquenchable desire for knowledge and higher education beyond the confines of her isolated existence propelled her on a journey you’ve likely never seen before. After going on to study at BYU—and eventually earning her Ph.D. from Cambridge University in 2014—Westover’s memoir is an unflinching portrayal of will and determination against the odds. “Educated” is about the struggle for self-invention, grief over severing family ties, and what it truly means to receive an education. Without a doubt, Westover has written this year’s most inspiring and unforgettable memoir.

“From the Corner of the Oval” by Deck Dorey-Stein

Listen up, fans of “Veep” and “West Wing”—Beck Dorey-Stein’s hilariously candid memoir of her time spent as the stenographer at the White House during the Obama years has been on our radar for months. No, this is not your political tell-all or juicy, newsworthy blockbuster (sorry, “Fire and Fury” fans)—it’s a flat-out funny, unfiltered, coming of-age-story set with the unique behind-the-scenes backdrop of the White House and Air Force One. Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content seem to agree, as they’ve just teamed up to adapt the book to the big screen. Oh, and make sure to meet Dorey-Stein this summer on July 21 when she visits Harrisburg to share her story, sign her books and meet readers and fans from across central Pennsylvania. “From the Corner of the Oval” hits the shelves on July 10.

“An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones

This one definitely isn’t in need of the extra praise, but Tayari Jones’s “An American Marriage” deserves all the buzz it’s had. A New York Times bestseller and Oprah 2018 Book Club selection, Jones delivers a masterpiece of storytelling with her novel set in the American South. At the center are newlyweds Celestial and Roy. When Roy is arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, their lives are turned upside-down. It’s a love story set in the crosshairs of the American dream and the new South—and an intimate and profound portrayal of race and class by a new literary sensation. No arguments with Oprah on this one. Read “An American Marriage” then pick up Jesmyn Ward’s “Sing, Unburied Sing” as a companion novel.

“The Incendiaries” by R.O. Kwon

This one’s not your typical summer breeze of a read, but it will certainly leave an indelible mark on the psyche for days after finishing the final page. Confronting organized religion, cultish groupthink, obsession and violence, R.O. Kwon’s debut novel tackles difficult subject matter with literary poise, psychological depth and startling honesty. At times disturbing—at times un-put-downable—“The Incendiaries” acts as Kafka’s axe for the “frozen sea within us,” aiming not to please the reader, not to hold our hand along the way, but to challenge assumptions, disrupt expectations and disturb the comfortable. Hypnotic and dazzling prose to match this brilliant debut, Kwon has solidified herself as a literary sensation on the rise. Set to hit the shelves on July 31, this one is worth the wait for later this summer.

“Cult X” by Fuminori Nakamura

The magnum opus from Japanese literary sensation Fuminori Nakamura, “Cult X” is more than 500 pages of pure psychological suspense. Drawing inspiration from a 1995 terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway, Fuminori’s novel is a deeply enthralling exploration of what drives people to extremism. Violent and disturbing, yet compassionate and humanistic, Nakamura’s doorstopper of a novel is written with psychological acuity on cults, fringe groups and human behavior in the face of nihilism. Drawing upon such eclectic subjects as neuroscience, astrophysics and quantum physics, “Cult X” is a noirish thriller that twists and turns until the very last page. Think Murakami’s “1Q84”—only darker.

Alex Brubaker is manager of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtownscholar.com.

Houses & Horses: Preserving history in Lower Paxton Township.

May 31, 2018 | by Stephanie Kalina-Metzger

The new Lower Paxton Township Historical Commission is on the hunt for horses. Well, not just any horses, but old, handcrafted ones that some township residents may remember fondly.

There was, for instance, the old Inn 22 horse that long graced the grounds of the restaurant located five miles east of Harrisburg on Route 22.

“We’re still looking for that horse,” said Lower Paxton Township Historical Commission Chairman Joe Murphy.

Then there were the carousel horses you once could find on a farm owned by Judy Miller Klinefelter’s family. For years, the Linglestown Fair operated on the land, near what is now the Blue Moose Bar & Grille.

“We held an annual fair here,” said Klinefelter. “State government officials would come out to visit, and we’d have cows, pigs, sheep and other animals, along with cake judging and so forth—sort of like a precursor to our modern-day farm show.”

One of the highlights of the fair was a carousel. According to Klinefelter, when the fair closed down for good, her grandfather received an urgent telephone call from a friend who said, “You’d better get down here, every car that is going through town has one of your horses on it.”

Her grandfather arrived on site to discover one lone horse remaining, and today it’s stabled in Klinefelter’s living room.

“You know there are a lot of things kids don’t want these days, but both my daughters want that horse,” says Klinefelter with a laugh.

As for the remaining horses, she still holds out hope that others might show up someday.
Sharing History

It’s stories like these that bring history to life, Murphy believes.

His wife, Polly, through her work with both the Linglestown and the Lower Paxton 250th anniversary celebrations, learned many more. As the tales unfolded, it became clear that something should be done, and this led to the creation of the Lower Paxton Historical Commission in February.

According to Murphy, the commission’s mission is to identify, preserve, promote and protect the historical heritage of the township. The commission held its first meeting in March and now is conducting monthly history presentations.

“We will also be sharing the history with local students and teachers,” he said.

Preservation serves many purposes, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For instance, old structures exist as a reminder of a city’s culture and complexity. The trust stresses the fact that once an historic structure is torn down, there’s no way to bring it back.

And the Linglestown area is rich with old structures.

For instance, the building that houses St. Thomas Roasters, near Linglestown Square, once operated as a pharmacy and dates back to the 1800s. One of the oldest structures in the area, the Gilchrist House, was built in 1794. The home is located near Arooga’s in Linglestown and is one of the original homes built in Lower Paxton Township.

“We think it’s built around a log cabin and are hoping to get into it with a building inspector,” said Murphy, adding that the home has been vacant for 30 years. “The woman who owns it had no idea until we contacted her.”

And then there’s Thomas Lingle’s house, which still exists on Parkway West, just a few blocks west of Linglestown Square.

David Doyle, who serves as the commission’s vice chair, mentioned long-gone businesses that are fondly remembered and posted by the commission on Facebook. For instance, he said, Moulin Rouge was known for its steaks, Maurice Acri’s served Italian food and Gino’s cooked up locally famous burgers and fried chicken.

When the commission posted a picture of the old Dutch Pantry, which was located on the corner of Allentown Boulevard and Mountain Road, the “likes” skyrocketed, Doyle said. And, of course, the Eagle Hotel, located on Linglestown Square, remains popular to this day.

“As a pre-Civil War structure, it’s one of the oldest taverns in Lower Paxton Township,” Murphy said.

In 1919, the American Legion was formed on the third floor, where they also held auctions for livestock.

“The barn located behind what is now Mud Queen Pottery was where the animals were, and they marched them right over,” Murphy said. “At the time there were two entrances—one for men and one for women.”

Not all preservation projects are focused on structures. Murphy remarked on a 400-year-old tree located off Linglestown Road.

“The John Goodway sycamore is named after the last Indian in the area,” he said. “He’s buried 10 feet north of that tree.”

And speaking of gravesites, Murphy speculated on a tragic loss that may not have occurred had the historical commission existed in the 1950s.

“Around 1956, I-83 was cut onto Route 22,” he said. “This affected approximately 300 graves, most of which were marked and contained many veterans from the French and Indian War up to World War I. They were dumped into one big, mass grave, and they were able to do it because the deceased’s relatives were gone. It was the oldest part of the cemetery. This is what we are going to work on preventing in the future.”

Past Is Future

History, of course, isn’t just physical objects. It also includes memories and stories.

At a recent monthly presentation, the commission shared the story of a B-26 bomber that crashed into Blue Mountain in 1951 due to fog and radio problems. Plans are in the works to honor the crewmen with a memorial service.

“The three crewmen were National Guardsmen from the 202nd Squadron,” Doyle said. “We reached out to the unit to see if they can be of any help with our service.”

Looking ahead, the commission plans to work with Lower Paxton Township to set up markers to designate historical structures. Since the commission operates without taxpayer money, it is gearing up to learn more about grant writing and fundraising to achieve its future goals, including a permanent building to store, display and create an official township historical collection of artifacts and ephemera.

Committee members are optimistic that, as the word spreads, more people will want to learn about the rich history of the township and may consider joining in the important mission of preserving the past for the benefit of the future.

To learn more about the Lower Paxton Township Historical Commission, visit www.lowerpaxton-pa.gov or the Facebook page: Lower Paxton Historical Commission.

Student Scribes: “Fishy, Fishy in the Brook–Life Lessons from Fishing and Football”

May 31, 2018 | by Kaitlin Paich

My mother, sister and I have always spent the summer months off the shores of the Assawoman Bay. Her waters flow between Delmarva, Del., and Ocean City, Md. It was here that my maternal grandfather, “Captain Jack,” had become a respectable member of Tuckahoe Acres Campground and the boating community. It was not until recently that I realized the significance of the lessons the captain had subtly been teaching me over the years. One recent event was that, as a kinesiology major, I studied the book “When the Colts Belonged to Baltimore: A Father and a Son, a Team and a Time.” The author, William Gildea, learned life lessons from his father’s love of football, just as I learned life lessons from my grandfather’s love of fishing. The other recent event was a medical emergency that changed the way my grandfather and I spent our time on the water.

Aside from being able to bait a hook, cast a line, drop an anchor, port a ship, and tie a knot, my strong and silent maternal patriarch taught me more about life than I could have ever figured for myself in 21 years. My parents divorced when I was 10 years old. I look at my grandfather as my genuine, paternal figure and credit him as such. By modeling his own strength, my grandfather taught me strength. Fishing was therapeutic during those summer months; the ease I felt on the waters persisted through the seasons so long as my grandfather was around. Through fishing, the captain and I formed an infrangible bond. If my life was the sea, he was port, and with every swell and crest, he taught me strength, patience and how to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.

As soon as we dropped anchor, the captain would recite the nursey rhyme, “Fishy, fishy, in the brook, come and take a bite of my hook,” and, with this, he taught me patience. As a child, it is difficult to understand that fishing is a timely process. Despite my frustration, my grandfather would say, “Now Katie, you can’t catch fish if your line isn’t in the water.” Not knowing then how invaluable such an “ism” would be, I would roll my eyes and retreat to the stern. Being much older now, I realize such a phrase is transferable beyond the waters. To draw a parallel, I would not be able to maintain my GPA if my priorities were not aligned, or my time not invested in my studies. I would not be able to maintain my hard-pressed lifestyle if I were unable to manage my time appropriately or protect my mental wellness.

I learned that, on some days, the fish would bite. William Gildea learned that eventually the Colts would win. But on bad days, when the clock ran out and the ocean failed to deliver, the captain and Gildea’s father alike were there to talk on the ride home. One of my favorite parts of the book is Gildea stating plainly, “It was okay. We could talk.” In undesirable circumstances I, like Gildea, could talk to a father figure.

He taught me to adapt to new circumstances. When I was upset, he would rub my shoulder and say, “Now, don’t get excited.” He was port. Whenever he would drive us to Tuckahoe, he would never take the same route twice. He claimed that driving the same route twice is 1) “bad for the brain” and 2) not adaptive to adjusting to unforeseen circumstances should you need to. Along a similar line is another one of his mantras, “Always be aware of your surroundings.” As I move to a new city, new town every three months, it is extremely important to be aware of my surroundings and to be able to adjust accordingly. Should things go awry, or should I find the adjustment difficult, I remember to “never get excited.”

In Gildea’s book, the Colts played a supporting role in his relationship with his father, and fishing has played a supporting role in my relationship with my grandfather. For it is through sport and activity that father and son, grandfather and granddaughter, captain and first mate, are able to bond over the trials and tribulations, the wins and losses, and the swells and crests.

From time to time, we reminisce on old photographs of the captain stationed in Hawaii or of my grandmother just after she graduated from nursing school. Being the strong and silent type, he would never discuss his past, but, by looking at these photographs, I feel like I know everything I could ever need to about him. William Gildea did this too, as he paged through a Colt player’s photo album.

I knew those years would be important; I just did not know or understand why. In the wake of my own agenda, 2017 was the first in 21 years I had been unable to visit my grandparents in Delaware during the summer months. This was also the summer the captain and my little sister were in a medically related car accident. They are OK, but the captain is no longer allowed to operate his boat due to medical conditions.

To give back to him all he has given to me and to further our relationship through fishing, I tested for my Delaware boater’s license. Last month, my grandfather and I once again sailed the waters of the Assawoman Bay, but this time, I was the captain.

Kaitlin Paich is a senior kinesiology major at Penn State Harrisburg.

All Afloat: Relax away the stress, the strain at Dissolve.

May 31, 2018 | by Karen Hendricks

Kelly Martin was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis more than 25 years ago.

So, when the 53-year-old Middletown woman heard about floatation therapy from a co-worker—and found a discount for Camp Hill’s Dissolve Float Spa on Groupon—she decided she had nothing to lose.

“I immediately fell in love,” Martin said. “Floating in the water takes the pressure off your joints, the warmth of the room surrounds you, and it’s stress relief—that’s the trigger for arthritis.”

She’s been going to Dissolve, located on Market Street, twice monthly for the past 18 months to help manage her symptoms.

So what exactly is floatation therapy? Dissolve owner Michael Heiter said that the concept is pretty simple.

“You basically step into a pod, lay back and float,” he said.

But the operation behind the float is much more complex.

The facility has several private float rooms, each containing a pod filled with 200 gallons of water, measuring 10 inches deep, plus a key ingredient—the equivalent of 900 pounds of Epsom salts or magnesium sulfate. The salinity of the water provides a gravity-free float in body-temperature water that lasts about an hour.

Heiter, 47, of Carlisle, said that he was working in a stressful job as a medical device representative, helping to run equipment for surgeries, when he tried floating for the first time at a facility in Bloomsburg.

“It was an amazing experience, probably the most peaceful moments I’d had in my life,” he said.

As a result, he and his wife Tracy decided to bring floatation therapy to central Pennsylvania. The couple spent about eight months searching for the ideal property before discovering Camp Hill’s former Masonic Lodge.

“It’s built extremely well, with almost no windows, made of concrete and steel,” he said. “It needed to be well insulated for quiet.”

Through adaptive reuse, the 1936 structure was transformed into Dissolve Float Spa and opened in May 2016, the first spa of its kind in the area. Dissolve now schedules 400 to 500 floats monthly.

“People say it’s life-changing,” Heiter said. “It’s like a reset or reboot, mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Clients use floating to relieve symptoms of chronic pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, PTSD, Lyme disease, arthritis and other medical ailments, he said. But visitors don’t need a medical reason to come—many people just want to unplug and de-stress.

“A lot of people today struggle with being able to relax,” Heiter said.

Dissolve’s pods are equipped with tranquil music, which helps clients drift into a nap-like zone. Or visitors may choose to turn the music off and relax in quiet stillness.

Pods, often described as large and egg-shaped, feature lids that may be lowered during use. The pods are white and equipped with low lights, which helps prevent a feeling of claustrophobia if the lids are down.

A voice recording signifies when it’s time for visitors to exit the pod, rinse the salinity off in a shower—located within the same room—and get dressed. Clients may choose to wear a swimsuit, or not, while floating.

Massage is also offered at the spa.

Massage therapist Jennifer Hara said her services, including Bowen therapy bodywork, complement flotation therapy.

“Massage and bodywork prepare you for the deeper relaxation (of floating),” she said.

Hara herself has tried floating. She says it’s an “incredible” experience thanks to sensory deprivation—the removal of stimuli.

Cindy Reitz, 61, of Carlisle, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia more than 20 years ago. She also has orthopedic issues that have led to three back surgeries.

“I hurt all the time,” she said.

Last summer, her husband suggested she try floating, and she took to it instantly.

“Nothing else manages the pain (like floating),” she said, adding that her husband remarks that she looks visibly different afterwards.

Reitz now visits Dissolve three times a week.

”One of the things I love about it is, after I get out, I don’t feel heavy or tired,” she said. “I’m energized and moving with more fluidity.”

She said that she tells everyone she knows about floating and the “fabulous, professional” staff at Dissolve.

“I’m so grateful to them and this facility,” she said.

It’s a sentiment that Martin echoes.

“Floating has definitely added to my quality of life and gives me an option other than traditional medicine,” she said. “Besides escaping to the beach, it is my favorite place to get away.”

Dissolve Float Spa is located at 2211 Market St., Camp Hill. For more information, visit www.dissolvefloat.com or call 717-730-0600. If you have any questions regarding your medical condition and whether floating is right for you, please consult with your doctor.

Pumped Up: Local firm Andculture purchases, plans to renovate, relocate to Old Waterworks.

May 30, 2018 | by Lawrance Binda

The Old Waterworks complex on Front Street.

The King Mansion, the Moffitt Mansion, the “Mary K” mansions.

In recent years, these iconic Front Street buildings have been purchased, restored and reoccupied.

You can now add to that list a singular Harrisburg property—the historic Old Waterworks building.

Today, the owners of Harrisburg-based Andculture closed on the purchase of the sprawling, 22,000-square-foot building, one of only two structures in Harrisburg within Riverfront Park, directly fronting the Susquehanna River.

After a full building renovation, the design and engineering company plans to relocate its 55-person staff from its long-time downtown home at N. 2^nd and Locust streets.

“We are very excited about this,” said David Hickethier, co-owner of Andculture. “This has been a long time in the works.”

The building has been on and off the market for several years. However, the sales process was accelerated once the prior owner, Mann Realty Associates, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January. According to Dauphin County, Hickethier and his partners bought the property from Mann Realty for $1.25 million.

A view from inside the Old Waterworks, as the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat churns past.

The Waterworks is one of the oldest extant buildings in Harrisburg, actually comprised of four connected structures.

The original stone portion dates to 1841, built to pump water to the city’s first reservoir, which was located near the state Capitol. The pumping station was substantially enlarged in 1901, with much of the buff-colored brick structure dating to that period. In recent decades, the building fell victim both to the Tropical Storm Agnes flood of 1972, which ended its life as a pumping station, and to a devastating fire five years later.

In the 1980s, the city restored the building, turning it mostly into office space. Mann Realty acquired the property from Harrisburg in 2002 for $350,000, according to the Dauphin County property database.

Hickethier expects Andculture, a company he co-owns with partners Josh Benton and Evan Keller, to occupy the majority of the building for its main offices and for its business accelerator, Catamaran.

The company may lease out some of the remaining space, especially to complementary businesses, and would like to reserve a portion for public use, possibly for meetings and receptions, Hickethier said.

An interior view of some of the hardware inside the Old Waterworks.

Since the major city renovation 30 years ago, the building has suffered a few floods and has not undergone a major update. So, Hickethier and his partners plan to mount a complete restoration. The work includes removing drop ceilings, restoring floors, opening up spaces and making substantial repairs.

“The building has the structure and the bones: stone, steel, brick,” he said. “So, I knew we could work with it.”

Right now, they’re shooting for a year-end completion date, with the understanding that renovations could extend into 2019.

“It’s a very unique building,” Hickethier said. “There are only two on that side of Front Street, right on the river.”

The Old Waterworks is located at 614 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information about Andculture, visit www.andculture.com.

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