The elephant symbolizes many virtues, including strength, wisdom, power and good luck. The largest living land mammal also represents memory, loyalty and perseverance within human cultures. These combined traits are the hallmarks of an enduring roadside attraction in Adams County, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium originated from the enthusiastic guidance of Ed Gotwalt and his wife, Pat. They included one more essential onsite virtue: Fun.
Today, the store enjoys its second location, and visiting this whimsical place brings all the wonders and surprises of a premium destination. The souvenirs and the store’s namesake animal mascot, elephants by the thousands, stage a colorful backdrop to a unique southcentral Pennsylvania outpost and museum. Childlike play is the central theme, enjoyed by everyone regardless of age. Kids frolic wide-eyed among the aisles, and parents follow close behind, equally captivated by the atmosphere. Mister Ed’s dares visitors to resist their brand of happiness, knowing it’s irresistible.
A separate wing houses Mister Ed’s mammoth elephant collection, exhibited in all sizes, colors, and material makeups. A passageway leads visitors into this animal assortment, preserved behind glass. With so many elephants displayed, the best strategy is to focus on a few square feet at a time. The museum’s “Pachyderm Points” teach lessons about the animal’s diet, habitat and physique. An elephant’s trunk has over 40,000 muscles, giving them amazing dexterity.
An estimated 12,000 elephants “live” there, but that isn’t even half of their accumulated assemblage. A selection of a similar number is kept in storage, and a Wisconsin museum exhibits another 3,000 of Mister Ed’s big-eared creatures. The wonder of it all: this elephant collection started with a single gift in 1967.
Eight years before opening the store, the Gotwalts married. At their wedding reception, they received a gift that changed their lives: a carved wooden elephant with its trunk held high. That first piece symbolized a good luck wish to the couple. They were inspired by the sentiment, and by the end of their honeymoon, Ed had bought several more elephants. A collector was born.
When the Gotwalts opened the “Territory’s Most Unusual General Store” in 1975, it was fitting they chose the elephant as their symbolic good-luck mascot. Scripted on the wall of their current store is a quote from P.T. Barnum, the famous showman who co-created the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and a man who inspired the Gotwalts. “When entertaining the public, it is best to have an elephant,” Barnum said.
However, it’s unlikely the Gotwalts envisioned all of the elephant’s other symbolic attributes they would rely on over the years to make their business successful.
Ed quickly became known as a Barnum-type figure. During America’s bicentennial, he stayed awake 76 straight hours to celebrate the nation’s 200th birthday in 1976. Later, Ed and Pat traveled extensively to promote their store, one year traveling to 42 events. Ed also took his talents to the local stage, appearing with famed actress Jean Stapleton at the nearby Totem Pole Playhouse.
Despite all the hard work and promotion, this first store closed in 1983. However, Ed and Pat’s vision for their enterprise stayed in sharp focus. Utilizing an elephant-like spirit of perseverance, they found another property three miles distant, a former antique store with more spacious grounds.
The Gotwalts were back in business shortly afterward, now known as Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum. Anchoring the new store was “Miss Ellie,” a life-size talking/moving mechanized elephant that stood auspiciously outside the front entrance.
This second store, smartly positioned halfway between Chambersburg and Gettysburg on U.S. Route 30, flourished. Civil War tourists and seasonal visitors from the area’s scenic mountain retreats (like Caledonia State Park) made Mister Ed’s a yearly exploration during their Pennsylvania travels. As the 1980s and ’90s elapsed, a second generation of Gotwalts entered the business. Special holiday events like Fourth of July fireworks and Santa’s yearly arrival built a loyal fan base.
By the early 2000s, the Gotwalt’s elephant collection first topped 10,000 pieces. This Pennsylvania attraction made national news for its eclectic elephant ensemble, many donated by friends and customers.
On July 5, 2010, the Gotwalt family’s strength was tested, as their unique 35-year-old enterprise stood in jeopardy after a fire ravaged their second location. In the depths of a tragedy, the community’s response, which mimicked the symbolic loyalty of the elephant, fortified the family. Hundreds of volunteers from seven states appeared on “Save the Elephant Day” to help clean up and make a new start. The Gotwalt’s perseverance remained intact, and the business reopened seven months later.
Mister Ed’s has constantly evolved since that trial. Ed and Pat Gotwalt retired, and a third generation of family members took the reins. Granddaughter Nicole and her husband, Isaac Bucher, left successful careers in marketing and teaching respectively, and bought Mister Ed’s in 2014. They immediately developed a dual philosophy of respecting traditions (honoring the elephant’s penchant for memory and loyalty) partnered with a quest to learn new skills and change with the times.
The Buchers became certified chocolatiers. They developed fresh ideas for promoting the candy side of their business, which was always prevalent, but they’ve taken it to new heights. The couple initiated a wholesale trade strategy and even shipped their candy creations to a U.S. aircraft carrier. “We’ve received tremendous community support,” Isaac said about their latest endeavors. In 2019, the Buchers completed a 1,700-square-foot building addition, adding a candy kitchen, wholesale space and offices.
As parents, Isaac and Nicole pay special attention to the children who wander into their store. “I enjoy the kids’ reactions,” Nicole said. “They get so excited when they come inside.” The Buchers’ 9-year-old son, Larkin, has expressed interest in being a candymaker when he grows up. It’s hard to envision the candy selection could get any better at Mister Ed’s, as the store carries every sweet treat and chocolate variety known to humankind, making every guest feel like a proverbial kid in a candy store.
The souvenirs, museum, and sweets bonanza are the interior highlights at Mister Ed’s. Other whimsical figures and animal-based themes await outside. Expecting more elephants, visitors won’t be disappointed. One gigantic specimen raises its trunk to spray water into a small pond.
On the property’s eastern side, a multi-colored mosaic elephant named “Miss Penny Candy” greets passersby, standing underneath an American flag. This artistic elephant made a dramatic debut outside the Totem Pole Playhouse for a production honoring P.T. Barnum and then found its final home at Mister Ed’s in 2012.
Curious eyes will spot gnomes, toy soldiers and painted bowling balls hiding among shrubs and flowers. Two giraffes guard a gardener’s cottage where the owners established a teapot collection started by Grandmother Pat Gotwalt. Elsewhere on the imaginative grounds, Mister Ed’s celebrates all seasons, and during April, colorful Easter baskets hang from trees.
On Saturday, April 12, from 10 am to 2 pm, Mister Ed’s will stage festive group search parties every 15 minutes to hunt for 10,000 hidden Easter eggs.
The Buchers are excited about a new project commemorating Mister Ed’s legacy. They will unveil a new mural at 3 p.m. on May 20. The seven-panel artwork is 28 feet wide, created by over 200 participating artists, and it illustrates the store’s history. The dedication date is Ed Gotwalt’s birthday and is a fitting tribute to this attraction’s creator, who passed away in 2021.
Located on the “Lincoln Highway” (U.S. Route 30), one of America’s first transcontinental roads designed for automobiles, Mister Ed’s celebrates the spirit of the quintessential road trip. On a recent weekend, cars from Florida, Virginia and New Jersey packed the parking lot.
Looking back on 50 years of roadside adventure, Ed and Pat Gotwalt picked the perfect mascot for their enterprise. That regal animal symbolizes many positive traits they and their family exhibited as hosts of Mister Ed’s (mistereds.com/717-352-3792), a unique and long-lasting Pennsylvania destination.
