Author: Robb Helfrick

Shepherdstown preserves a unique time capsule of American history. This West Virginia river town possesses a fascinating mixture of frontier spirit, charming architecture, Civil War tales and a tradition of hospitality. Also home to Shepherd University, Shepherdstown shines with an ever-evolving culture of higher learning and progressive thinking. Chartered in 1762 as a town in the Virginia colony, Shepherdstown is the oldest community in present-day West Virginia. Many of its pre-Revolutionary War buildings survive, and the entire town is honored as a National Register Historic District. Shepherdstown celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2012. Like many early settlements, Shepherdstown grew…

When the Martin family opened Sunnyway Foods in 1955, Eisenhower was the President, and Elvis was the King. The average cost for a loaf of bread was 18 cents, eggs were 61 cents a dozen, and a gallon of milk fetched 92 cents at the cash register. Driving to Sunnyway’s Greencastle store back then was also economical – gas cost 23 cents per gallon. Now, along with those long-ago prices, a family business with cherished traditions will soon be gone forever. Sunnyway Foods is closing its two Franklin County stores on Oct. 19.   Sunnyway Foods recently announced the sale…

The book “Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service,” by acclaimed journalist Carol Leonnig, shines a penetrating and often disturbing spotlight on the continuing saga of a heroic and mysterious agency. This book published by Random House explores the Secret Service’s history, from its Civil War inception to its modern challenges. Although “Zero Fail” debuted in 2021, its content is especially relevant today after two recent assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump. This book details multiple problems imbedded in the Secret Service and served as an ominous foreshadowing of those dangerous 2024 security failures. These plots…

The seeds of Rip Engle’s legendary coaching career first sprouted in Waynesboro. After his local arrival as an enthusiastic young teacher, Engle started his football journey, building character and teamwork using his budding leadership skills. His early Waynesboro High School success eventually grew into a prestigious head coaching position at Penn State University. Charles “Rip” Engle was born on March 26, 1906, in rural Somerset County, Pa. Young Engle earned his nickname after he tore his trousers four times in one week while playing roughhouse schoolyard games. An athletic life seemed predestined. From an early age, Engle’s Father taught him…

GREENCASTLE – Waynesboro’s Rotary Club hosted the 12th annual “Battle of the Minds” at Green Grove Gardens on Sept. 26. An evening of fellowship, food and fun was highlighted by charity auctions and the night’s main event: a highly anticipated trivia competition. Twenty-eight teams competed for a first-place cash prize and to earn top bragging rights for mastering a gauntlet of challenging facts and figures. But the biggest winner was Waynesboro’s Volunteer Fire Department, the event co-sponsor that will receive half the night’s proceeds. The evening began with a cocktail hour featuring an artistic appetizer spread. Leaders from local businesses…

Chambersburg is the epicenter of Franklin County historic properties, also serving as its most populous city and seat of county government. The county is rich in National Register of Historic Places sites with an impressive 65 listings, more than neighboring Adams County (35 listings) and Fulton County (eight listings). Chambersburg was founded in 1730, and during its early history, life in this frontier town was difficult. One of the first structures built was a fort to protect from invasion. The safety and success of local European settlement was uncertain until the French and Indian War ended in 1763. During the…

CASCADE, Md. – This season’s popular outdoor Jim and Fay Power Concert Series will end on Sunday, Sept. 22, with the Rocky Birely Combo performing from 2-5 p.m. at the beloved Pen Mar Park. This group plays a large selection of ballroom classics from the ’30s to the ’80s, including Latin, waltz, polka and ballad numbers. The concert is free, and the park is a wonderful venue to dance, picnic or soak up sun, all while relishing unique music from bygone days. Pen Mar Park is a treasured local landmark, a place for creating and reliving mountaintop memories. The 2024…

The prospect of using a 169-acre property in Greene Township, once home to the Scotland School, to house unaccompanied minors arriving in the United States appears to have cooled, but not without sparking debate in Franklin County. A key issue is zoning. Now home to Camp Malka, a Jewish summer camp for girls enrolled in 6th to 10th grades, the facility has not been the subject of any formal proposal presented to township officials, although a preliminary proposal was submitted and rejected, township officials said. And the current zoning would not accommodate such a facility anyway, they added. The township’s…

On a Friday evening in 1915, two trains sped toward each other on a single Maryland railroad track. The date was June 25th. One train was the Western Maryland Railway’s Blue Mountain Express, a passenger train headed west toward Hagerstown. The second locomotive was the Number 10 mail train, traveling east to Baltimore. Both conductors were aware of the opposite train approaching and even knew each other by name. Since a regular safety protocol existed, which usually allowed these two trains to pass without incident, neither railway official had reason for concern. However, on this day, the westbound passenger train…

CHAMBERSBURG – Chambersburg is a vibrant community that is constantly evolving. Known as Franklin County’s seat of government, this contemporary city also hosts a wonderful blend of history, culture and entertainment that lures visitors to its dynamic downtown. The traditions of Chambersburg’s longtime hospitality, centered on a lively Main Street, grow more impressive when the town’s dramatic past is remembered. During the Civil War, the Confederate Army threatened Chambersburg in July 1864. They demanded a $500,000 ransom from the community, and when that heinous bribe wasn’t paid, the rebels burned the entire downtown. More than 500 buildings were destroyed, and…