Author: Robb Helfrick

Waynesboro boasts deep historical roots. The town has attained diverse accomplishments throughout its illustrious and industrious past. Today, Waynesboro maintains a variety of buildings harkening to its founding era, and some are listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places. This proud achievement is a testament to Waynesboro’s significant pedigree. As mentioned in the first article in this series, the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is a U.S. federal program that recognizes five categories: buildings, structures, districts, sites, and objects. Among this quintet, properties are judged worthy based on various criteria. This includes whether the property was tied…

Along a legendary 2200-mile pathway that traces the rugged spine of an ancient mountain range, the Appalachian Trail passes through the Southern Pennsylvania/Western Maryland region. This national treasure marks its halfway point in this area, as it meanders north toward Maine, or travels south on a journey to Georgia. The Appalachians formed over one billion years ago. When long-ago continents violently collided, rocks were thrust upward, creating a major mountain range spreading from Canada to present-day Alabama. Appalachian summits once reached jagged heights similar to the Swiss Alps. Millions of years later, natural erosion ground them down to their present…

Here we go again. Daylight Saving Time has arrived to torment some, and please others. This past Sunday clocks automatically sprung forward an hour (at least on smartphones) and we lost an hour of sleep. This annoyance was supposedly for humankind’s common good. But this yo-yo practice of messing with Father Time each spring and fall has created many odd rituals. First, some might assume that once 2 am Sunday March 10th passed, the deed was done and life continues normally. Tell that to the circadian rhythms that control human sleep patterns. Millions of Americans awoke Monday morning to prepare…

The Liberty Bell in an American icon. Throughout its 272-year existence, the bell has chimed a resounding tone of patriotic sentiment, survived guarded secrecy, and spurred enduring myths. The Liberty Bell symbolizes America’s success story, but its history contains other fascinating aspects, including notable failures. On January 6, 1902, a chapter in this famous bell’s story played out as it passed through the Cumberland Valley. Originally called the State House bell, the bell was commissioned by Pennsylvania’s Assembly in 1751. Speaker Isaac Norris ordered it from London’s Whitechapel Foundry. Norris also picked the bell’s inscription: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All The…

The sight is simply astounding. Thousands of snow geese take flight from the brilliant blue waters of Middle Creek Lake and fill the sky with a choreographed aerial ballet of swirling motion and fluttering white wings. Every winter these majestic waterfowl migrate through Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area (MCWMA), located on the border of Lebanon and Lancaster Counties. Only a two-hour drive away, this 6000-acre preserve is a birder and naturalist paradise. MCWMA was created in 1973 to improve habitat for Canada geese, but the conservation effort initiated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which manages the property, resulted in an…

Fairfield is a charming community of 526 residents located in south-central Pennsylvania near the Maryland border. Settled in 1801, the Adams County town is surrounded by lush countryside and offers access to many local historic sites including attractions in Gettysburg and Emmitsburg. The Fairfield Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fairfield schools are situated between scenic golf courses and offer views of a ski resort. The Fairfield Area School District (FASD) hopes these pleasant conditions will attract new talent to their schools in upcoming months. FASD recently updated vacancies on their website so prospective hires…

WAYNESBORO- At the latest School Board Meeting, the Waynesboro Area School District (WASD) approved a revised schedule for the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year. The Board also approved the 2024-2025 school schedule and will release that information by email on or before March 15th. To summarize the end of the current year, students will attend classes on 180 days, and teachers will work 187. The last day of Marking Period (grades 6-12) for the 3rd Quarter will be March 26th, and the 4th Quarter will end May 31st. For grades K-5, the last day of the 2nd Trimester was…

For nearly 250 years, Franklin County, Pennsylvania and Washington County, Maryland have experienced parallel histories, like kin living astride the Mason-Dixon Line. The two counties were once stationed on America’s frontier, and their prominent early settlers utilized the same natural resources and enterprising grit to carve similar legacies. Neither state territory began with its current county name. As the American map shifted away from colonies after the revolution, U.S. States created new counties as they shrunk their geographic units to allow citizens easier access to governmental county seats. Washington County was once contained inside Prince George’s County, then later Frederick…

In human societies, fire is simultaneously a friend and a foe. Most days, this natural force is safely harnessed to heat homes, cook food, and power transportation. During winter, people gather around indoor hearths to bask in warmth and hear pleasant crackling of firewood. But on darker days- through mechanical malfunction, carelessness, or the evil hand of an arsonist- fire escapes normal boundaries and takes on its own life. Then, it becomes a beast. It hides in crawl spaces and ventilation shafts. Fires often break out in depths of the coldest nights when people are most vulnerable. This unfeeling menace…

In a regrettable scenario too common in American communities, a building or landmark of historic significance is lost forever due to development, economic hardship, or catastrophe. These losses diminish all sectors of society, from individual property owners, to business districts and neighborhoods, to county, state, and national preservation efforts. Fortunately, there are numerous programs and organizations devoted to minimizing these irreparable damages. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is one such program, administered by the National Park Service. The NRHP began with the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act. This legislation was enacted to coordinate and support public and private…