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Mechanicsburg, nestled in Cumberland County midway between Harrisburg, the state capital, and Carlisle, the county seat, was once known as Drytown, Pinchgut, and Stauffertown. Incorporated in 1828 and named for a settlement of mechanics that repaired Conestoga wagons, Mechanicsburg was raided by the Confederates and held for three days during the Civil War. Both the Cumberland Valley Railroad and the development of the inland Naval Support Activity Base influenced the rapid growth of this borough. Since 1924, Mechanicsburg has played host to Jubilee Day, Pennsylvania's largest one-day street fair.
About the author
Author Byron L. Reppert, second mayor of Mechanicsburg (1978-1981), earned a Purple Heart while serving in the South Pacific with the 4th Marine Division. A graduate of Lehigh University, Reppert married Bertha Ottylie Peplau, and they settled in Mechanicsburg in 1960 and opened the Rosemary House. An avid history buff, Reppert compiled a slide presentation of his vintage postcard collection to share with the community. This collection of postcards, and some from E. Lee Ritter, his longtime neighbor, are featured in Mechanicsburg.
