Mechanicsburg, PA

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was so named for the large number of mechanics who called this borough home. Considering Mechanicsburg's inception was in the early 19th century, it should come as no surprise that the aforementioned mechanics repaired wagons rather than cars. The success of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, along with the foundation of the Naval Support Activity nearby, contributed to the growth of the area in the 1830s. The birth of lumberyards, factories and other companies along the train tracks helped Mechanicsburg continue to grow, and today its population sits at about 9,000. Its long history lives on in the many buildings that remind residents and tourists of Mechanicsburg's past.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Most of the jobs in the area are in the private sector, with only about 14 percent coming from local, state and federal government. Of the private-sector jobs, about 66 percent are in the service industry, and 19 percent are of the goods-producing type, which includes construction and manufacturing. The main service-industry jobs include transportation, trade, utilities, education, healthcare and hospitality. The breakdown of private-sector jobs in Mechanicsburg is as follows:

• About 23 percent of jobs deal with transportation, utilities and trade.
• About 18 percent involve healthcare and education.
• About 9 percent are in the hospitality industry.
• About 13 percent of jobs deal with manufacturing.
• About 6 percent have to do with construction.

Select Medical Corporation, a leading provider of specialty health care, is headquartered in Mechanicsburg. The company operates 97 specialty hospitals, approximately 605 outpatient rehabilitation clinics and also provides medical rehabilitation services on a contract basis at nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living and senior care centers, schools, private homes and worksites.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Just more than one-third of homes in Mechanicsburg are occupied by renters, and slightly less than two-thirds of homes are occupied by owners. The typical, owner-occupied house has three bedrooms, while the average rented apartment has two. Most homes in the area were built prior to 1939, which is older than Pennsylvania's average house age.

In the central downtown neighborhood, most homes are multi-family units with scattered single-family parcels on smaller lots. Immediately surrounding downtown are developments generally characterized by a combination of attached and detached single-family homes. Multi-family land uses are more scattered in these areas. Outside of the central neighborhoods, parcels become even larger with single-family detached parcels and less multi-family development.

BEST BETS

Jubilee Day: This small borough happens to hold the biggest, one-day street fair in the eastern part of the country, with about 60,000 people attending each year. Jubilee Day has occurred almost every June since 1923. It features livestock competitions, art exhibits, live music, flower shows, wild animal displays and more.

Williams Grove Speedway: Constructed in 1939, this half-mile speedway has long been the spot for car races. It specializes in sprint car racing.

Golf: Mechanicsburg has no shortage of golf courses for an area of its size. Local courses range from the nine-hole, executive-length, Naval Support Station course to the Liberty Forge Golf Course, Armitage Golf Course and Silver Spring Golf Course, all of which boast 18 holes.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Union Church: Built in 1825, this is the oldest structure in Mechanicsburg. It is still popular among both the religious and visitors interested in the building's long history.

The Stationmaster's House: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this house was built in 1863 for the Cumberland Valley Railroad stationmaster. It has since been restored and filled with household items that were common in the 1860s. This home stands as an example of Mechanicsburg's past.

Train stations: Since this area's past was based on the railroad, several stations still stand today. Passenger Station, Freight Station and Washington Street Station were all built in the mid- to late-19th century, and are now museums filled with antiques and interesting information about Mechanicsburg's past.

Eastern Museum of Motor Racing: Because Mechanicsburg is the location of a famous speedway, it makes sense to have a museum of racing nearby. Visitors to this museum can find old race cars, racing accessories, research on the sport and a gift shop.

LOCAL MEDIA

Considering Mechanicsburg's small size, it should not be surprising that the area gets most of its media from nearby cities such as Harrisburg and Lancaster. The following are a few of the newspapers, television channels and radio stations that serve the area:

• Carlisle Sentinel (Cumberland County)
• WGAL (NBC), Channel 3
• WLYH-TV (The CW), Channel 15
• WTPA 93.5 FM (rock)
• WXPH 88.1 FM (alternative)
• WRBT 94.9 FM (country)
• WHKF 99.3 FM (pop)
• WHP 580 AM (talk radio)
• WCMB 1460 AM (talk radio)

DID YOU KNOW?

• The chances of a tornado are slightly higher in Mechanicsburg than in the rest of the state, and 17 percent higher than the U.S. average.
• The typical commute to work in Mechanicsburg is 20 minutes, which is about five minutes less than the average in both Pennsylvania and the United States in general.
• The area has the distinction of being the northernmost battleground of the Civil War; in 1863 the area was raided, which resulted in the Skirmish of Sporting Hill.
• Several well-known people hail from Mechanicsburg, such as Olympian boxer Karen Bill, Poison singer Bret Michaels and drummer Rikki Rockett and supermodel Stacey Williams.