Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mount Gretna is a borough in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon County, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 242 at the 2000 census. It is a popular place in the summer, for it has a nationally-ranked juried art show (third weekend in August), jazz and chamber music concerts, lectures, book reviews, an annual tour of historic homes and cottages (1st Saturday in August), a roller rink, lake, open-air playhouse, miniature golf course, several restaurants, playgrounds, and an award-winning ice cream parlor known as the Jigger Shop. (The surrounding area, which includes seven distinct neighborhoods, has a year-round population estimated at 1,500 persons. Summertime population increases to about 2,500.)
Visitors to the center of Mount Gretna will notice something quite unusual: no lawns. The area around Mount Gretna is rolling and wooded, and this extends to the "yards" of the houses and other buildings. As one tourist noted: "it's sort of an elf village." Indeed, as one drives along the highway toward Mount Gretna, the woods stay the same, it's just that there are more and more buildings in the forest.
Created in 1889 as a summer colony by Robert Habersham Coleman, an iron processing and railroad industrialist, the community was a pleasure stop on what was then Coleman's Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad. Between 1889 and 1916, when it was shut down, Mount Gretna was the terminus of the C&L RR line known as the Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway, a tourist railway to the top of Governor Dick Mountain nearby.
The Mount Gretna Playhouse showcases a series of plays, musicals, and other special events throughout the summer season. It is also the summer performance venue for Music at Gretna, a notable chamber music and jazz series, as well as for Gretna Theater and the week-long Cicada Festival of family entertainment. The Gretna Playhouse has been under the artistic direction of professionals such as Will Stutts and showcases a series of plays, musicals, and other special events throughou the summer season. Past employees include Kris Valentine, Becca Landis, Robert Campbell, Amy Kellett, Duffey Westlake, Rick Voight, Joe Borkovich, Dallas Mease, and Aubrey Boyd.
Mount Gretna's "Hideaway" restaurant and bar is a popular spot for lunch or dinner, and a favorite late-night gathering spot for locals. The Timbers Dinner Theater and Restaurant offers summer musical revues and is open for dining year-round. Le Sorelle Cafe is open on weekends in winter and Tuesdays through Sundays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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[edit] Geography
Mount Gretna is located at (40.246525, -76.472899)[1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²), all of it land.
Mount Gretna is divided into seven different sections. These include Mount Gretna Heights, where the Mount Gretna Inn is located; Stoberdale, where the Hideaway Restaurant is found; Campmeeting, where the Tabernacle and church are located, and Chautauqua, where the post office, playhouse, playground, and Jigger Shop are located. The area which includes Conewago Lake and the Timbers Restaurant is called Timber Hills. Conewago Hill, Timber Bridge and Conewago Lake are not in Mount Gretna, but rather South Londonderry Township.
Mount Gretna is bordered to the east by West Cornwall Township (0.82 mi), and to the west by South Londonderry Township (1.06 mi).
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 242 people, 117 households, and 74 families residing in Mt. Gretna Borough. The population density was 1,557.5 people per square mile (584.0/km²). There were 205 housing units at an average density of 1,319.4/sq mi (494.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.17% White and 0.83% Asian.
There were 117 households out of which 13.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 2.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.53.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 12.0% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 18.2% from 25 to 44, 43.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $62,917, and the median income for a family was $87,500. Males had a median income of $43,333 versus $48,125 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,470. None of the families and 0.8% of the population were living below the poverty line.
Many houses are home to summer residents only.
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania is at coordinates Coordinates:
- The Jigger Shop
- The Mt. Gretna Newsletter
- Mt. Gretna Area Website
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