A bygone era awaits down the turnpike in Mt. Gretna

By LEISHA SHAFFER

Do you ever find yourself wistfully yearning to return to a time when life was simpler? You don’t need to wax nostalgic or wish for a time machine. You just need to take a short trip down the Pennsylvania Turnpike to visit a place where you can step out of your car and feel you’ve been transported into another time.

This hidden gem is Mt. Gretna, a small Victorian-era summer retreat nestled into the natural landscape of Central Pennsylvania, just off the Lebanon-Lancaster exit and minutes north of the site of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.

If you’ve never heard of Mt. Gretna, you aren’t alone. Most people outside of the immediate area haven’t. It’s not a tourist trap and you won’t see any billboards promoting it. But once you have visited and experienced all it has to offer, you are likely to gratefully gush “I would have never known about this place if it wasn’t for you” to the person who let you in on the secret.

This 130-year-old community is rooted in its rich history. The idyllic, transformational magic of the town is a result of the celebration and preservation of that history, which is carefully stewarded by its full-time and summer residents.

History at Every Turn

According to the Mount Gretna Area Historical Society, founder Robert Coleman envisioned his family estate as a destina- tion. During the 1880’s, he established the Cornwall-Lebanon Railroad, put a station stop at Mt. Gretna, and created a popular recreation park there. He also built a dam on Conewago Creek to create Lake Conewago.

But it was the serendipitous convergence of two religious groups searching for summer retreat locations that created the heart of today’s Mt. Gretna.

The summer of 1892 was the founding moment. A local United Brethren camp meeting seeking a new location leased 30 acres from Coleman. By their first camp meeting that summer, 100 cottages had been built.

At the same time, people who were interested in forming a Pennsylvania Chautauqua were looking for a location, and Coleman obliged. The first Chautauqua was held in the summer of 1892 on the land adjacent to the camp meeting.

The Chautauqua Movement, which originated as a summer educational experience and retreat for Sunday school teachers, reached more than 200 locations across the country at its height.

T oday, the Pennsylvania Chautauqua at Mt. Gretna is one of only seventeen remaining. And its presence is alive as ever. The influence of Chautauqua and its pillars – Arts, Education, Religion and Recreation – are woven into the character, culture, and values of Mt. Gretna.

Upcoming events

IF YOU PLAN TO DRIVE up to Mt. Gretna for a day, schedule your trip around one of the signature events in August.

Mt. Gretna Tour of Homes – August 6th Get a glimpse of the iconic cottages and gardens of Mt. Gretna on this annual self-guided tour which benefits Gretna Music. Tickets are $20 in advance.

gretnamusic.org/tour-of-homes originalcicadamusicfestival.com

The Original Mt. Gretna Cicada Music Festival – August 8th to 16th Six nights of “Music on the Mountain” at the Playhouse, featuring tributes to the artists of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Tickets are $20.

48th Annual Mt. Gretna Outdoor Art Show – August 20th & 21st – This two-day event features artists and artisans from across the country. (The Summer Craft Market is the same weekend.) Admission is $12 and proceeds benefit Mt. Gretna community organizations. mtgretnaarts.com

Lively arts

Gretna Theatre – Gretna Theatre is America’s oldest summer stock theatre, performing since 1927. Bernadette Peters, Sally Struthers and Charlton Heston have all graced the stage at Gretna. The 2022 summer schedule features five performances as well as a Kids Series. Tickets range from $15-$39 ($10 for Kids Series performances).

gretnatheatre.org gretnamusic.org larrymckenna.com/mgsc.html

Gretna Music – Gretna Music presents a slate of gospel and jazz performances throughout the summer as well as the Gretna Music For Kids program. Most performances are held at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse and prices vary by performance.

Mt. Gretna Summer Concerts – It’s always a fun and interactive night at the Tabernacle for Larry McKenna’s Summer Concerts. Spanning the Greatest Hits of Broadway to the music of The Crooners, The Beatles, and Motown, these tribute performances are guaranteed to take you back and get at least your toes tapping. Admission is on a “pay what you want” basis.

Chautauqua Summer Programs – Lectures, art classes, children’s programs, films, and more are part of the Pennsylvania Chautauqua summer series. Registration is required. pachautauqua.info.

Charming Chautauqua

The first thing to do when you arrive at Mt. Gretna is to take a deep breath and exhale. As the quiet and the natural beauty envelop you, you can feel the hectic pace of life melt away.

The first impression of Mt. Gretna, the one that will stick with you, is the quaint, colorful cottages which dot the less than quarter-square mile area. Just about every cottage has a porch; most are charming wraparounds with gingerbread trim. The porches are a centerpiece of the Gretna lifestyle, providing the stage for relaxation and social life and the common bond that fosters the convivial nature of the community.

The roots of the founding groups are evident in the physical design of Mt. Gretna today. The camp meeting section is a walkable community of about 250 cottages connected by a network of pathways and a few roads. The Tabernacle, an open-air auditorium constructed in 1899, is the site for religious services and musical performances.

The Chautauqua section features streets named after colleges, with about 200 cottages tucked into the landscape between the towering trees. The Mt. Gretna Playhouse and the Hall of Philosophy, site of summer programs and community events, are also included.

If you are expecting a resort with a mission to entertain you, then Mt. Gretna might not be the spot for you. That’s not to say that Mt. Gretna isn’t entertaining. Quite the contrary. It is a beehive of activities, steeped in the arts and nature. But Gretna is a go-at-your-own-pace experience where half of the fun is exploring all it has to offer.

Mt. Gretna area offers some features you might expect from a summer resort and some you might not.

Mt. Gretna Lake & Beach features floating wooden docks, over-the-water swings, canoeing, and a picnic area. The Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick, a public park right next door, provides 1,110 acres of hiking, bouldering, and an observation tower with 360-degree views. You can take a few swings at the miniature golf course or go for a spin at the roller rink with its old-fashioned wooden floors. And a must-visit spot is the Jigger Shop, an iconic old-fashioned ice cream parlor, established in 1895.

But it’s the arts that really define the Gretna experience.

Whether it’s the regular performances at the Gretna Theatre, which is one of America’s oldest summer stock theaters, the ongoing series of gospel, jazz and kids music performance at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse or the summer concert series at the Tabernacle there is always something to enrich and entertain. And don’t forget the Pennsylvania Chautauqua summer series of lectures, art classes, films and children’s programs.

For more information, go to mtgretna.com and visitlebanonvalley.com.

In case you need advice, a porch rules sign instructs you in how to relax in Mt. Gretna.