Historical Hanover Street

Mapping Carlisle | Carlisle Mapped on Flickr |
Historical High Street

 

Hanover Street, also known as Route 11 and Route 34, is one of Carlisle’s busiest streets. The point where Hanover and High Streets intersect serves as the central intersection of town. There, you will find Carlisle’s historic public square and the Cumberland County Courthouse. Starting with the public square, take a look at the way Hanover Street has changed over the years …

Here you can see a 1910 depiction of the Hanover and High Street intersection. Note that the two buildings on the lower right corner are described as the Courthouse and the Old Market House.

The Carlisle Square from Above, 1910. Source: postcard image circulated on Ebay.

A better view of the former Cumberland County Courthouse is contained in the following postcards:

The former Cumberland County Courthouse. The vertical image does not have a date. The horizontal image is listed as from 1909. Source: Postcard images circulated on Ebay.

While the above building still stands, in more recent years, the old Market House became the Cumberland County Courthouse, which you can see here:

The Cumberland County Courthouse in 2007. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

While the displacement of the farmer’s market from the Old Market House caused considerable conflict in the community, more than likely, the growing size of Carlisle contributed to the decision to move the courthouse. Here, you can see a view of Carlisle from above in the 1960s.

Carlisle from above, 1966. Source: Postcard image circulated on Ebay.

The town of Carlisle has witnessed the creation and loss of multiple businesses. Here you can see an advertisement for the optician, C.F. Reitling, which no longer exists on Hanover Street.

C. F. Reitling, Scientific Optician, 25 North Hanover Street. No date. Source: Image circulated on Ebay.

Carlisle also has been home to various camera shops, though there is no longer a single camera shop downtown.

Carlisle Camera Shop, 27 N. Hanover Street, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

The former home of the Carlisle Camera Shop is now Oasis on Hanover, the building on the far left in the photo below:

27-31 N. Hanover Street. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

Multiple jewelry stores have made their home in Carlisle, but perhaps none with as memorable a title as “Gay Jewelers.” Here you can see an image of the store from the early 1970s, at about the same time the growing visibility of the Gay and Lesbian movement was transforming the meaning of the word “gay.”

Gay Jewelers, 34 N. Hanover Street, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

Currently, the former home of Gay Jewelers is unoccupied. You can see it here, the building with the blue window, next door to Wardecker’s.
32-36 North Hanover Street, 2007. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

Hanover Street is the place where the supermarket chain store Giant got its start. Here’s an image of Giant in an earlier stage of development, as the Carlisle Food Markets.

Carlisle Food Markets, 100 N. Hanover, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

The Sadler Health Center now occupies the former homer of the Carlisle Food Markets:

Sadler, 2007. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

Long’s Ladies Shop, 109 N. Hanover Street, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

More recently, Long’s Ladies Shop was inhabited by the restaurant, Salamandra:

Salamandra Restaurant, 2007. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

The Card Castle, 126 N. Hanover Street, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

The Card Castle is now home to Steven Barrett Real Estate:

Steven Barrett Real Estate, 2007. Photograph by Cary Cordova.

Hoffman Funeral Home, 219 N. Hanover Street, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

Sadie’s Dress Shop, Hanover and North Streets, 1972. This image is from a promotional publication on Carlisle originally published in 1972. Citation: The Greater Carlisle Area: The Heart of Cumberland County (Carlisle, PA: The Chamber of Commerce, 1972).

Once upon a time, back in the 1890s, Hanover and North Streets were also home to Lucas Paints. Here you can see one of its postcard advertisements:

Advertisement for Lucas Paints, c. 1890s. Source: Postcard image circulated on Ebay.

Please let us know if you would like to share a memory or a photograph of Hanover Street…