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These postcards from the World War II and postwar era are a beautiful reminder that there’s a lot to appreciate around us in Lebanon County.
These cards are part of a public domain collection from Tichnor Brothers Inc., a Boston-based postcard printer active from the 1910’s through the 1960’s.
City of Lebanon
Indiantown Gap
Indiantown Gap Military Reservation in northern Lebanon County began to take shape as a military camp in the 1930’s, following the Pennsylvania National Guard’s decision to relocate its training grounds from Mt. Gretna. Men trained at “the Gap” served in World War II and the Korean War. The 18,000-acre grounds also acted as a camp for the Reserve Officer Training Corps in the Vietnam era.
Today it is officially known as Fort Indiantown Gap and is occupied by the Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guards.
Mt. Gretna
Mt. Gretna’s popularity as a forest hideaway south of Lebanon began as early as 1883. Two years later, the Pennsylvania National Guard began its encampment. A number of cottages were built in the waning years of the 19th century, and the hamlet was a popular destination for several decades.
The Great Depression and World War II saw a decline in visitors. In the latter half of the 20th century Mt. Gretna began to reassert itself as a Pennsylvania cultural hub. The Annual Outdoor Art Show has been held in town since 1976, and the Mt. Gretna Lake, Jigger Shop Ice Cream Parlor, and Gretna Theatre continue to draw in visitors.
To view more postcards from Pennsylvania and other states, visit the complete collection, hosted by the Boston Public Library on Massachusetts Digital Commonwealth. Cards specific to Lebanon County may be found here.
Josh Groh is a Cornwall native and writer who began reporting for LebTown in 2019. He continued to regularly contribute to LebTown while earning a degree in environmental science at Lebanon Valley College, graduating in 2021. Since then, he has lead conservation crews in Colorado and taken on additional...
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