As we look back on the pages of our township’s history, the year 1908 stands out as a time of growth, ambition, and transformation. With new buildings, bustling schools, and improving roads, Enola and West Fairview were alive with progress. These changes shaped not just our landscape, but the everyday lives of the people who lived here—and we at the Historical Society of East Pennsboro are proud to share this snapshot of a community on the rise.

In April of 1908, excitement surrounded the opening of the new East Pennsboro School building. Local papers advertised sealed bids for construction, inviting contractors to view plans and submit proposals. This process shows how serious the community was about education and how much planning went into ensuring students had proper places to learn. Miss Sarah White even opened a summer school on York Street, showing how education extended beyond the traditional school year.

Brick Church “Back of Cemetery – First Lutheran Church”

Churches, too, were growing right alongside the schools. The Methodist Episcopal Church on Dauphin Street and Altoona Avenue laid a new cornerstone in April. Just a few months later, the Methodist Church in West Fairview was being entirely remodeled. Inside, the community came together to make it happen—adding stained glass windows, new seating from Chicago, and even a brick building for better heating and lighting. The Ladies’ Aid and Women’s Organizations helped pay for carpeting the floor, proving once again that progress in Enola was a community effort.

Not only were spiritual and academic institutions thriving, but infrastructure was also getting much-needed attention. The Enola Road, which connected Enola to West Fairview, was set to be widened at the cost of $4,000—a large sum at the time. The Valley Traction Company worked with local supervisors to move poles and make space, while regular ferry trips to Harrisburg resumed, helping ease travel for workers and families alike.

Businesses and homes were multiplying just as quickly. From new fire trucks for the Enola Fire Company to the launch of the Enola Clippers baseball club, signs of an expanding, active community were everywhere. Reverend Charles Gardner of Enola even purchased one of the first automobiles used by a United Brethren pastor, making Enola part of a much larger story of American modernization.

These stories remind us that the heartbeat of East Pennsboro in 1908 came from its people—teachers, pastors, parents, and civic leaders who worked together to build a future. Today, their legacy lives on in the buildings we still pass by, the streets we walk, and the values we hold dear. We at the Historical Society of East Pennsboro are honored to preserve these memories and share the remarkable energy of that moment in time with you.