OLD HOME WEEK

More than 2,000 people gather on Center Square for the official Old Home Week picture.

Old Home Week. Those three words have so much meaning to folks connected to the Greencastle-Antrim community. The triennial celebration founded at the beginning of the 20th century continues to grow and is a cherished and vibrant event eagerly embraced by thousands well into the 21st century.

Hot weather and good times greeted those who enjoyed the 41st Triennial Old Home Week in August 2022. With the red, white and blue banners that covered the town put away until 2025, those new and established in the area may find the origins of the homecoming event interesting.

In September 1901, Professor Philip E. Baer, then a noted concert singer, wrote to local papers suggesting that an “Old Boys’ Reunion” be held Aug. 10 through 20, 1902. In another letter, dated April 3, 1902, Baer suggested a program for the gathering. The date originally suggested was changed to Aug. 8 of that year, and at that time between 50 and 60 “old

Philip E. Baer

boys” arrived for the big affair.

The first year’s reunion program included a tour of the town, a chicken dinner in the old town hall, a picnic along the Conococheague Creek, a minstrel show and speeches and band concerts from a platform erected in the Public Square. The committee in charge included E.E. Davison, chairman, T.M. Goetz, Pitt F. Carl, Leander V. Brendle, C.C. Kauffman, George Ilginfritz, W.C. Kreps, R.C. Prather, William J. Patton, H.E. Petrie, James Shirey, George S. Heck, H.K. Schafhirt, J. Adam Carl and John H. Hostetter.

That first parade included an invitation for all to join in following the Junior Band as the walk was made around the town’s streets. The procession included residents of the town, “the old Rescue fire engine, over whose brakes so many of the visitors have sweated in former days,” and other town organizations. Prof. Baer was the marshal of the parade.

The banquet included a “tempting spread” arranged for by the Hon. Wm. C. Kreps who would act as toastmaster. Following the banquet, the remainder of the evening would be spent in the hall with brief speeches made by a number of visitors.

The picnic, stag, would include a number of athletic events including a baseball game between the town

team and a team of visitors. Scheduled to play were Alf Talhelm, catcher on the old “Peculiar” team; A.E. Shirey, pitcher for the same team; Francis Skeggs, catcher for the old “Red Star” team; Frank Lear, Ed Shillito and Al Appenzellar, of the same team; Harry Appenzellar of the Kangaroos, and “King” Pittinger, of the Boston National League team.

The first reunion proved to be such a complete success, that it was decided to hold another in 1905, and the custom of a triennial reunion was established.

That first gathering was entirely male, however, the second included women, and the third, held in 1908, was extended to include all former residents of Antrim Township as well as the Borough of Greencastle. A reunion of the 126th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War was held in connection with the 1908 Old Home Week.

The fourth triennial, the largest and most successful to date, began with an opening program on Saturday, a parade and a union church service, held for the first time. Monday evening there was a reception in the town hall on the corner of South Washington and East Baltimore streets, and vaudeville performances were given on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings on the Square.

Burgess J.R. Metcalf presided on Wednesday morning at a public meeting on the schoolhouse grounds at the corner of South Washington and East Franklin streets, when 10-minute addresses were delivered by Watson R.Davison, the Rev. Jacob L. Diehl, John D. Degolly, Joseph R. Conrad and Philip E. Baer. Band concerts, a picnic, a smoker and firemen’s reunion were other features of that year’s program.

In the course of the 1920 reunion, the old boys, who, since 1911, had been working in more or less unorganized fashion, decided that Old Home Week was worthy of perpetuation and organized the Greencastle-Antrim Old Home Week Association with J. Gilmore Fletcher as president. The wisdom of this policy was shown by the tremendous success of the triennials that followed.

Prior to 1911, it had been the custom of the town to meet all expenses of the celebrations. The 1911 program proved somewhat of a burden on the community and, in a letter written in 1914 by John M. Easton, it was suggested the old boys themselves take charge of the triennial. As a first act as an organization, the leaders of the Association presented and dedicated a memorial fountain that would be located on the southeast section of the Public Square. (It is now found near the ball field at the playground.)

The 1923 celebration, over which Fletcher again presided, marked the dedication of the Jerome R. King playground, a gift to the town from David D. King in memory of his brother.

In 1932 the sesquicentennial of the Borough of Greencastle was celebrated in connection with the 11th triennial Old Home Week. In 1938, a pageant was introduced for the first time and proved a popular addition to the program - it has been part of the plans ever since.

The 1941 Old Home Week included an addition to the playground, a gift of land from Mrs. W.D. Nelson, enlarging the now 95-year-old park area.

The 1944 celebration, as the 1917 triennial, was marred by a world war. The reception and dance usually held on Monday were advanced to Saturday so that a few of the visiting service men and women, who might be in town for the weekend, could attend.

Every three years since, the schedule of activities has grown. Tours of the town and township are planned, a pageant written and rehearsed, a parade route set, reunions slated and activities for all ages promoted. More than 100 years of cleaning and painting, welcoming friends and family and reminiscing, highlight Greencastle- Antrim’s tradition of Old Home Week.

Get ready for August 2025.

The USA Day Committee saluted Greencastle-Antrim’s Hometown Heroes in the Old Home Week parade.

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