Hogestown, Pennsylvania

As US Route 11 North travels through Cumberland County from Carlisle toward Harrisburg, it actually moves in an easterly direction. The north and southbound lanes are separate by a city block at the hamlet of Hogestown, named after its found John Hoge.  What appears to have been a once prosperous town is sandwiched between the two roads that carry US11. There is a 35-mph speed limit that no one observes; several buildings have been deemed dangerous and uninhabitable by the township. Of particular fascination is the (unidentified) church towards the south end of town, built in 1858. Generations of parishioners gathered, shared community and cared for this structure. Today, there is just a skeleton of the steeple remains: symbolic of the current state of Hogestown. 

The Historic Biltmore of Providence

The Providence Biltmore opened in 1922 and is one of the classic historic hotels of New England. The 18-story hotel was designed by Warren and Wetmore who were also the architects who designed the rebuilt New York’s Grand Central Station in 1913. The hotel remains a fixture in downtown Providence; a place where weddings and other special occasions are held.

During the 1938 Hurricane the Biltmore witnessed a massive amount of water piled up in Providence as the most significant natural disaster in New England in the twentieth century. In the lobby, near the reception desk, there is a brass plaque approximately seven feet high that denotes the high water mark in the storm’s aftermath. Contemporary photographs show the tops of streetcars barely visible in the water in front of the hotel and city hall.

Mezzanine

A display in the mezzanine has several artifacts from the hotel’s past. Like many people, I was fascinated with the prices people paid for meals in the luxurious dining rooms. For example, a September 1959 menu offered patrons “roasted prime rib of beef au jus, creamed pearl onions, and rissole potatoes” (served with a roll and butter) for $3.05. For lunch in the second floor Bacchante Room in June 1962 one could order a boiled ham sandwich, with lettuce, pickle, and Saratoga chips for 85¢. Perhaps most charming is a bill, saved as a souvenir, from a newlywed couple on their honeymoon at the Biltmore. The couple spent two nights and had two dinners at the hotel in March 1951 for a grand total of $27.16. Needless to say, I spent far more than that during my stay.