Cumberland County was created on January 27, 1750, from part of Lancaster County, and named for Cumberland County in England. Carlisle, the county seat since 1752, was incorporated as a borough on April 13, 1782. It was named for the county town of the English county. Shippensburg was the county seat from 1750 to 1752.

History is everywhere in the colonial town of Carlisle. The quaint tree-lined streets and grey stone colonial buildings give a glimpse into the past. A past which includes Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School, Molly Pitcher, Revolutionary and Civil War sites, and much more. Enjoy interesting museums including the General Omar Bradley Museum and the Hessian Guard House at the U.S. Army War College.

For antique lovers, the Carlisle area has 50 antique shops and hosts two major antique shows each year. Within Carlisle and throughout Cumberland County are bed-and-breakfast style accommodations that take guests into the past, from Colonial tavern/inns and Victorian homes to a gentleman's farm.

Among car enthusiasts, Carlisle is a mecca for collector events, such as the collector-car flea markets in the spring, summer and fall, the All-Ford Nationals in June and a Corvette show in August.

The lovely Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse on the picturesque Yellow Breeches in Boiling Springs is set amid rolling hills and offers swimming, tennis, premier fly fishing and a 400-seat theater presenting a variety of comedies, musicals and mysteries. Throughout Boiling Springs, visitors will feel transported back to the early 1800's, with period architecture and a slower pace of life. Whatever you choose to do in the area base yourself in one of the most relaxing parts of the Capitol region.