Enola is a census-designated place (CDP) located along the Susquehanna River in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,111 at the 2010 census.^[1] Norfolk Southern operates Enola Yard, a large rail yard and locomotive shop in Enola. It is a suburb of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History [edit]

The town came into existence due to the building of rail lines through the area. Local farmers Francis and Wesley Miller sold 2 acres to the Pennsylvania Railroad to be used as a flag station. Mr. Miller was given the honor of naming the train station. He named the station "Enola," in honor of his four-year-old daughter, Enola Francis Miller. Eventually, the local post office and surrounding town adopted the name as well.

In the fall of 1902, the PA Railroad made the decision to build a classification yard "between Marysville, Pennsylvania and West Fairview, Pennsylvania." In 1903, their agent, The Manor Realty Co. purchasing 743 acres, officially opened the Yards in January 1905. Of the 743 acres, the Enola Realty Co. bought 104 acres for $26,500. This would officially become known as Enola (or current North Enola).

The Realty Company went on to build more than 220 homes which they rented or sold to families coming to the village looking for employment.

South Enola grew almost as rapidly as North Enola. Some of the landowners were Mann, Bretz, Darr, Ruplay, Pyne, and Addams.

West Enola also grew with the boom of the Enola Yards. The largest landowner of that time was Britton. Other large landowners were Lantz and Renninger.^[2]

Enola is served by a single high school, East Pennsboro High School. Originally named Enola High School, it was built on farmland which had been owned by the Gutshall family from the late 1800s - 1940s. It is located on 425 West Shady Lane, parallel to Gutshall Road. The original one room school house is located on 98 South Enola Drive.

Geography [edit]

Enola is located at 40°17′25″N 76°56′04″W / 40.290238°N 76.934579°W / 40.290238; -76.934579Coordinates: 40°17′25″N 76°56′04″W / 40.290238°N 76.934579°W / 40.290238; -76.934579.^[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²).

Education [edit]

East Pennsboro Area School District serves as the public education center for Enola. Its schools include East Pennsboro High School, East Pennsboro Middle School, East Pennsboro Elementary School, and West Creek Hills Elementary School. About 2,900 students attend school there.

References [edit]

v t e Municipalities and communities of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States County seat: Carlisle Boroughs Camp Hill Carlisle Lemoyne Mechanicsburg Mount Holly Springs New Cumberland Newburg Newville Shippensburg‡ Shiremanstown Wormleysburg Townships Cooke Dickinson East Pennsboro Hampden Hopewell Lower Allen Lower Frankford Lower Mifflin Middlesex Monroe North Middleton North Newton Penn Shippensburg Silver Spring South Middleton South Newton Southampton Upper Allen Upper Frankford Upper Mifflin West Pennsboro CDPs Boiling Springs Enola Lower Allen Messiah College New Kingstown Plainfield Schlusser West Fairview Unincorporated communities Bloserville Bowmansdale Caprivi Entlerville Grantham Shepherdstown Summerdale Williams Grove Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties