West Pennsboro Township near Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Plainfield Service Plaza, 1940-2011
Penna Turnpike
| | Found it. Cumberland Valley PA | |
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024
1. Plainfield Service Plaza, 1940-2011 Marker
The Plainfield Service Plaza was one of 10 original plazas on the PA Turnpike. Named after the nearby village, the plaza saw its first customers on Oct. 1, 1940 when the Turnpike opened to traffic. Plainfield Plaza was closed Sept. 6, 2011, to be completely rebuilt, reopening as the Cumberland Valley Service Plaza on May 9, 2012. The new plaza name, adopted in association with the Cumberland Valley Visitor's Bureau, more closely reflects the region's history, qualify of life and culture.
[Captions:]
Historic Plainfield: Settled in 1793 by Jacob Alter, Plainfield is the largest village in West Pennsboro Township. Located five miles west of Carlisle, Pa., it was originally nicknamed Smoketown because of the number of blacksmiths in the village.
Original Plaza: Planners designed Turnpike service plazas to resemble regional architecture. The Plainfield Plaza (pictured) and other Turnpike plazas were inspired by Pennsylvania's stone farmhouses.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is May 9, 2012.
Location. 40° 12.317′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in South-Central Pennsylvania and in Greater Harrisburg. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: 9/11 Memorial (approx. 2½ miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.6 miles away); Frederick Watts (1801-1889) (approx. 2.9 miles away); Joseph Ritner
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 24, 2024
2. Plainfield Service Plaza, 1940-2011 Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 24, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 393 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 24, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
