CARLISLE, Pa. - Cumberland County’s county seat is getting some recognition from voters on the Internet. The borough is in the running for the first-ever “Strongest Town” contest.
People in Carlisle want you to think of them as the strongest town in America, but not for their muscles, rather for something they say is far more important.
“Carlisle is a strong town because of its people,” Brenda Landis, a resident who entered Carlisle in the contest, said. “It all has to do with people that believe that it's a strong town and it's worth their time to put effort in to make it a better place.”
Brenda Landis saw the contest, hosted by the Strong Towns organization, and thought it would be a great idea to enter Carlisle in the running.
And since it is March, any contest like this gets held bracket-style. After beating contenders from Annapolis, Maryland, Truckee, California and Holland, Michigan in online voting, Carlisle is going up against Hoboken, New Jersey for the title of "Strongest Town in America" and its moment of national and local pride.
“People will come to town and say like, ‘Oh, we're from Hershey, but I didn't know all this stuff was out here,’” Amber Martin, the owner of Harmony Society, said. “There are so many great little shops and I sort of just feel like we're kind of like the forgotten town out in the middle of central PA, but there's so much worth coming here to see.”
The contest has generated plenty of discussion around town and on social media.
It is to “bring together a bit of unity and loyalty and remind people that you know even in this online world they still live in a real neighborhood with real neighbors,” Jeff Wood, owner of the Whistlestop Bookstore, said.
It's a place that hopes to prove its resiliency, win or lose.
“It might be they went to school here, maybe they went to the war college, maybe they love summer fair and it's their favorite thing in the world,” Landis said. “So there are tons of different reasons why people love Carlisle but they all come back and help us get here.
Voting for the contest ends on Sunday.