They will go two miles north, crossing Newville Road, before reaching Creek Road, where they will turn left and proceed to the camp on the Mayfield farm north of Plainfield. That's what brought her to this area this week. She's riding a horse accompanying the wagon train wending its way from the West Shore to the Shippensburg area as part of Cumberland County's 250th Anniversary celebration. Mrs. Hohman rode near the front Monday during the first leg of the Appalachian Wagon Train Association's westward trek across Cumberland County. Some 41 covered wagons braved afternoon rains, bumpy roads and a few irate drivers in the first day of a weeklong, 90-mile jaunt that will end in Shippensburg Sunday.
Crowds gather A steady stream of onlookers lined the roads taken by the wagons.
Others pulled over to the sides of the road to watch from motor vehicle as the covered wagons, horses and mules moved away from Hempt Farms near Camp Hill state prison at speeds topping out at about 10 mph. The first half-dozen wagon spaces were reserved for wagon train association officers, with the rest of the drivers drawing for a place in the lineup. Fred Bloom of Ebensburg, past president of the group, rode in the lead wagon, which he says is more than a century old. Bloom bought the wagon in 1980. Since then he has added springs, a wagon bed and canvas and had the Conklin wagon repainted in its original colors.