history

GRAACA Fall Tour 2025

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Saturday, October 18, 2025

Carroll County, MD

 

We were met with beautiful weather bright and early Saturday as we gathered at Jacquelyn’s Bakeshop and Café in Hanover for coffee and treats. Annette and Dan Yost had a fun quilt-themed day in store for us. After filling up on caffeine and goodies, we received our route which would take us on scenic back roads along parts of the Carroll County Barn Quilt Trail.

Begun in 2013 as a collaborative project by the Carroll County Arts Council, the Carroll County Office of Tourism, the Carroll County Department of Recreation and Parks, the Carroll County Public Library, and volunteers from Everybody’s Quilt Guild, the trail seeks to honor the area’s agrarian culture. The 8’ by 8’ blocks were chosen or designed by farm families for their barns and created by a local printing company. Today, the trail consists of 46 barns total, and our tour route took us to see 7 of those.

After nearly a 2-hour leisurely drive, we arrived at Flicks Pub in Taneytown for lunch and a special presentation by Linda Syverson Guild. Linda is a highly accomplished fiber artist who specializes in quilt making. Drawing on her design skills as a professional architect, she crafts beautiful works of art using mixed media. Many of her works feature themes related to reuse, architecture, color exploration, nature, and her early life growing up in the mid-west. She frequently gives talks and her works have been exhibited around the country. We were very lucky to have her as our guest. Her portfolio may be viewed at lindasyversonguild.com.

Many thanks are due to Annette and Dan for organizing the day’s events. It was a great day full of history and art.

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GRAACA Summer Tour 2023

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June 24, 2023

Enola, Fort Hunter & Mechanicsburg, PA

By Angelica Yost

We began our day with coffee and donuts at Adams-Ricci Park in Enola, PA. Around 9, everyone started their journey over a mountain and through some winding country roads heading north to Duncannon, and then across the Susquehanna River to Fort Hunter Mansion and Park.        

Originally settled in 1725 by Benjamin Chambers who later founded Chambersburg, the property passed on to Chambers’ brother-in-law Samuel Hunter. Hunter had several mills on the land until the British turned it into a fort during the French and Indian War. Since then, the property has passed through several hands. Today, Fort Hunter is owned by the County of Dauphin and the Board of Trustees for Fort Hunter.

Several tour guides met us that day and split our members into groups for a very informative tour of the mansion. Afterwards, we headed across the road to a pavilion for a picnic lunch catered by Simply Turkey. Some people then chose to burn a few calories strolling around to the many historic buildings including the Centennial Barn, the Everhart Covered Bridge, and the Tavern House.

After lunch, we took a nice scenic drive along the river and through the country to Ashcombe Nursery and Farm Market. Apart from offering a wide array of plants, baked goods, and gifts for sale, Ashcombe’s also has a menagerie of cats, rabbits and farm animals onsite waiting to greet visitors.

Dan and I had a lot of fun planning this tour. Many thanks to everyone who joined us on this adventure. We hope you enjoyed the day and finished your shopping before the storm rolled in.

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