The heart of downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania, marked with stately architecture, hidden alleys, and old homes, is akin to that of an elderly great lady: mature and put together at first glance, but, upon closer inspection, privately bursting with stories of her vibrant past. The streets, lined with austere brick townhomes, arched doorways that lead to small alleyways, and private gardens, largely reflect the original plan of the town from the 1750s. Plaques nailed into plaster siding or erected as wayside markers along the main sidewalk are etched with details that offer a window into Carlisle’s rich and varied history. Tucked between the Blue Mountains of Cumberland County, in the heart of south-central Pennsylvania, the town of Carlisle began as a trading post in the 1720s. Named after the town in the north of England, Carlisle was elected county seat of the newly formed county in the 1750s. The early years …