Explore Enola through its distinctive places, each with a different focus: local history, railroad heritage, nature and river scenery. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can start planning your trip by deciding which of these topics interests you most. Attractions range from the house associated with the town’s name to hiking opportunities, historic remnants and a boat launch at the confluence of two rivers.

Local History and Railroad Heritage

The Enola Miller House is considered the birthplace of Enola Miller, after whom the town was named. The house is at 51 Miller Street in Enola; the Historical Society of East Pennsboro is located at the same address. The society’s museum is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check the opening hours before your visit so you can plan your museum visit accordingly. This connects the story behind the town’s name and a visit to the historical society with a specific location.

Traces of earlier industry can also be found in West Fairview Park: a few arches and the foundation of the old mill are all that remain of the Harrisburg Nail Works. These remnants offer a different perspective on industrial history from the Enola Rail Yard, which has been in operation since 1905 and was considered the world’s largest freight yard until 1956. Two aspects stand side by side: the surviving structures of a mill and the history of a major freight yard.

Another railroad relic is the historic caboose in Adams-Ricci Park. The car dates from 1942 and was once used by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Alongside the history of the Rail Yard, it offers a different way to explore railroad heritage than the arches and foundation of the Nail Works: here, the focus is on a historic rail car and its former use on the railroad.

Hiking, Biodiversity and the River

Pine Hill Arboretum offers opportunities for hiking. Numerous species of wildflowers, trees and ferns, as well as birds and mammals, have been identified and documented there. For nature lovers, two specific features come together here: the opportunity to hike and a documented diversity of plant and animal species. The arboretum offers a different focus from Enola’s historic sites.

West Fairview Point has a paved boat launch at the confluence of Conodoguinet Creek and the Susquehanna River. The connection to the river is especially tangible here: the launch is located where the two waterways meet. If you’re choosing Enola for outdoor activities, you can choose between different interests—hiking and nature at the arboretum, or a connection to the water at West Fairview Point.

Another Park Highlight

Adams-Ricci Community Park includes Panther Station, a large play structure for children. If you’re looking for a place with a designated play area for children as you plan your trip, this offers a different focus from the industrial and railroad relics or the hiking opportunities at the arboretum. The play structure is a specific feature of the park and adds to Enola’s varied historical and natural attractions.

For a stay focused on cultural history, you can distinguish between the story behind the town’s name, the remnants of the Harrisburg Nail Works and the railroad heritage: they tell of a person and the town’s name, a former mill and freight transport. The outdoor attractions differ more in terms of activities and their connection to the surroundings: hiking and documented biodiversity at Pine Hill Arboretum contrast with the paved boat launch at the confluence. These distinctions can help you plan your visits around your interests.

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