Grantham, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grantham, Pennsylvania
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The covered bridge on the Messiah College campus in Grantham
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 Grantham, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Grantham, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Cumberland |
| Township | Upper Allen |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Grantham is a small community in Upper Allen Township, Pennsylvania, USA. It is mostly known because of Messiah University, a Christian college. Many of the people living in Grantham are students from this university.
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Grantham's Story
Grantham is a quiet place. Most of its population are young adults, especially students from Messiah University. The community itself has about 600 to 650 permanent residents. Many of these residents are people who used to go to Messiah University, work there, or are parents of students.
Early Days and the Macaroni Factory
Grantham was founded in the early 1900s. It grew around a busy railway line. This railway helped a macaroni factory that was run by S.R. Smith, the first president of Messiah University (which was then called Messiah College).
After the macaroni factory closed, the building was used for making airplane parts and greeting cards. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire before 1957. The empty lot was later cleared to build a new maintenance facility for the growing college.
Old Buildings in Town
Many of the oldest homes in "downtown" Grantham were built around 1915-1917. These houses were for the factory workers. Today, some of these old homes are rented out to college students. Others are still private homes.
The original Grantham National Bank building is still standing on Mill Road. This bank used to print its own money a long time ago! The kitchen in this old bank building still has the original vault.
The Historic Mill
Another important early business was the mill. This large stone building was built in 1775. It was located near a channel that gets water from Yellow Breeches Creek. Farmers would bring their grain here to be ground into flour.
Today, the mill is a private home. The house where the original miller lived, called the Griswold Residence, is also being fixed up as a private home. Part of the old Griswold farm is now being developed into new family homes.
Grantham Today
As Messiah University grew, new homes were built in the "uptown" part of Grantham during the 1950s and 1960s. These smaller homes were perfect for the college's teachers and staff. There are also some newer townhomes on the edges of the community.
Since 2004, Grantham Road no longer connects directly to U.S. Route 15. This change made the town much quieter and safer. It's now a great place for biking and walking. On summer weekend evenings, you might hear the sounds from the nearby Williams Grove Speedway.
A group called the Grantham Community Association meets regularly. They work on things like town planning and keeping the community safe. They also organize an annual yard sale weekend that brings many visitors to the town.
The Gilbert Bridge is an important landmark in Grantham. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 because of its historical value.
