The Pioneer District covers the Camp Hill, Carlisle, Cumberland Valley, East Pennsboro, Mechanicsburg, Northern York and South Middleton School Districts. It is also home to the council’s Mechanicsburg Service Center, as well as Camp Tuckahoe.
The name Pioneer was chosen not only due to the fact that the area served as a “window to the west” during our nation’s expansion in the 1800’s, but more importantly, due to the importance of the area in the railroads of the same era.
The Pioneer was a steam locomotive, purchased and placed into operation, by the Cumberland Valley Railroad in 1851. It remained in service until 1890. Hauling both passenger and work trains throughout the area, including Carlisle, Dillsburg and Mechanicsburg, the Pioneer has quite a storied history. Confederate General J.E. B. Stuart caused serious damage to the locomotive in October 1862 as he burned the Chambersburg rail yards, but it was repaired and returned to service.
After release from the Cumberland Valley Rail Road, it was seen at various locations, including:
- 1901 Carlisle, PA Sesquicentennial celebration
- 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, MO
- 1927 Baltimore & Ohio RR Fair of the Iron Horse
- 1913-1925 Appleblossom Festival Winchester, VA
- 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair
- 1948-1949 Chicago Railroad Fair
- 1934-1947 Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
- 1960’s Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
- 1990’s Bethlehem, PA
- Currently Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum, MD