Early History of Newburg Borough
The Borough of Newburg was originally planned by one Thomas Trimble, in the year 1819. There were but three or four houses at this early date. One at the western end of the borough was occupied by Thomas Trimble. Another house at the eastern end was occupied by George McCormick. A third house was occupied by John Carson and Joseph Baer.
By the year 1845 it became a Post Village in the township of Hopewell. It then contained twenty or more dwellings. It also had two stores and a tavern. The village was incorporated into a borough in the year 1816. By this time the borough had enjoyed a rapid growth for some years. At one time the population had increased to approximately four hundred people, and many industries were established in the borough.
Topography
A bench marker at the center of the Borough of Newburg gives the elevation as 595 feet, although much of the Borough is in the neighborhood of 600 feet. The altitude decreases as one approaches the lowlands along the Conodoguinet Creek to approximately 520 feet.
Traveling in a North-Westerly direction from the Borough through Hopewell Township the land gradually rises to an elevation of from 740 feet to 840 feet. Steeply rising with the Blue Mountain range to where the Township joins with the line of Perry County, the elevation increases to a height of 2.200 feet.
Drainage from the Blue Mountain Ridge is in a South-Easterly direction, and the streams heading in the mountain ravines cross the Township flowing to the Conodoguinet Creek. The streams rising along the Southern side of the Township flow in a North-Easterly direction and empty into the same creek although these streams are not so large.
Starting at the Western end of the Township a stream known as the Laughlin Run is the boundary between Franklin County and Hopewell Township to the point where it empties into the Conodoguinet Creek. The next one rising in the mountain flows by the Borough of Newburg, and is known as the Newburg Run which empties into the same creek. Then the Peebles Run joined by the Koser Run empties it’s waters into the afore named creek. Finally the Bore Mill Run joins the Three Square Hollow Run, both having sources in Three Square Hollow, flow through part of the Township and then enter Upper Mifflin Township where they continue in their course to the Conodoguinet. The majority of these streams have flowing water year round.
The waters of the Conodoguinet Creek at one time were spanned by three covered bridges. The most westerly one known as the Newburg Bridge was on the road leading from Newburg Borough to Shippensburg. Farther down the stream was a bridge known as the Ramp Bridge. Toward the Eastern end of the Township twin bridges known as the Quigley Bridges spanned the Creek. These bridges were on the road leading from Newburg to Newville. Only one of these covered bridges is now standing, the one known as the Ramp Bridge. The other bridges have been replaced with modern concrete bridges.
Newburg-Hopewell WW2 Memorial
The Newburg-Hopewell World War II memorial, located in the borough of Newburg and Hopewell Township, in Cumberland County, was erected in 1948 by Robert S. Shull Cemetery Memorials. The two outside panels contain the names of 53 WWII veterans. Three of these came from Newburg-Hopewell whose names are: Theron Hensel, David Palmer, and Franklin Wheeler. They can be found on the monument in the lower center under the granite eternal flame. There is an inscription on the monument which reads, "These died that liberty may not perish." The local WW 2 veterans went out and raised the money for this project themselves and donations from private citizens.