The Hartman's Pork and Ice Cream business dates back to 1906, when in a small slab shanty just North of the old one room school in Belfast, the processing of pork products began. In those days pork wasn't eaten in the summer. Therefore, to keep the business going, ice cream was made in a hand operated ice cream maker and sold in penny cones.
In 1914, Hartman's purchased the Sara Able Farm and erected a butcher shop and icehouse where the meat plant building still stands. Meat and ice cream were delivered in trucks. The first motorized truck was a "Vim" purchased in 1917.
The restaurant, Hartman's Two, named because it was the second Hartman's building, was constructed in July of 1964. In 1967, the meat plant was sold off and the restaurant and meat plant continued doing their businesses rooted in the early part of the century.
From 1964 to 1981 the restaurant operated on a seasonal basis, closing over the cold of winter from November through February. By the late 1970's, the demands of the growing family restaurant led to a big decision which was made to enlarge the restaurant and open year round.
At the beginning of a new decade, the restaurant embarked on an expansion project that led to the opening of a newly renovated, 160 seat, full service family restaurant in March of 1981.
The fall of 1987 saw the beginning of yet another building project primarily focused on expansion of the kitchen facilities. It was during this renovation that the two front dining areas were also expanded with the glass atriums. Which again increased the seating capacity to 190 seats.
In doing so, this also gave the restaurant the capabilities of continuing the full service family restaurant, along with providing banquet facilities, a gift shop and wholesale/retail ice cream manufacturing. This restaurant prides itself in traditional American and Pennsylvania Dutch style cooking set in a casual country style, family atmosphere.
Hartman's Two Family Restaurant continues to maintain the successful traditions that have been established throughout the years, which has made it what it is today!
