Ira R. Herr Field - Elizabethtown Blue Jays
- Richard Smith
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Ira R. Herr Field 600 Campus Rd. Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Year Opened: 1970
Capacity: 1,000
Fun In E-Town
Elizabethtown College (usually referred to as just E-Town) is a private college in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Elizabethtown is in Lancaster County, 21 miles southeast of Harrisburg and 20 miles south of Hershey.
The college was founded in 1899 by the Church of the Brethren and offers 53 majors and over 90 minors, and concentrations focusing on arts, humanities, and sciences.
The Elizabethtown College Blue Jays have been a member of the NCAA Division III and the Landmark Conference since 2014. The most famous athletic alumni may be Gene Garber, who is the former all-time saves leader for the Atlanta Braves (currently third behind John Smoltz and Craig Kimbrel). Ira R. Herr opened in 1970, and Elizabethtown is the only soccer team in the Landmark Conference to play on a natural grass surface.
Herr Field has been the host site for numerous NCAA and conference contests in men's and women's soccer, including the 1989 NCAA National Championship, which the men’s team won, 2-0, over UNC-Greensboro and the 1997 NCAA Women’s Final Four, a semifinal appearance by the Blue Jays, its best finish in program history. Most recently, the men’s soccer team hosted the 2018 Landmark Conference Championship, topping Catholic 1-0 for its first league title since 2006.
Elizabethtown women's lacrosse used Herr Field as a temporary home in 2005 and for parts of the 2011 season while the turf was replaced at nearby Wolf Field.
Food & Beverage 2
There is no permanent food stand at Herr Field, but the Jay Truck, a mobile food truck, is almost always located right nearby for games. Even if the truck is not around, the nearby student center should have food. The prices for both are very fair.
Atmosphere 3
Herr Field is a nice, small college field. There is one fairly large grandstand as well as a smaller stand next to it. The hill on one end of the pitch is designed beautifully and reminds you of which college you are at.
Neighborhood 4
The town of Elizabethtown is quite quaint and also offers a nice variety of food options. Our top choices would be Good Burrito Co. and PizzAtown.
Hershey is just a short drive north. There just happens to be a major amusement park located there, as well as other Hershey attractions. The Troegs Brewery on Hersheypark Drive offers guided and self-tours, as well as a great tasting and food room. If you’re looking for more standard dining options, then you will find a Red Robin and Fuddruckers all in the area. I might suggest checking out a lesser-known option, the Parkside Bar and Grill (3 E Derry Rd, Hershey, PA 17033), as they have some great burgers and other bar food options.
Fans 4
As with most small college fields, the bulk of the fans tends to be family or friends of both teams. There will be some local fans who just happen to stop by for the game as well. It was a decent crowd, but the student turnout seemed light.
Access 5
Elizabethtown is off the PA-283 freeway that runs between Harrisburg and Lancaster. Access to the town itself is quite easy.
The college itself is located a few blocks from Market Street, which is the main street in E-Town. The town itself is fairly walkable but driving and finding parking are not much of an issue.
Return on Investment 5
There are no charges to attend games, and parking is free, so the value is fairly high. Food prices are also quite fair.
Extras 2
The fields' surroundings are very nice, and the campus is a nice place to walk around before or after the matches.
E-Town is a great little extra on its own, as this quaint Pennsylvania town is always a favorite stop of ours.
Final Thoughts
E-Town’s Ira R. Herr is a pleasant small college gym in an exactly pleasant small town. If traveling in central Pennsylvania, attending a game here is a nice choice.
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