Results tagged “Centre Square” from York Town Square

York, Pa.'s, arch-laden Centre Square was lit up as it never had been before in this photograph of York County's 150th birthday celebration in 1899. This scene was captured in the York Daily-published book, "York and York County." Also of interest: York's Bradford pear trees: 'Beautiful arch of blooms ... followed by the snowstorm of petals' and York-area picture book not your typical coffee table publication and Author: 'York's streetscape features almost every style and era of American architecture'.

The descriptions sounds like a review for a 21st century sci-fi movie:

"The result was a scene which might well have led an alarmed burgher of 1749, had he unexpectedly witnessed it, to rub his bewildered eyes in astonished inquiry as to whether it was the upper or nether world to which he had suddenly been transported."

Those words described York's well-lit Centre Square in 1899.

Folks in those turn-of-the-century days when electric lighting was in its infancy just never had experienced such a moment, much less York's first settlers 150 years before... .

This early 20th century view of York, Pa.'s market street shows that trees were part of the scene then, albeit not designed in to the streetscape. But they were there much earlier than that, too. Background posts: Escaped bovine makes York newspaper headline and York-area picture book not your typical coffee table publication and Author: 'York's streetscape features almost every style and era of American architecture'.

In a previous post, a York Town Square reader opined that trees lining York's market street add much to the downtown.

But they also obscure wonderful architectural features on building facades.

When were the trees added?

When the Confederates entered York, they would have been greeted by a scene similar to this with the Hartman building towering over York's Centre Square. The building, referred today as the Futer Bros. building, is being renovated. But the market sheds are long gone. Background posts: York's western gate: One image says so much, Farm vs. factory tension relieved by overnight raid and Late June has seen pivotal moments in York County history.

Since the year 2000, more than a dozen books have been written that address, in full or in part, York County's role in the Civil War.

Research was limited before that.

But one writer deserves credit for kicking off the current popular Civil War enthusiasm in York County, complete with stories of the Civil War hospital, the burning of the Wrightsville Bridge, the surrender of York, Jeb Stuart's ride through the countryside, among many other events.

His name is Gerald Austin Robison Jr., and he was writing about the Civil War in 1965 when it was not a popular local topic... .

The comfort stations under York's Continental Square have historical origins. Background posts: Foustown now a ghost town: Raid there once netted 300 barrels of quality firewater, Brewery profits produced landmark West York mansion, 'Good grief, how long has that pool been here?'

Tourists looking at downtown York's many sites may wistfully view winding steps leading to the closed-down Continental Square comfort stations.

Up to 1978, these underground restrooms, nearing their 80th birthday, were consistently open.

Since then, they've been closed, opened and then mostly closed, depending, in part, on the financial condition of the city.

But these restrooms are grounded in history... .

The market sheds in York's Centre Square were intact in this photo, as the Hartman Building, tallest in York, looms in the background. The dating of this photo is a bit elusive because no flag pole is apparent between the sheds. That would place the photo before the early 1860s. But was photography advanced enough in the 1850s to get this shot? At any rate, after the sheds and flag pole came down post late-June 1887, the square was clear and has been so ever since. Background posts: York's western gate: One image says so much, Farm vs. factory tension relieved by overnight raid and Late June has seen pivotal moments in York County history.

By now the story is familiar.

In the middle of the night in late June 1887, someone hooked ropes up to the supporting pools of York's Centre Square market sheds.

The sheds came tumbling down, and so did the symbolic and real impediments to the movement of people and goods through the heart of York. And thus did industrialization and development symbolically gain the upper hand in agrarian and bucolic York County.

The episode has a postlude, as outlined in a 1927 special section in The Gazette and Daily... .

These two views show York's Continental Square looking south. That's the Hartman Building, later Futer Bros., at left and the Colonial Hotel, right. Actually, the bottom view is dated. Futer Bros. has closed, and the new owner has removed the siding in renovating the building. Background posts: Contractor: Keeping old Futer Bros. building's integrity not hard, but costly,
'Skyscrapers' have shaped York's skyline since 1850 and Cobblers: 'There's still a need for us'

Read 19th-century documents and York's Centre Square often pops up.

But it's known as Continental Square today.

When and why the change?

The market sheds in York, Pa.'s Centre Square are a pile of rubble after they are pulled down in the middle of the night in late June 1887. The sheds had been in the square since the county's earliest days and would never be replaced at that location, nor would any other building gain a permanent site in the middle of the square. Background posts: There were 5, count 'em, 5 York markets, A square courthouse in middle of York's Centre Square? and Late June marks pivotal moments in York history.

Continuing the series of iconic photos - photos that capture layered moments - from York County, Pa.:

York County was blessed with engraver William Wagner, who drew this scene, and fellow artist Lewis Miller, who left a legacy of 19th-century scenes that tell us much about how people lived. The York County Heritage Trust, which owns many pieces by both artists, has published two books on their respective work. Background posts: Late June marks pivotal moments in York history, Striking architecture lined York's South Duke Street and York's western gate: One image says so much.

Continuing, our series of images that say a lot about York County's past, posted in observance of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown's John Smith, first English visitor to this region: ...

Workers face a detailed job of shingling the Colonial Courthouse replica on West Market Street. The roof has been there for 31 years, since the courthouse was built. Background posts: From York, Pa. to inside the beltway, politicos got no friend, The first capital of the United States and Display marks how York County courthouses evolved.

It's a debate that captivated local history afficionados in 1975.

Was the orginal York County Court House, that revered place where Continental Congress met in 1777-78, square or rectangular? ...

This map from 'East of Gettysburg' shows the location of various units in Jubal Early's division as his Confederates invaded York in the days before the Battle of Gettysburg. One of his commanders, Isaac E. Avery, directed a brigade that lodged in York for nearly two days. Avery was later mortally wounded in fighting at Gettysburg, and his burial site has reportedly been identified. Background post: Civil War in York County, by the numbers.

The Associated Press has reported that the burial site of Col. Isaac E. Avery probably has been identified in Hagerstown.

The Civil War colonel, temporary head of North Carolina brigade, was mortally wounded in fighting on Cemetery Hill in Gettysburg.

Before Gettysburg, Avery was in York... .

E.A. Wise acquired this classic view of York's western entrance in a New York City antique shop in 1960.

E.A. Wise of York sent in a lithograph of York's western entrance circa 1845. His image tells an interesting story.

The Centre Square courthouse is gone, moved to the East Market Street location occupied by its successor today. That suggests that agrarianism still ruled for the borough to keep a bustling market place at its center.

The market sheds came down in 1887 when the city's powers believed the need to transport people and product, spawned by the Industrial Revolution, outweighed these venerable, but tottering sheds... .