
About 2,500 German POWs spent their days in orchards and canneries and their nights in Camp Stewartstown, seen here in this Stewartstown Historical Society photo, in the World War II summers of 1944 and 1945. These tents are located on the present-day ballfield at the community park occupying the site. The Germans had non-prisoner counterparts in the orchards. Jamaicans came north to pick fruit. Background posts: Story revives memories of oft-forgotten POW camp, Good stuff found in 'Codorus Valley Chronicles' and 'Yesteryears' chock-full of Southern York County sites.
The fact that Jamaican fruit workers worked orchards in southern York County in World War II came as no surprise to members of the Codorus Valley Area Historical Society.
During a recent speech to the group, I covered the Jamaican presence in York County.
Members of the historical group remembered them well, saying they worked from camps in Brodbecks and Fawn Grove... .