Results tagged “Dover” from York Town Square

Dover, Pa.'s, Baughman Memorial Works has been around since 1875, spanning five generations - with a 6th generation working his way in. Donald Baughman told a recent meeting of the South Central Pennsylvania Historical Society that the business is the oldest of its type in York County, Pa., and one of the oldest in Pennsylvania. This photograph came from the Baughman Web site. Background posts: Dover's Baughman Memorials craftsmen: 'Sum up decades of living in a few letters and numbers' and Each month, three free history presentations offered to York countians and York County's Pinchgut vs. The Gut.

Donald Baughman provided a high-tech look at his hands-on cemetery marker business at a recent South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society meeting.

But that hands-on business is become increasingly high tech.

Don Baughman's (pronounced "Bockman") Powerpoint presentation showed the evolution of his business from the hand etching of names and dates into whatever fieldstone was available to color etching of elaborate scenes on the sides of granite markers.

The presentation indicated a change in York County, as elsewhere, in which public demand causes a change from a one-size-fits-all-approach to business to a smorgasbord of services. And it shows a change in affluence. People can now afford such choices.

Some notes from his presentation:

This photograph in the office of Dover, Pa.'s, Baughman Memorial Works shows the business in 1910. The company's founder, Nelson H. Baughman, is at right. (See present-day photo below.) Also of interest: Each month, three free history presentations offered to York countians and York County's landscape, buildings, landmarks can serve as a classroom and Dover forges blacksmith shop.

Baughman Memorials is an iconic York County business that, in fact, produces icons for others.

Owner Donald Baughman will talk to the South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society about his family roots in Dover, and how the cemetery monument industry has changed throughout the generations with updated technology and more efficient ways of crafting memorials. So says a news release from the genealogical society, sponsor of the free, public presentation on Sunday, Oct. 4.

The release gives further details:

Hundreds viewed this item recently at the Dover (Pa.) Firemen's Fair on Canal Road in Dover borough. But no one could identify its purpose. (See additional photo below.) Background posts: Is this a York County farm truck or is it just a wagon with a motor? and The Acme Tongue Carrier of Hanover, Pa.: Are there any around today? and York County group preserving Pennsylvania Dutch language, heritage.

There's a mystery machine in Dover, and folks at the Great Dover Historical Society are looking for someone who can crack the case... .

In this York Daily Record/Sunday News file photo, Spring Garden (Pa.) Township's Stephen Sechrist sits near his 51st Strathmeyer Christmas tree. Strathmeyer has been selling trees to customers in York County - and beyond - for more than 75 years. Background posts: York-area full of memory-spawning landmarks and Interstate lined out Melvin's swan song and York artist Lewis Miller's depiction of a Christmas tree part of the York County Heritage Trust's collection.

In the recent post E-mailer links Roosevelt Avenue Airport, Downtown York's Bon-Ton - and Santa, JoAnne Everhart wrote about an annual rite of York County's past.

She and her father would welcome Santa at the Roosevelt Avenue Airport, watch as he was shuttled into York's downtown to climb a ladder into the Bon Ton, then pick up a Christmas Tree from a side yard of a home in The Avenues.

She believed that the yard was the home of the Strathmeyer family, operator today of the massive Dover-area-based Christmas Tree farm.

She compared notes with a friend and confirmed that The Avenues home was indeed that of the Strathmeyers.

She wrote: ... .

York County's Jeff Koons' statue of Michael Jackson and his pet chimp Bubbles is among Koons best known. Background posts: List of luminaries with Dover links lengthens and Proposed 'Creation of a Nation' museum name glib, but lacks grounding and All York County celebrities posts from the start and Othmar Carli: 'Restoration is much better than selling shoes to make a living'.

And here's more proof that when something happens in the world, there's always a York County tie-in.

Pop icon Michael Jackson, dead at the age of 50, has never been to York County. But there's always a York link to such a captivating/controversial person as Jackson.

Jeff Koons, who grew up in Dover, brings that link.

Koons, world-renowned pop artist, created the life-size, white porcelain "Michael Jackson and Bubbles.' It's owned by the San Franciso Museum of Modern Art, and one reviewer who saw it there called it "memorably creepy."

Here are some links for "Bubbles" and Jeff Koons:

Brian Brown, project supervisor of the newly opened Manchester Township's SPCA told the York Daily Record/Sunday News in 2006: 'These dogs are going to be living good.' York-area residents began organization of the SPCA in 1925. Background posts: Pets and animals in York County history and Perrydale's bovine: 'She's a wonderful, laid-back cow' and Landmark dog guards picket.

Dover's Sara Bretz is a retired teacher who wants to instruct others about the SPCA's story.

She's embarked on a project to learn the SPCA's history, spending hours in the York County Heritage Trust Archives. She hopes to compile her history into a publication.

She's found that organizing members of the group first met on March 31, 1925. Harry A. Harris brought the group together.

An annual report for 1931, issued by president Joseph H. Mosser, summarizes the SPCA's goals in those years:

This photograph shows the Codorus Creek near Richland Avenue before Depression-era flood-control efforts changed its appearance. (Courtesy of York County Heritage Trust.) Background posts: Destructive flood of 1933 struck York County 75 years ago, It couldn't happen in York County? Women were trampled in Depression-era labor unrest and Bad economy turned York Safe and Lock toward lucrative defense work .

In a previous post Great Depression not only pinched in York County, it punched, I take a poke at the notion that the county somehow escaped the very tough times of the 1930s.

That assertion has come down over the years because no bank in York failed during the Depression.

No banks apparently failed in the city.

But using Charles Bloomfield's Millersville University master's research, I point out that 17 of York County's 46 banks either failed or reorganized.

This discussion caused Warren Miller of Hanover to inquire about which banks did, indeed, fail... .

Former York countian and now world-famous artist Jeff Koons created this artwork. Anne Lampe, director of the Demuth Museum in Lancaster, might have broken the code with her explanation: 'The Hoovers are such a social commentary piece. Here are these machines that were made to supposedly alleviate a housewife's chores, but have we really liberated women?' Background posts: Proposed 'Creation of a Nation' museum name glib, but lacks grounding, York County native Jeff Koons' work raises question: But is it art? Part I, Artist Jeff Koons came back to York for a show and Jeff Koons' sculpture brings record for a living artist's work

The display of artist Jeff Koons' work at Versailles, France, has again raised sentiments in his boyhood home of York County about why his art is such a big deal.

One detects dismay and sometimes anger that he gets recognition for work that seemingly anyone can do... .

Before York's Centre Square market sheds were pulled down in 1887, someone checked to ensure that no prisoners were in the underground city lockup that was dug out under one of the sheds. York's Police Heritage Museum is collecting information on other lockups around the county. Background posts: Late June marks pivotal moments in York County history, First York County prison irked British prisoners, Prison listing brings back food loaf memories.

Many towns around York County in the 19th and 20th centuries had lockups for temporary detention of prisoners. And sometimes they served as overnight lodging for transients.

York's Police Heritage Musuem has posted photos of several demolished and existing buildings from around the county on its Web site and is looking for more... .

In this 2004 photo, George Leader hands an ornamental chicken to Paul Masenheimer, who painted his nursing home - Providence Place - in York County's Dover Township. Leader bought the chicken to place outside the nursing home and to serve as a reminder of the link between chickens and the Leader family. His father was a renowned chicken breeder, and Leader began his career running a chicken hatchery. Background posts: Author muscles way into York's weightlifting, bodybuilding world and Gov. George Leader cleared dam plan.

York County Register of Wills Bradley C. Jacobs, a Dover-area native, pointed to several achievers to add to those that I pointed out in my column, Dover home to many achievers.

He particularly pointed to George Leader, the only Pennsylvania governor to come from York County. Leader grew up in York Township - Leader Heights. But after serving in World War II, Leader operated a chicken hatchery in Dover Township. That was his day job as he launched a political career... .

Dover native and internationally known artist Jeff Koons presented a lecture of his work at York College in 2002. That talk accompanied a display of some of his famed work. Background posts: Jeff Koons' sculpture brings record for a living artist's work and Dover's/Packers' John Kuhn: 'He is able to grasp things very quickly'.

Some celebs with York County roots leave and never return to perform or display the fruits of their talents in their hometown.

So, it's refreshing to see Sam Freed and David Masenheimer agreeing to perform here as part of the York Little Theatre and York Symphony Orchestra's rendition of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" on March 8.

Dover's Jeff Koons came back, too... .

Entertainer Nick Lachey, center, is flanked by his mother, Cate, and then-wife, singer Jessica Simpson in this Associated Press photograph. Bruce Reinert, the manager of Dover's Central League baseball team, married Cate in 2003. Background post: Mom of Lachey brothers makes home in York County and Add another to list of entertainers with York links.
Unless one of you readers comes forth with other achievers/celebs with Dover ties, this could be last post until someone else from that York County community takes the stage.

The Dover area is home to the mother of entertainers Nick and Drew Lachey.

We'll get back to that in a moment.

A second Dover-area resident also made national news the other day... .

John Kuhn, right, works out at Leader Health & Fitness in 2005. Kuhn is a Dover High and Shippensburg graduate. After a stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the back now plays for the Green Bay Packers. Background posts on other Dover achievers: Wiest's first store: 'Segars' 5 cents a grab and Olympic gold medalist Scott Strausbaugh another Dover product.

Add NFLer John Kuhn to the list of achievers from Dover.

Kuhn made it to the Super Bowl as part of the Steelers practice squad in 2006. He was the second York countian to play as a back for the Steelers in recent years following Eastern York High School grad Jon Witman... .

This Associated Press photograph shows Dover's Scott Strausbaugh, front, and Joe Jacobi of Bethesda, Md., in their successful quest for a gold medal in men's canoeing whitewater doubles in 1992 Olympic competition in Seu d'Urbell Spain. Strausbaugh is another successful Dover-area product. Background posts: 'The Edison of Cumberland Valley' and http://www.yorktownsquare.com/2007/11/dover-history-and-drawbaugh-1.htmlDover's uneven history runs deep into well-tilled German soil.

In covering celebs hailing from Dover in a previous post, Scott Strausbaugh is on the list as a pride of the community.

Strausbaugh was an Olympic gold medalist just 15 years ago, the fifth canoeing and kayaking medal won by Americans in that competition up to that point.

Here were some comments by and about the canoeist, a 1981 Dover Area High School grad, at that time:

Rivertownes PA USA helps promote Wrightsville, Pa.'s many attractions. Here, Claire Storm, Rivertownes' president in this 2003 photograph, surveys one of the town's stone kilns. Background posts: York County, Pa., Civil War hero grandmom of Gore Vidal, Wrightsville's overlooked attractions and Absorbing photo and overlay shows locations of six Susquehanna bridges.

Wrightsville is a lot like Dover.

More goes on in those turnpike towns than one would think... .

The Rev. Rene Kinard gives his final prayer after an outdoor baptism ceremony in the stream at the Dover Area Community Park during a Civil War re-enactment church service in 2005. The Dover area loves its history and has made some, too. Background post: York, Cumberland counties longtime companions.

In previous posts, we've seen that Dover borough in York County is more than the hometime of internationally acclaimed artist Jeffrey Koons.

And it's more than home to the celebrated Dover intelligent design trial, brought to public view again recently via "Nova."

I'll get to another noteworthy part of Dover in a minute... .

The Drawbaugh family is another accomplished Dover-area family .

Well, its most prominent member, Daniel Drawbaugh, actually lived in Cumberland County's Eberly's Mills, which isn't exactly Dover.

But give me a little geographical license and look in the phone book at all the Drawbaughs in the Dover area, and you'll see why "The Edison of the Cumberland Valley," can be claimed by Dover and the entire northwest sector of York County.

Inventor Daniel was engaged in legal fisticuffs with Alexander Graham Bell over rights to the telephone, as this story in "Never to be Forgotten" attests:

This October photo shows Dover native Jeff Koons' 'Hanging Heart' on display in New York. Sotheby's recently sold the piece for $23.6 million. Background post: Cameron Mitchell, Craig Sheffer, Dixie Chick born here, Add another celebrity link to Dover, Pa., Artist Jeff Koons came back to York for a show and York County native Jeff Koons' work raises question: But is it art?.

The Dover area certainly has produced more than the landmark Dover intelligent design case.

NFL'er John Kuhn graduated from Dover High.

Dover High grad Scott Strausbaugh won an Olympic Gold Medal in whitewater canoe racing in 1992.

Dover-area's Ray Krone was the 100th death row inmate freed from by DNA testing.

But artist Jeff Koons is Dover's most internationally famous product of this largely rural area.

His sculpture recently brought in $23.6 million at Sotheby's.

Jennifer Vogelsong's York Daily Record/Sunday News story on Koons' accomplishment follows:

This 6-foot-high Ten Commandments monument has stood in Hanover's Wirt Park since the 1950s. In 2003, the marker was challenged in court. The matter was resolved when a non-profit group purchased a 15-foot plot. It is one of several First Amendment cases in York County in the past 50 years. Background post: A refresher on Dover ID case and For years, York countians part of major court cases and Witman murder among York County's most notorious crimes.

Albert Snyder's federal lawsuit against the Westboro Baptist Church covered such issues as privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to assemble. That all stemmed from the religious group's picketing the funeral of Albert Snyder's son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, the Marine who was killed in Iraq in March 2006.

It was one of many high-profile court cases in York County or involving county residents in the past 50 years that explored First Amendment issues, particularly the freedom of religion clause... .

Ray Krone, seen in his York County home, was the 100th exonerated death-row inmate. A new book tells about his time in court and prison.

A York Daily Record story about Ray Krone started:

A year ago (2005), Ray Krone revealed his Extreme Makeover to his family, friends and the entire country.

The nation's 100th exonerated death-row inmate had been wrongly convicted twice in the 1991 murder of a Phoenix barmaid.

He became known as "the Snaggletooth Killer" because experts said his ragged teeth matched a bite mark found on the victim.

The ABC TV show "Extreme Makeover" gave him a makeover -- including new teeth -- to erase that image.

Now, a new book reveals more about the falsely convicted Krone, as another York Daily Record story explains: