Results matching “Northwest triangle” from York Town Square

The landmark silos at the Ohio Blenders York, Pa., complex are coming down and the Northwest Triangle project's condos, shops and office will go up in their place. That's the Codorus Creek, at right.(See related photo below.) Background posts: Map explains York, Pa.'s $50 million redevelopment area and York County agrarianism vs. industrialization and All farms and fields posts from the start.

The silos that mark Ohio Blenders can be seen as symbols of York County's agriculture.

So their demolition to make way for badly needed new and rehabbed buildings can be viewed as bittersweet, another storm to wash out carefully planted seeds in a longtime farm economy.

But those tall icons are not easily plowed under... .

This portrait of Gifford Pinchot hangs in his namesake state park in northern York County. A recent York Daily Record/Sunday News story - Pinchot was Teddy Roosevelt's 'conscience' on conservation - on a new book about Pinchot helps explain the conservationist's place in history. (See additional photo below.) Also of interest: First Pinchot Road in York County example of Great Depression-era stimulus project and York native, Pa. Gov. George Leader cleared dam plan and Local county and state parks: York County's best idea?

From the mailbag and Web: A mixed bag of links to a bit of everything around York County:

An recent e-mailer bought a feedback marked Hespenheide & Thompson Feed Mill at an antique mall in Maryland.

Virginia Selak's efforts to learn more about the mill on the Web was not particularly successful, other than the fact it operated at Beaver and North Streets in York, Pa.

"I always thought it was the former owners of the Ohio Blenders Company," she wrote.

In light of the ongoing demolition of the silos to make way for the Northwest Triangle, Virginia wanted to check her accuracy.

Was Ohio Blenders formerly Hespenheide & Thompson? she asked.

And then she added:

"I hung the feed bag on my wall in my kitchen."

Comment below if you can help this e-mailer.

- More neat stuff below. -

Glen Burkholder, with The Building Recycler in Kutztown, dismantles a bagger this week at the former Ohio Blenders plant in York. About half of the machinery and silos will be dismantled and reused. (See additional photo below.) Also of interest: York's Lafayette Club: 'It's not your father's club ... It's historic. But it's not prehistoric' and Map explains York, Pa.'s $50 million redevelopment area and Skinny dipping in the Codorus?

The high-profile demolition of those big blue Ohio Blenders silos on the bank of the Codorus Creek is an example of a change in York County that can be easily overlooked.

Those towers are coming down causing an obvious change in York's skyline, as mixed commercial and residential uses that are part of the Northwest Triangle development take their place.

But take a moment to think about why those silos were there... .

These ornate iron pieces atop the York Elks porch are the type of fine metal work adorning the organization's 233 N. George St. building. (See related image below.) Background posts: York County ... 'A smorgasbord of architectural styles' and York County's connection to the French Quarter and Collector searching for Western Maryland Railroad memorabilia and When the bridge over the Codorus moved

My recent post - Plaques offer historic insight into 'The Swamp,' before Sovereign Bank Stadium drained it - provides a historic look at York's Arch Street area.

But for those parking at Small's Field, north of Codorus Creek, or in the downtown area, south of the creek, their stroll to the park affords many landmarks scrutinize.

My York Sunday News column for July 1, 2007, covers interesting sites as one moves into or out of The Swamp... .

The Western Maryland Railroad 'Head House' is part of redevelopment plans in the Northwest Triangle of York. The 1,600-square-foot building maybe transformed into commercial or retail space. (See additional photo below.) Background posts: Blue caboose in Red Lion? 'Yes sir - it's gonna be red' and Mystery of Glen Rock-area's Narrow Gauge Road deepens and Northern York area strawberry part of Neapolitan county.

Three railroads met in York in its 20th-century industrial heyday - the predecessors, successors and extensions of the Northern Central, Ma & Pa and Western Maryland railroads.

Despite that, York was never viewed primarily as a railroad town in the mold of, say, Altoona or Enola. That's probably because it was not located on the mainline of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

That said, the Northern Central Railroad with its direct ties to Baltimore and Harrisburg was pretty darn important... .

The York Museum of Art is a key part of the Brenner Administration's renaissance plan for downtown York. Here, an architectural rendering places the spotlight on a sculpture by internationally known Dover native Jeff Koons. Background posts: York Art Museum touted as triple gateway, Jeff Koons' work raises question: But is it art? and Declaration of Independence signer James Smith tops York County's patriot list.

In 2002, a group proposed a production honoring the 225th anniversary of the adoption of the Articles of Confederation in York.

The working title?

"The Birth of a Nation."

Some on the "Nine Months in York Town" committee pointed out that the title was problematic in two ways. First, a patently racist film had taken that name in the first quarter of the 20th century.

Secondly, it is doubtful whether York County is the birthplace of the nation.

Architect Murphy & Dittenhafer's rendering of what the York (Pa.) Museum of Art (YOMA) could look like if the idea put forth by the Brenner administration comes to fruition. (See photo of site below.) Background posts: Temporary river art collection may find permanent home along Susquehanna, Resources for York/Adams history junkies increasingly posted on Web and To those seeking to donate York County artifacts to preserve and present history.

The proposed York Museum of Art has intriguing hooks.

Organizers are:

The Cottage Hill College, north of the Codorus Creek in York, Pa., served as a woman's school for about 30 years starting in 1849. The building is believed to have been leveled about 1900. But a vestige of the ornate structure remains - Cottage Hill Road. Jim Rudisill writes in "York, Since 1741" that tuition cost $25 in 1856 and five months of board cost $55. Background posts: Little Jimmy's someday might draw big crowd, Girls touched down in York, Pa., to touch up and Fairmount fit for Roger, Anita and Pongo, Perdita.

The north side of the Codorus Creek has always fascinated me.

Officials continue to peck away at improving that area, overlooking the Northwest Triangle project.

Little Jimmy's Park is being renovated. The Fairmount area of North Beaver looks a lot better. Habitat for Humanity has rehabbed houses near the Jefferson School... .

York Mayor John Brenner mans a machine that is knocking down part of Weaver's Auto Body on North Beaver Street. The building was partially demolished as part of groundbreaking ceremonies for the Northwest Triangle project this week. Background posts: Map explains York's $50 million redevelopment area and Skinny dipping in the Codorus?

Now that groundbreaking for the $50 million Northwest Triangle Project is out of the way, contractors will spend months cleaning up the soil contaminated in the largely industrial section of town.

In his "Skinny Dipping in the Codorus," Raymond Sechrist gives a glimpse of one contaminating industry in that region at the turn-of-the-20th century.

It centered around William Gerber's coal yard on both sides of North Water (Pershing Street) and touched on a long-passed way of life: ...

This photograph shows the Codorus Creek near Richland Avenue before flood-control efforts changed its look. A favorite swimming hole located downstream offered birthday-suit-clad bathers - and passengers on passing trains - a summertime thrill. Background post: What is the probability of another flood in York?

The Northwest Triangle project borders the Codorus Creek near an old turn-of-the-20th-century swimming hole.

Raymond Sechrist recalled in the 1991 book "Skinny Dipping in the Codorus" that the popular hole was centered in the creek between the Pennsylvania Railroad and West Maryland Railroad bridges. (The swimming stop was located between 11 and 12 o'clock on this Northwest Triangle map.)

The boys in the buff swimming there would give train passengers a jolt - but that's getting ahead of the story... .

The Smyser-Royer building on York's North Street will be restored under the Northwest Triangle plan. Other historic buildings slated for restoration include: the old post office building on Philadelphia and North Beaver streets and the Keystone Color Works building, Gas Avenue. Background post: York County's Connection to the French Quarter and York's mayor about Northwest Triangle: 'We're going to clean up this site ... ' and A historic York walking tour of the Sovereign Bank stadium area.