The end of my mulching for this year is in sight. It’s not QUITE finished yet, but it’s looking better all the time. Why did I buy a home with so much garden included, again, when I hate to garden? 
What’s inside
1. Former Damon’s becoming WellSpan practice
2. Seeking information on Piccalo’s/Piccolo’s
3. Whereabouts of Catholic high school
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I’m starting out today’s post with special good wishes to my own mom and to all the moms of York County and beyond. You are loved!
But the funny part is – today, I’d like to share memories of one of our readers’ father!
Marta Freedman recently wrote after seeing this October post about 7 Cousins restaurant, which, in its history, was also run under the names of Archie’s, Hap Miller’s, Cicero’s and more!
Marta wrote, “My father, Robert Freedman, started the 7 Cousins, and before that, the Embers.”
“You can see a full page article on him and all his restaurants from the November 9, 1974 edition of the York Daily Record on the front page of the Family Section.”
Marta had a great photo of the page that she shared with me; you can see it in three parts with today’s post. And she also shared some neat memories!
She writes, “My dad would bring us home spare ribs from 7 Cousins Oriental and boy were they good!”
She adds, “He also started the first dinner theater in York and was maitre’d at the York Little Theater. And to Karen Boyle, no doubt it was my dad you referred to as the well dressed maitre d’. He was so handsome in his three piece suits with cufflinks. My grandma, his mom, was the charming red-headed coat check lady. I really miss both of them.”
This was a neat story to hear, and it was fun in another way, too. If you look closely, you’ll see that this page was designed by Linda Weiner Seligson – who is now cultural director at the York JCC, but who was a great friend and mentor to me in my earlier years at the YDR, where she worked into the early/mid-2000s!
What a fun Only in York County!
Today, I have a quick set of pictures and memories of a business run by Eddie Herr, who comes up in local memory as both an insurance salesman and the owner of a beer distributorship.
These were sent to me by Malinda Snellbaker, who writes, “Just wanted to share with you an advertising item from Eddie Herr Insurance that my aunt Sylvia (Sylvia Ebbert) had given to my sister and I. It hung for several years in her pantry, it is in the original frame with the paint spots, we left it just as it was, whenever we look at it we think of Aunt Sylvia. I wish she was still with us, I am hungry for her fudge. Your column brings back memories, keep up the great work.”
Thank you for sharing, Malinda!
We talked yesterday about some memories of the West Manchester Mall; today, I’d like to go back in time in the same area a little farther, and talk more about memories of Loucks Road in the years before the mall! (We’d talked about this back in 2011!)
Terry Downs notes, “My memories of Loucks Road start where it passes 11th Avenue in North York when the Loucks Road (now U.S. 30 – known also as the bypass!) was a 2-lane road from the J.M. Fields and Pantry Pride stores on the former Leitner’s Orchards. Gino’s built on the corner there. When you approached Pennsylvania Avenue, it was a ‘T’ intersection for Pine Hill Apartments weren’t built yet west of Gwendale Development (off of Susquehanna Trail) and Holtzapple’s Gulf was where the Rutter’s store is now. Heading west was farmlands and Colony Park was being built, and soon the Two Guys Plaza was a new spot. Where Maple Village is was yet a strip of field corn. Beddia’s was on the corner (now York Mitsubishi) and cattycorner at Roosevelt Avenue (a stop sign then) was King’s Mobile Home Park, and you proceeded west past the Loucks School that was mentioned in the article. A man named Norman Richards resided in the renovated schoolhouse; Norm Richards was leader of a local orchestra from the WWII era. The adjacent cemetery holds descendants of the Pfaltzgraff family line. You continue on to Haviland Road and then Carlisle Road (again, 2 lane roads with a stop sign) and you continue on thru the intersection to Hayden Heights and westward, eventually taking you to the Taxville Road. Being near 50 years old, I remember this road as a lad.”
I also heard from Jo Ott, who said, “Several years ago my sister and brother-in-law were in town from Florida for her 50th class reunion (York High) and they were staying at that Holiday Inn where the reunion also was being held. She told me later that they set out in a rental car to find Shiloh and our old home on Locust Lane – think water tank. Never did find Shiloh or the old home, she said they drove all over. Little did she know they were already in Shiloh and only about two miles from where we once lived. That’s how much the area has changed since we moved away in 1947!”
Fran Stump wrote and said, “That cemetery on Loucks Road is Wolf’s cemetery. I don’t know how the cemetery got named Wolf’s. There is a rehab office in there now, but in the ’50s a family named Richards lived in the house. I knew it was a school before. The Richards family had a son and daughter, I went to school with the son, John. His father had married a woman I played golf with. She lived there for a while after he died. She was there when the mall was built. The ladies who work at Maier’s Bread told me she died a few years ago. Just a little tidbit for your records.” Thanks, Fran!
And finally, I had a neat note from Sally Harbold, who was my elementary-school music teacher some years ago! She notes, “I read … about the Loucks Cemetery on Loucks Road. I lived in the old Loucks School House and sold it to Dr. Bruce Sicilia, MD for his Pain Rehabilitation Practice when my father passed away. My parents bought the house in 1939; it was already converted from a schoolhouse at that time. I would love to talk to you about the house and the wonderful Halloween parties we had in the cemetery! I also would like to contact “Lorraine” cited in (the earlier) article; I may know her!”
Sally, it was very neat to hear from you! I will definitely try to pass on your contact information to Lorraine! I am certainly also wondering if you know Fran and how her story and yours overlap!
Signs for the anchor stores of the West Manchester Mall are seen in this September 2012 Daily Record/Sunday News photo by Paul Kuehnel.
While we often talk about York County “business memories” from longer ago, one topic that’s been of particular interest to me are the recent-ish memories of places like the West Manchester Mall. While the mall is still in business – though it’s certainly at a transition point after being sold late last year – there are certainly many changes that have taken place over the years and many stores of the past even there!
Today, I’d like to share some more West Manchester Mall memories received since our last installment in 2011!
While things have been busy at both the YDR and my freelance jobs in the past week, it’s been super-quiet for our family otherwise. (Though we are now the owners of a rather gigantic map of the world.)
Hopefully, this Ask Joan will be just as informative as our wall map of the world?
What’s inside
1. and 2. Seeking recipe for some panhaus
3. History of the Rothert Company
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One of our longtime Only in York County commenters is Yorker Scott C., and today, I have a handful of memories from him I want to share, of areas that are particularly familiar to me!
Scott was following up on some previous posts, such as memories of the York Mal and our large and always-growing Stores and Restaurants of the Past directory.
He writes, “I would like to share my memories of the Delco Plaza, which was an indoor shopping center. The major anchors, K-Mart and Hills (later Ames), were located at opposite ends of the shopping center. In between was a 5-screen UA Cinemas and several small shops, some of which were accessible from both inside and outside. There was Pet World, Comix Connection, Megatronix (video games), Bookland, D.E. Jones, and a post office branch. At the center entrance was an arcade, a pizza place, and a Chinese restaurant. Other tenants include an eye doctor, a dentist, Oletowne Jewelers, Kempo Karate, and a PennDOT driver’s license center. I remember there being an indoor mini-golf for a brief time in the early 1990′s. The shopping center was demolished in 2005 and has since been redeveloped. Other nearby businesses that were also demolished include Tractor Supply (former Pathmark store), Ollie’s, and Roll-R-Way.”
Later, Scott also shared a memory of some of the stores along Route 30. “I remember my family getting our first microwave at Silo in the late 1980s. Microwaves were big, heavy, and expensive back then. Silo was an appliance store on Route 30 across from the North Mall. It is now Aaron’s. To the left was Color Tile (now Sleepy’s Mattress). Four Seasons Fireplace & Patio was to the right (now JFC Staffing). Across the street was Boston Chicken, which later became Boston Market. It operated as a Gateway Country computer store in the late 1990s and is now Vitamin World. There was also a Boston Market on East Market Street (near the York Mall) which has been converted into an Arby’s.”
These are great memories, Scott, thanks for sharing! These are areas I can’t get enough of hearing about!
Back a couple of years ago, I started asking about memories of music teachers and music lessons in York County.
Since then, I’ve shared memories here and there, including some of Keyboard Studios in this March 2013 Ask Joan follow-up.
I have some more to share today, including a special memory from a local music legend.
After sharing some memories of the former Betsy Ross Elementary School in this June 2012 post, I received a few more memories that I’d like to share today!
Michael “Mykl” Lau, who you might remember from the amazing walking tour from downtown York that I shared in the past, wrote, “Loved your article on Betsy Ross Elementary School. I too am an alumnus of good ol’ Betsy Ross. The fourth grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Ettline (my sister Pat agrees). Left out of the list was the mention of the Custodian for the school. His name was Mr. Gallagher. Betsy Ross was a real ‘neighborhood’ school. I think everyone knew everyone. When I was in Mrs. Ettline’s class I was lucky enough to be selected to be a ‘Safety.’ We got to wear the white belt (with a ‘real’ badge) and assisted the younger students safely across intersections. There was even a ‘post’ at the railroad tracks on Pattison St. in case a train came along. One of the great moments of going to Betsy Ross was the May Day celebration. Each class did a little dance or something and then there was the traditional May Day Maypole Dance. It was a big deal. Another memory I have of Betsy Ross is when I was sent to the coatroom in Miss Gross’ 1st grade room for kissing Barbara Martin on the cheek. Years later I crossed paths with Miss Gross again when I was a traveling Elementary Physical Education teacher in the York City Schools and taught at Hartley Elementary School where she was the Principal at that time. My sister, Pat, and I did attend one of the meetings of the group of alumnae of Betsy Ross. I don’t know if they still meet anymore or not. I’m sure some of those folks will write you as well.” Mykl said that he was a 1962 graduate of York High and was part of the Betsy Ross class of ’54.
And Sandra Miller noted, “I attended Betsy Ross Elementary School from 1952-1955. My mother, Gloria Musser, married to Frank Musser, worked as a waitress for Berry’s Restaurant nearby. I would visit my mother every day after school while she worked there. Occasionally, I would play outside. The pretzel baking factory – called the National Biscuit Company, located between the school and Berry’s – would sometimes provide pretzels through their window.”
Yum! Thanks to both of you for sharing your Betsy Ross memories, and please, keep them coming!
Two of the three questions today are special from my mom’s women’s group from her church, and their families. So here’s a special shout-out to the Golden Girls of New Creation – I hope I can help!
What’s inside
1. Raised-dough for knepp?
2. Old Stone Mill Tack Shop
3. Water company early-days memories
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My name is Joan and I'm a lifelong Yorker. Throughout high school and college, I swore I was getting out of here as soon as possible. Now, a few years later, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be. I love my town. And, as a local editor, I hear every day how much you love your towns, too. So please, connect with me and let's share what makes life in York County great. I'm here to help you enjoy this place as much as I do!
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