Well, I had the pleasure to borrow from Mary Jo her family cookbook, so that I could copy some recipes to share. I love nothing more than to see a well-used cookbook, so this was a ton of fun for me!

That’s the book we’re working from, and over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some recipes, including one with Mary Jo’s own notes on how to make a great hogmaw!

To start, though, I thought I’d share this look at the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition of the “sweets and sours,” sometimes known as the seven sweets and seven sours, as seen in this book, “The Art of Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking.” Enjoy!

Stay tuned… in coming posts, we’ll share recipes for cornmeal mush, hogmaw, chicken-corn soup and apeas cake!

First, if you’re into Harleys, you can get a free Harley-Davidson sticker here. Random, but I know some of my readers will appreciate it!

In a completely different set of interests, if you’re into photography – and, again, I know some of you guys certainly are! – there’s a photo contest going on right now seeking photos of our state parks.

See the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation website here for details (click on the “Take Five in Winter Photo Contest” link).

Good luck! I’m going to see if I have some shots from Pinchot Park to enter… I’d love to see York County’s state parks (Codorus, Samuel S. Lewis and Gifford Pinchot) represented!

I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m definitely still pretty OK. I was able to play a few things for my sister and her husband when they came to visit from New Jersey this weekend, and that was neat.

In that spirit of revisiting “old favorites,” today’s Ask Joan is an all-followups edition. Enjoy!

What’s inside
1. More on finding ZIP codes
2. The where, when of Wolfgang’s
3. Memories of Springwood Pool, park

1. In an earlier Ask Joan, Gayle Ambridge had asked how to find the full ZIP code (ZIP+4) for a particular address. I suggested Mapquest, in part because it does double duty for me and allows me to get directions while I’m at it.

Several commenters took me to task for not going “straight to the horse’s mouth.” I admit, I gave the answer based on what I personally use, but it is only fair to add that ZIP+4 codes can be found by visiting usps.com and clicking “look up a ZIP code” at left!

Many thanks to Paul Miller and several others who pointed that out.

2. An even earlier Ask Joan contained a question from Dave Hoover, now of Seattle but formerly of the Harrisburg area, about the former Wolfgang’s Sporting Goods. Dave had bought a fly rod on eBay bearing a Wolfgang’s sticker, and he was curious about when it had gone out of business.

MANY memories came in on that store! (Get comfortable… I am sharing lots of them!)

One anonymous commenter wrote, “Wolfgang’s Sporting Goods store was located on North George Street in North York. The back of the store was sporting goods and the front was Wolfgang’s Shoes. My husband bought his sporting goods there in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. It was right beside the York Bank and Trust Building. The location later became a bakery. I think the name was Long’s Bakery.”

Gary Figdore called with the same location, and told me he bought a rifle there 60 years ago. He was also able to clarify for me where it was based on a current landmark – it’s a little north of the culinary school restaurant; commenters Deb Coho, Bob, Charlie Wintermyer, Shirley Cover, Vicki Baker and Mark Grubic also helped out with the specific location. Philip Welsh remembered specifically the shoe store part; he says, “Bought many a shoe from them while being a letter carrier.” I bet so, Philip!

Then came the comments on Facebook. Jane Duke says, “I was going to respond to you about Wolfgang’s Sporting Goods – the original location was on North George St – right next door to the York Bank branch at 1705 N. George St. (I think that was the right address.) Not only did I grow up in North York but I started my first job as an audit control person for York Bank and then entered teller school and my first teller gig was at the North George St. location. My parents knew both Wolfgang families – one side was the candy company folks (who every year bought back their chocolate from me to support St. Mary’s Catholic School and then York Catholic High School) The other side of the family owned the sporting goods store – they carried everything and were the frontrunners for Dick’s & Gander Mountain. They later opened up the 2nd location near Stoney Brook and for the life of me I can’t remember when they closed.”

That second location, by the way, is the one I’d found out about in answer to Dave’s question, and I am glad to have confirmation that it was related. (And to have confirmation about the two “big-name Wolfgang’s” in York being somewhat related!) Meanwhile, frequent commenter Bill Landes said the Wolfgang family who owned the sporting-goods shop were relatives of his; small world! Bill’s cousin told him the store might have closed around 1996 or 1997 – not too awful long ago!

Also on Facebook, Dale Boyce shared, “Back in the ’60s there was a Wolfgang’s Sporting Goods on George St in North York. Right next to it was a soda fountain store called Baylor’s. They had a pool table and sold magazines, papers, etc. They sold root beer floats and real cherry cola! I lived right down the street when I was a kid.”

Jason Gross says, “According to the Central HS yearbook of 1964, Wolfgang’s Shoes & Sporting Goods at 1121 N George St was ‘Selling Quality Footwear for 45 years’. In the ’60s my dad bought all his and my shoes there. I don’t think he bought many sporting goods there. He bought our fishing gear at J.W. Crone Grocery and Sporting Goods near the square in Dover.”

And Brad Ely, back on the subject of Wolfgang’s, said, “I think I got my fishing or hunting license there probably 35 or 40 years ago. They sold guns, hunting clothes, shoes and all kinds of fishing rods and fishing gear.”

Ron Ellis also remembers a Wolfgang’s purchase; he says, “I am not sure exactly when they closed, but I do know I bought a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber Chiefs Special from them in 1972. I know that this store was around in the early 1960s, if not earlier. I worked part-time for my Father and Uncle, at Ellis Brothers 66 Service, at 337 North George Street. I did service calls late at night, and took it along for protection. Thankfully, I never had to use it. There were about a half dozen gas stations between 337 North George Street and Parkway Blvd. We were open until about 10:00 at night during the beginning of the business. I must say that almost everyone one we met was a very pleasant person. Rarely did we have any problems. We knew most people on a first name basis. Many had credit with us that was carried on by the station, with no interest. Everyone was very honest in those days.”

Back to some specifics on the store’s ownership and its possible closing date, friend Betsy Baird provided the following, some of which was found in “Forgotten Cigar Kings of York County”: “Millard and Dora Wolfgang opened a shoe store at 1211 N. George in 1918. Millard Jr. and Donald, Millard Sr.’s sons, added the sporting goods store. Donald retired in 1991. … Donald’s daughter, Beverly and her husband Sam, opened the bakery at that site. I remember the store having been there at least in the 1990s.”

Sarann Boring gave more details on Millard Sr.; she writes, “My father always bought my shoes there as a child. Millard was born 3/14/19 & died 9/20/11.” I’m actually amazing by that timing, as it was only a month or so after Millard’s death that this question was published.

But the gold standard of all answers came from Donald Wolfgang. He writes, “The original Wolfgang’s was actually Wolfgang’s Shoe & Sporting Goods & this store was at 1121 N. George St. in North York. The store began in 1918 as a shoe store by my Grandfather & the Sporting Goods section was added in 1940. Millard Wolfgang Sr. was the founder, later joined by Millard Wolfgang Jr. (Bud) & Donald Wolfgang as a 3 way partnership. Millard Sr. never fully retired & Millard Jr. (Bud) retired in 1978. Business was then owned solely by Donald Wolfgang & operated by his family, Wife Jane, Son Dennis, Son Donald & daughter Bev. The shoe store closed in 1991 & the Sporting Goods & the name were sold to Dave Shindler, also an employee of Wolfgang’s. The sporting goods store later moved to Stoneybrook Shoppette. The original Wolfgang’s Store offered Lay-a-way @ no charge/fee, had a ‘point system’ (worked much like green stamps) & the store also housed a postal sub station. I have much more information on this business as I am of the 3rd generation & grew-up at the store & operated the Sporting Goods section for 15 years.” Don also mentioned that the store “traded” ice skates, sold American-made footwear, and was the headquarters for purchasing North Hills Jr. High and Central High gym uniforms!

WOW – Dave, I bet you never thought you’d get so much of an answer to your question, did you?

3. Family friend and longtime reader Jim Goodling had asked some time ago, “My sister-in-law wonders who remembers about Springwood Pool. It was on Springwood Road before you get to Yoe. Can’t see any remnants of it from the road. It’s not safe to stop there and look. I remember my grandmother taking me down there on the train, leaving from East Market St.” Leon Henise had also wondered about that.

Well, to follow up on memories of the Springwood area, I want to share a memory from Gizz Davis, who you might recalled shared some awesome memories of the Yoe area in this November post.

“Few people know this but at one time there was a tiny theater along Springwood Road between Yoe and York. Dad tells me that the building originally was a service station operated by a man named Swords. Dad owned his own truck and was a long-haul truck driver for many years and would sometimes go to Swords’ Service Station for parts and repairs on his truck. According to Dad, Mr. Swords worked on cars and trucks by day, but would set up twenty to thirty folding chairs and show movies at night (at least on weekends). The building wasn’t much more than a hole in the wall. The rather small structure was actually built into a very steep hillside. Dad tells me that movies cost 10 to 15 cents, depending on the quality of the movie. The very first movie I ever remember seeing was at this tiny theater and it was Gone with the Wind. For me, as a very young kid, the magnificence of it made my heart race at the wonder of it all!”

And, finally, another Jim, Jim McClure, has several posts on his York Town Square blog about Springwood Park and the Springwood Pool. Check them out here, here and here.

Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!

Well, last night, Hubby told me there was a really neat-looking pile of mail on my desk awaiting my arrival. And when I came in today… well, I felt like I had a big pile of Valentine’s Day greetings to open; it even included some “Valentine flowers” – in the form of some orchid photos from a loyal reader!

Yes, and they’re all blog submissions that came since last Wednesday via postal mail! Guess I better not take a week off sick from posting again any time soon, huh? LOTS of submissions to catch up on, even before that… and then there are the emails!

Don’t let my overwhelmed-ness fool you… I LOVE IT! Keep the letters coming, and I’ll work harder to keep the blogging coming in return!

What’s inside
1. Where to get authentic fastnachts
2. Two questions about horseback riding
3. Seeking name of Hanover drugstore

1. This one time I don’t have an answer and hoping maybe you can help. A woman at church was asked by a relative where he could get genuine, authentic fastnachts, not the ones like are made in the bakery, but those made by churches. I thought you might have access from stories that come into your office. Thanks for any direction you can give.
- Bill Schmeer

Bill is an amazing resource, offering comments on many topics on Only in York County, and I LOVE that we’ll be able to help him out.

One place to try, Bill, is the York County Heritage Trust, whose “freebies” on Fastnacht Day (Fat Tuesday; Feb. 21 this year) are well-known.

Some other places I know from previous years are Pleasureville United Methodist Church and the Stewartstown Senior Center. Haven’t had anything else come across my desk YET – but I hope these few ideas will be a place to start!

2. Our second question today is actually two questions that might be related. First, from Donna, I received: “Can’t figure out exactly where Heindle’s horseback riding was off Mt. Zion near the jail.” Then, in another letter, Penny Bupp asked, “Does anyone remember Hielder’s farm where you could rent a horse and go riding? Not sure if the spelling is right but I used to love that when I was a kid.”

I’m just guessing, but my thought is that both ladies are remembering the same place. Does anyone else have any details to share that might provide clarity on that, or memories of the same? We’d all appreciate it!

3. When we were kids, my Grandfather would go to a drugstore in Hanover & buy “Mountain Oil”. If you had an upset stomach, they would mix a small amount of it with water and you drank it. It definitely made things better. Mountain Oil had a distinct peppermint taste, was clear and a bit on the oily side. My Dad went to the same drugstore and tried to purchase it and was told they didn’t know what it was. (He was wearing a suit jacket & tie. Grandpa didn’t.) Would like to know what this was. It worked better than a lot of today’s meds. Unfortunately both my Father & Grandfather are deceased, so no one knows the drugstore name.
- Connie Pickard

Connie’s story made me think there might have been a little moonshine in the mountain oil! Just kidding, mostly, but I’d be very interested to know more about this remedy and about the drugstore name as well. Any ideas that anyone can share with Connie?

Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!

What’s inside
1. An ornament from Gee Bee’s
2. Where is Gino’s in Towson?
3. Following up on downtown hotel

1. When I put my Christmas decorations away I look at price tag stickers (if there are any,) on the boxes. When they have the store name printed it brings back memories. One such sticker said Bee Gees. I can’t quite place it. Can anyone help? Thanks.
- Ann Dietz

I told Ann that I think her ornament must have been from Gee Bee’s. That was a discount store that used to be in the West Manchester Mall, at the end where Kohl’s is now. In between, that spot was Value City. We shopped or do shop at ALL those incarnations! (If you haven’t read the yet, there are a ton of West Manchester Mall memories here.)

2. Do you know where the Gino’s in Towson is located? I may try to visit it soon. My wife likes to shop at Wegmans in Towson.
- Richard Contres

Richard and his wife Audrey are loyal readers and good friends of Only in York County – and of Gino’s! In fact, that’s their family, our family, and a friendly Gino’s employee in the photo above, taken during the Only in York County meetup there in March 2011.

I was able to help them out; the restaurant’s exact address is 8600 LaSalle Rd, Towson, MD, 21286. It’s a little further south than the Wegmans, which I think is closer to what’s considered the Hunt Valley area.

If anyone is headed down, don’t leave me out! You know I love Gino’s!

3. This day-after-Christmas edition of Ask Joan included a question from Beverly Landis, seeking the name of a hotel formerly at North George Street and North Avenue in York, which was managed by her parents and grandparents.

I had MANY loyal readers able to help Beverly out, and popular vote would suggest that the name of this establishment was the Union Hotel (in some cases, also called the Northern Central Hotel). Many thanks to all who helped out, including Edward Roche Sr., Betsy Baird, Gus Arinsberg, Alan Beaverson and Janet Sutton. Janet, by the way, adds, “I think it was owned by a man named Johnny Gill and I think he was a retired boxer. This was about 1950.”

I also had one anonymous commenter tell me that it was the Union Hotel – and that they put caraway seed in their sauerkraut, answering another previous Ask Joan question, this one from Sally Starko. (“A German chef I used to work with told me to do that,” said this commenter!)

Other hotel names mentioned as being in the area of the Union Hotel were the Hotel Penn (remembered by Ira Keech, whose sister worked there in the ’50s) and the Washington House, right up the road from the Union Hotel, remembered by Betsy Baird. Thanks to all who helped solve this mystery – I’m glad we now have an answer for Beverly!

Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!

What does this photo have to do with butcher-shop memories? You’ll have to go here to find out!

In all seriousness, I’ve gotten an incredible response to this earlier butcher-shop memories post, so expect more to come on this topic in the following weeks. I do hope you’ll go here to see what Gordon Moul, pictured above, has to do with this thread of memories… because it’s a pretty fun story.

Let’s just say Joan got to go to Hawaii – well, at least “virtual Joan!”

Included was this photo, originally seen on June Lloyd’s Universal York blog. It shows the store in September 1955, with its windows taped as protection against a coming storm.

Kathleen Campbell Beaverson says, “This picture sure does bring back great memories!!! Going in there sitting at the soda fountain and getting drinks!!!”

And my friend Melanie P., a former Yorker now living in Virginia, said, “People’s Drug!! I worked for People’s for 12 years, starting in 1976 (down here in Virginia, alas, not in York). Minimum wage in ’76 was $2.30 an hour. Hershey bars were, I think, 15 cents. You could buy a six pack of the big bottles of Coke on sale for 99 cents. And during Back To School season, metal lunchboxes with Thermoses were around $2 or $3. Why didn’t I buy one of each back then? They’d be worth a small fortune now! LOL! And the soda fountain… best cheeseburgers and milkshakes in town. Good, good memories!”

Any other Peoples Drug memories to share? I’d love to hear them!

What: Early morning snow and the sun rising.
Submitted by: LuAnn Scruggs of West Manchester Township
Something interesting: Today’s reader photo continues my snow theme started in a photo earlier this week. Whether you like snow or not, it’s a great example of what LuAnn captioned “nature and beauty.”

As always, you can share your own photos of scenes around York County here.

We talked almost six months ago about memories of Babe Keller’s Restaurant, and as part of that, Wayne Breighner had some stories to tell about how that restaurant’s owners were real jokesters. And the fun stories continued from some other commenters.

Rodney Beaverson says, “I grew-up around the corner from Kellers restaurant, and remember a sign that hung above the bar area that read ‘Helen Waite is our credit manager. If you want credit, go to Helen Waite.’ Always thought that was the funniest sign I ever saw.”

And another commenter, who didn’t leave a name, wrote, “First of all thank you for the great work you do on the DO YOU REMEMBER articles. One additional note about KELLER’S RESTAURANT. There used to be a really neat sign behind the counter and it read: Helen Wait is our credit manager, if you want credit go to Hell and Wait. I was only in the place about three times but I remember the sign. I am a retired social studies teacher from Northeastern and tried to incorporate as much local flavor as possible, much to the chagrin of some of my administrators. My thoughts were always that if people don’t pass the local items on to others that it will die and we don’t want that to happen. You should be well informed about your local items. Thanks again for your great work.”

Well, thank YOU – for sharing a fun story and for trying to make history local. I know some other people who share that idea as well!