An ad in a 1823 York Recorder reminds us again why the good-old-days weren't so great. Cabinetmaker George Dowdel guaranteed that his improved bedstead was better than any heretofore made.
Finish reading 'York Cabinet Maker Invents Bedbug-Proof Bedstead' »
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Lewis Miller drawing of York jail on George Street
York County has had four prisons in its nearly 260 year history. The present one certainly seems to be the most secure. But reading the newspaper accounts of past jail breaks, you have to wonder if anybody was watching.
At least in the 1857 Christmas night jail break the prisoners had to hack through a wall of the almost-new second jail on Chestnut Street. Click here to read about that escape.
In 1829, when the jail was on the northeast corner of George and King Streets, it was apparently much easier. The May 26, 1829 York Recorder tells the story:
The Prince family, that is. A few days ago I wrote and that I thought there were two contemporary David Princes in York. I based that assumption on that two different women married David Prince, and that one David Prince moved to Baltimore and another taught at the York County Academy for around forty-five years.
Click here to read the previous Prince post.
A further search at the York County Heritage Trust Library/Archives of transcribed original records shows that they were indeed the same person, and he did all the things listed above.
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William Wagner Drawing of 1830 York County Courthouse.
I'm certainly not advocating crime, but when you think of it, salaries for all those policemen, jailers, judges, and attorneys do add to the economy. Building and upkeep of the prisons and courthouses, feeding the prisoners, and all the other fees associated with the justice system also supply work for a lot of people.
I haven't checked the probably astronomical costs today, but take a look at the crime and court related expenditures below from the 1825-1826 York County budget report, as published in the York Recorder. They make up quite a chunk of the costs for that year.
Finish reading 'Crime Pays in York County' »You rode a horse or took the stage. Mention stagecoach and the first picture that comes to my mind is the old west with Indians or robbers chasing the stage--too many John Wayne movies in my childhood. We easterners travelled by stage too, except rough, muddy roads were the worst hazards encountered in these parts.
Click here to read about trains out of, and into, York County. And here to read about the first railroad to reach York.
When Thomas McGrath opened his Globe Inn in 1821, his ad in the York Recorder featured not only the accommodations, but also a new Stage Office. He offers:
Finish reading 'How Did You Get Out of York Before Railroads?' »
York County, Pennsylvania wasn’t just about farmers and merchants and trying to win a lottery. Click here for previous post on lotteries.
For example, in 1826 a multi-talented young woman was in town to teach both the French language and the art of dancing.
Finish reading 'York PA Had Lots of Nineteenth-Century Culture' »Lotteries have always been alluring--wager a little for the chance to win a lot. Continental Congress attempted to raise funds to finance the Revolutionary War through a lottery, with a one of the drawings held in York in May 1778. From colonial times lotteries were conducted to raise money for public works, for churches and for colleges.
Two advertisements in a December 1826 York Recorder show that even out-of-state lotteries competed for Yorkers’ cash:
Finish reading 'York a Good Market for Lotteries' »We know York County had a lot of different mills. Click here to read about the many mills of York County.
Sawmills sawed trees into boards, and grist mills ground grain. What purpose did a fulling mill serve?
In a recent post about York County runaways in the 18th century, I mentioned that it was pretty easy to describe what the person who ran away was wearing. They probably only had one or two sets of clothing. Click here to read about the runaway blacksmith apprentice.
Even well-to-do people didn’t have that many clothes. You have toured historic houses--how many closets do they have? A few pegs on the bedroom wall would do nicely. Why?
Finish reading 'York County, PA in 1828--What’s a Fulling Mill?' »What do you think they were?
I just ran across an advertisement for an exhibition of really, really big bones in York in 1828. One bone was said to be 20 feet long. See below for the whole ad, quoted from the February 26, 1828 York Recorder newspaper.
Finish reading 'Huge Bones Displayed in York, PA' »You have probably noticed your bread costs more lately. The rise in the price of flour has been blamed on several factors.
Finish reading 'Rise in Flour Prices a Good Thing for York County in 1828' »
