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Halloween 1946 in Downtown York

As far back as I can remember, the parade through the streets of York has been the biggest event of the Halloween season. According to the November 1, 1946 Gazette and Daily, the parade had been replaced during the war years with a downtown party. Even though the war had ended a year earlier, the party tradition carried on in 1946.

As you can see from the Gazette and Daily photo above, downtown was jammed. The caption reads:

CONTINENTAL SQUARE IN A GALA MOOD--This shot from the Hartman building shows a segment of the many thousands of Hallowe'eners and spectators who jammed the Square and adjacent blocks during the community "witches' night" celebration last evening. Mayor John L. Snyder said the crowd was "at least a third" larger than last year.

The accompanying article further gives further details:

First National Thanksgiving Marker, East Market Street, York

Have you passed by the marker above, tucked into a mini-park in downtown York, PA, and wondered about the story behind it?

The marker reads: "THE FIRST NATIONAL THANKSGIVING WAS PROCLAIMED FROM YORK BY THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS ON NOVEMBER 1, 1777 TO BE CELEBRATED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18. IT WAS WRITTEN BY SAM ADAMS OF MASSACHUSETTES, 'THE FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION,' WHO ADVOCATED FOR THE FIRST TIME 'ONE PUBLIC DAY OF THANKSGIVING' FOR ALL OF THE STATES AFTER THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA 'THAT WITH ONE HEART AND ONE VOICE THE GOOD PEOPLE MAY EXPRESS THE GRATEFUL FEELINGS OF THEIR HEARTS.' BY VARIOUS HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES AND THE NATIONAL THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION."