York: September 2008 Archives

What would we do without ice cream? Even though it was served previously, the popularity of ice cream increased in America in the 1840s. Perhaps this was because Nancy Johnson invented the crank-type ice cream freezer about that time.

According to the Gazette advertisement below, York provided a ready market in May 1845 for the cold, sweet concoction. Thomas Gray would even cater your ice cream party.

Dentistry came into its own in the 19th century. According to the American Dental Association website, Samuel Stockton began manufacturing porcelain teeth in 1825. Amalgam fillings were introduced in America in the 1830s, and cohesive gold foil fillings became practical about 1855. Probably best of all from the patients' point of view was the development of various means of anesthesia in the 1840.

York dentists kept up with the times, according to two 1840s ads below from the York Gazette:

I

n 1867 the York Fair was held in October, about a month later than the current September time slot.

What did those fairgoers do for fun 140 years ago? The fairgrounds, which then stretched from King Street, just east of Queen, to the Spring Garden Plank Road (Prospect Street) was a lively place.

If you are reading this, you are probably interested in York County history and know that York was the capital of the United States from the end of September 1777 through June 1778. The Revolutionary War was in full swing, and the British were occupying Philadelphia, which had been the capital of the new nation.

Congress moved west and settled in York for the duration, putting nearly a hundred miles, including the mile-wide Susquehanna River, between them and British General Howe and his troops.

It seems that many Americans of the time, when they heard Congress was meeting in York, said "York? Where's that?" John Adams wrote wife Abigail that he had to take a circuitous route of 180 miles to avoid the British on his way to York, which he estimated was not more than 88 miles from Philadelphia.

Abigail was confused and wrote James Lovell, friend of both Adamses who was also serving in Congress at York, for clarification. She said that John said they were 88 miles from Philadelphia, but she didn't know which way. Were they closer to Boston or further away? Lovell drew her a map.

York Fair week brings back memories of the midway when I was a child. Even though I never spent the money to go see them, I remember the hawkers and big tacky painted banners inviting fairgoers to step in and see the skinniest man, fattest lady, or whatever else they could exhibit to make a buck.

The following ad from the April 11, 1816 York Gazette illustrates how traveling showmen separated Yorkers from their money long before my memories of the 1950s: