Metro York: 1925
The Metro York project to promote regionalization and sharing of services among York City, surrounding townships and boroughs, and school districts, was born with the recognition that we need to strengthen our urban core and the realization that we’re “all in it together.” Urban expert David Rusk chronicled the problems and opportunities facing our core municipalities in the Rusk Report and Rusk Report II. But the recognition of these issues is not new.
Recently, while doing research, I stumbled upon this article from the February 5, 1925 York Dispatch:
What Are York’s Greatest Needs for 1925?EXTEND CORPORATE LIMITS
By Donald H. Yost
“What are York’s Greatest Needs in 1925?” Generally speaking, York’s needs are doubtless similar to those of practically every other modern American city of like size; their relative importance being to a great extent, purely a matter of personal opinion.
York, however, possesses one peculiar and greatest need, and that is an extension of its corporate limits. With little land remaining unbuilt upon within its present restricted boundaries, the encroachment of business upon the former residential sections has driven many of York’s citizens to exile in the surrounding boroughs and townships. This situation has prevented York showing the substantial gain in population which other factors indicate should exist; and, unless conditions are remedied, it is not at all inconceivable that the next census may show an actual loss.
As the standing of a city is rated largely by its percentage of growth in population, it follows, under present conditions (paradoxical as it may seem), that the greater York’s industries become, the more its reputation will suffer.
No efforts should, therefore, be spared during 1925 towards the actual realization of a “Greater York;” for in the case of municipalities, as in fact all things, when growth ceases, retrogression commences.
York was able to grow in 1884 when Bottstown, located west of the Codorus Creek, was annexed and when the residents of Freystown, (East York) voted to join the City in 1890. However, today York City is ranked 533 of 540 “Central Cities,” as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau, in terms of size. York is only 5.2 square miles.
By way of comparison, this means that York City is smaller than Carlisle Borough (5.4 square miles) but larger than Poughkeepsie, NY (5.1 square miles). State College, PA is ranked 535 at 4.5 square miles.
In terms of population, the last census had York ranking 410 of 540 “Central Cities,” sandwiched between Lompoc, CA and Titusville, FL. York has approximately 41,000 residents.
Peak population occurred in the mid-1950s. By 1960, York’s population was in decline, though still numbered over 54,000 residents. At its peak, York had approximately the same number of residents as Lancaster, PA and Frederick, MD today. However, Lancaster has a size of 7.4 square miles while Frederick has a whopping 20.4 square miles.
Yost’s observations in 1925 portended the issues that Metro York would grapple with 80 years later.
For information on the Metro York project, and their efforts to create a kind of “Greater York” envisioned by Yost, visit the YorkCounts Web site: http://www.yorkcounts.org/ProjectsCompacts/Projects.htm.
