About this blog
As a local historian, writer and photo- grapher, I look at York County’s history in visual terms. For more than 15 years I’ve been enamored with local buildings and the stories behind their facades – from prominent architecture to non-assuming buildings, their walls and roofs are filled with stories just waiting to be told. Whether giving a downtown York walking tour, exploring the history of a local building for my job at the Nutec Group, or taking photos for an upcoming coffee table book, I’m always looking for those unique “windows” into York County’s past and present. — Scott Butcher
Category Archives: Government Buildings
A Tale of Three Domes
Wikipedia defines a dome as “a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere.” If you happen to be a resident of York, Lancaster or Harrisburg, a dome is a defining feature of your skyline. … Continue reading
Posted in Architectural Terms, Beaux Arts, Government Buildings
Tagged architecture, domes, harrisburg, lancaster, styles, york
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Lost Treasures: The Castle Jail
I recently received an e-mail from someone who had just purchased the book York’s Historic Architecture. She had not yet read the book, but was intrigued by the cover, a photo of Gethsemane Hall on North Beaver Street. Her husband … Continue reading
York City Hall in the Early 20th Century
A recent query on the York Town Square blog asked about the location of York’s first town hall, which is perhaps a mystery (though many early town meetings were held in the first Court House in Centre Square). Most of … Continue reading
Centre Square, 1777
When the Second Continental Congress arrived in York in September 1777, they found a sleepy frontier town in which most residents spoke German. Philadelphia it was not. Lodging became an immediate issue, as there were but 22 taverns and about … Continue reading
Historic Building, National Award
The 1898 York County Court House is making news again, but not for any notorious trial. A contingent representing York County recently returned from San Antonio, TX and the American Public Works Association national conference. They were there to accept … Continue reading
Local Post Office Buildings – Part I
Recent news reports have noted that the United States Postal Service will be vacating their facility on South George Street. York City government has expressed an interest to acquire the building and renovate it for use as a new City … Continue reading
