Yesterday, as I worked on this story about a time capsule of sorts found behind bricks at the Codo 28 project, my editor asked why that building at 28 N. George St. is known as the Altland-Smyser building.
I didn't know.
I called Eric Menzer at Wagman Construction. He said he didn't know. It's just always been called that.
So I called Lila Fourhman-Shaull at the York County Heritage Trust. She said she didn't know. She suggested I try Historic York.
I called there, but it was already getting late and I couldn't reach anyone. Jim McClure, editor and historian, gave me a few books to hunt through for the answer, but I came up dry.
But this morning, an e-mail from Margaret Reis solved the mystery.
I didn't know.
I called Eric Menzer at Wagman Construction. He said he didn't know. It's just always been called that.
So I called Lila Fourhman-Shaull at the York County Heritage Trust. She said she didn't know. She suggested I try Historic York.
I called there, but it was already getting late and I couldn't reach anyone. Jim McClure, editor and historian, gave me a few books to hunt through for the answer, but I came up dry.
But this morning, an e-mail from Margaret Reis solved the mystery.
She told me that the building once belonged to her
great-grandparents, Philip* and Fanny Altland. They lived on the second
and third floors and rented out the rest.
Reis recognized the photo of Fanny, found in the box, that ran in the newspaper.
Fanny's father was Oliver Stuck, owner of the Democratic Press, Reis said. So that (maybe) explains why there was a booklet from the memorial service for Stuck, signed by Altland.
Reis said her father, Clarence Smyser, bought the building from
Margaret Altland (her grandmother, after whom she is named).
Reis said the time capsule sounds like something her great-grandmother would have done.
"She was quite the character, apparently," Reis said.
Barb Raid, from Historic York, also called me back today and offered some more information about the building. She said the building's datestone says "built by F.E. Altland." (That would be Fanny E. Altland.)
Raid noted that Fanny Altland was "kind of a developer" and owned a lot of property around York. The Codo discovery made Raid wonder if Altland hid anything in any of her other properties.
(Photos by Jason Plotkin. Top right: A photo of Fanny Altland was among items found in a metal box behind bricks at the Codo 28 project. Bottom left: Dave Graybill, with Witmer Restoration, found the box.)
* Originally, this entry said Mr. Altland's name was Percy. Marg Reis e-mailed again to say she found it was not Percy, it was Philip.
Reis recognized the photo of Fanny, found in the box, that ran in the newspaper.
Fanny's father was Oliver Stuck, owner of the Democratic Press, Reis said. So that (maybe) explains why there was a booklet from the memorial service for Stuck, signed by Altland.
Reis said her father, Clarence Smyser, bought the building from
Margaret Altland (her grandmother, after whom she is named). Reis said the time capsule sounds like something her great-grandmother would have done.
"She was quite the character, apparently," Reis said.
Barb Raid, from Historic York, also called me back today and offered some more information about the building. She said the building's datestone says "built by F.E. Altland." (That would be Fanny E. Altland.)
Raid noted that Fanny Altland was "kind of a developer" and owned a lot of property around York. The Codo discovery made Raid wonder if Altland hid anything in any of her other properties.
(Photos by Jason Plotkin. Top right: A photo of Fanny Altland was among items found in a metal box behind bricks at the Codo 28 project. Bottom left: Dave Graybill, with Witmer Restoration, found the box.)
* Originally, this entry said Mr. Altland's name was Percy. Marg Reis e-mailed again to say she found it was not Percy, it was Philip.
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