About this blog
I've been editor of the York (Pa.) Daily Record/Sunday News for 8 years and managing editor of the newspaper for 15 years before that. So, York Town Square explores the rapidly changing world of journalism. And I studied York/Adams' history in graduate school, have written six books about these fascinating southcentral Pennsylvania counties and serve on the York County (Pa.) Heritage Trust board. So, this blog deals with regional history. Often, journalism and history meet here. They're part of a continuum anyway. My hope is that this site intrigues readers on both accounts in giving a daily dose of journalism/history. Or history/journalism. Contact me at jem@ydr.com or become friends on Facebook or follower on Twitter, @JamesMcClure.
Monthly Archives: August 2006
Cyclist uses legs on York County’s rail trail to background editorial
Editorial writing, like news story writing, sometimes perks up when the writer/reporter gets out of the office to see what he’s writing about first hand. I visited the site — about 10 miles of it — discussed in Monday’s York … Continue reading
Ma & Pa Railroad, Muddy Creek Forks draw fans
The Ma & Pa Railroad wound 77 miles through 476 curves between York and Baltimore for about 90 years. The first part of the Maryland and Pennsylvania line was chartered in 1867 and freight and passenger service ended in the … Continue reading
Forry Laucks, Lauxmont sparked debates
Forry Laucks, the original owner of Lauxmont farms now part of a park controversy, was himself controversial. The contrarian owner of York Safe & Lock was a Democrat in the 1920s and 1930s when many York County factory owners were … Continue reading
Shorty Fincher, Elvis, Three Stooges shared Hellam Township stage
More information on Hellam Township’s Valley View Park, the now-defunct venue for Elvis, Earl Scruggs and Johnny Cash, to supplement earlier the York Town Square post: The real Elvis sighted in York County in 1956.‘ …
71-year-old basketball player returns to home court
Sylvia Colston-Still Sylvia Colston-Still came home Tuesday to visit Crispus Attucks Community Center. She starred in basketball in the 1950s and participated in other programs at CA’s former center at 125 E. Maple St. building. In those days, the converted … Continue reading
Camp Security combines history, beauty
Earlier this year on a sunny Saturday, I visited a spot offering a view of the fields and ridge where Camp Security once operated. The site of York County’s American Revolution camp is a wonderful piece of land, and the … Continue reading
Imagine: 70-foot boat navigated York County’s Codorus Creek
Dan Meckley included interesting material on Codorus Navigation, York County’s second canal, in his paper “The Codorus.” (See York Town Square post “York County rail trail extension to follow canal towpath.”) Meckley’s work brings together material scattered among several sources, … Continue reading
York County has done its share of playing host to POWs
In two wars, York County has played a reticent host to prisoners of war. Not surprisingly, York countians fretted over the occupants of both camps — Camp Security in the American Revolution and Camp Stewartstown in World War II. Our … Continue reading
What is the probability of another flood in York?
Heavy rains earlier this summer caused flooding in many parts of Pennsylvania, but York County was spared. The last major flooding occurred after Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972. So what is the probability of rising water again topping the levees … Continue reading
York, Pa.’s Durang family of actors linked with national anthem
June Lloyd, retired York County Heritage Trust archivist, has been writing intriguing pieces for the York Sunday News for about a year. Her writing has focused on the 19th century. In their regular columns, Gordon Freireich and Jim Hubley write … Continue reading
