September 2006 Archives

Fear of fires has been with York County residents since buildup in small towns brought houses close enough together for a minor blaze to turn major.

Fire officials particularly cautioned against chimney fires from the build up of soot and grease.

Their worst fears came true 150 years ago this year when fire, starting in a stable, destroyed an entire York block.

High winds fanned flames, and they destroyed 17 frame buildings and the brick Laurel Fire Co. in what one newspaper termed: "about the most destructive and alarming conflagration that ever occurred in York. ..."

York's use of a superstition -- the hiring of a rainmaker -- to combat a drought is just one of many notable anniversaries from York's past in 2006. (See "Rainmaker's visit indicated much awry in York" post.

A few others to pique your interest:

-- 1756: 250th -- York County's first courthouse is finished.

-- 1806: 200th -- James Smith, the county's signer of the Declaration of Independence, died and is buried in York.

-- 1856: 150th -- One of the most damaging fires in York's history consumed an entire city block. (See upcoming York Town Square for more.)

-- 1881: 125th -- President James Garfield's funeral train passes through York (as did Abraham Lincoln's in 1865) ... .

Ever wonder why the commercial building on East Market Street in Springettsbury Township has a long plaid strip along its façade?

I’ve wondered about that for years and finally posed the question to the right person. Make that people. ...

Not surprisingly, The Gazette and Daily in York shows up, albeit briefly, in Myra MacPherson’s “All Governments Lie! The Life and Times of Rebel Journalist I. F. Stone." http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=1&pid=520115&agid=2

Stone, the famed independent journalist, and J.W. Gitt, the noted Gazette and Daily owner, had much in common.

They fought McCarthyism, sought to thaw the Cold War and questioned the Vietnam War from beginning to end. Gitt published Stone’s work on the op-ed page, or second editorial page, as it was called. Further, the two men had a common denominator in Louis Stone, Izzy’s brother and J.W.’s managing editor... .

Karen Emenheiser, visiting our newsroom this week, discussed the fact that she was visually impaired, classified as legally blind.

It is unusual to talk with a candidate for public office — she’s on the GOP ticket for 95th legislative district seat — who is handicapped... .

A provocative mark of change in York County surrounds the Rutter's convenience store on Lightner Road in Manchester Township.

That Rutter's spread) is on company land, originally settled by Jacob Rutter and Nathaniel Lightner in 1747.

On the hill behind the store, several sprawling homes have served as the residences of family members... .

Photographer Paul Kuehnel tells an intriguing of an old-time gas/electric Rutter's Daily milk truck.

The last known milkman to make deliveries in York County was a Rutter's route man, John Schwartz.

That came in 1994, after Schwartz had been making deliveries for 45 years.

Rutter's opened its first convenience stores in York in 1968, the beginning of the end for home deliveries... .

Shorty Fincher's Valley View Park played host to the likes of Hank Williams Jr. and Sr., Porter Waggoner, the Osmond Brothers, Kitty Wells and the Harmonica Cats.

Some performers who traveled to the eastern York County venue were in their early stages of stardom.

But Roy Rogers performed during the Hellam Township park's heyday in the 1950s when he also was a top box office star.

Rogers did not perform alone.

His horse, Trigger, joined him on the eastern York County stage... .

James Smith, York County's Declaration of Independence signer, is scarcely known in his home county, let alone in other states.

So it's intriguing that the University of Delaware named a residence hall after the man who spent most of his life in York County and is buried here. http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2007/sep/dedication091806.html

In fact, no buildings in York County bear his name... .

History is repeating itself in Spring Grove this week.

From 1897 to 1922, the Ripplet, a newspaper published each Friday, circulated in the Spring Grove area.

Starting Friday, the York Daily Record/Sunday News’ will include news from Spring Grove in the Weekly Record that will begin circulating in municipalities covered by the Spring Grove Area School District. The Spring Grove news will share space in the weekly on Friday with coverage of Dover, West York and West Manchester Township.

Friday seems to be the day of choice for Spring Grove-area news... .

This year marks the anniversary of one of York County’s most embarrassing moments.

It was during the most severe of droughts that York Mayor John L. Snyder dug into his own pocket for $350 to bring John A. Miller, a reputed rainmaker, to York... .

Remember the old York County story about brewer Hannes’ bout with an aged hermit?

It seems that Hannes produced a beer that stopped headaches, created a good appetite and abolished constipation.

Now the old hermit, Hannes' neighbor, had seven pairs of old leather breeches.

The hermit, thinking Hannes' brewing vat was there for laundering purposes, took advantage of this fortuitous situation.

He washed away — all seven pairs came out clean.

"But heavens above!" The Gazette reported. "(T)he story came out, and Hannes lost the title of Doctor, and his famous small-beer acquired the name of breeches-water."

That story ("Back to the Future") led off York Town Square post No. 1, one year ago today... .

A father and son took brides last week at the York Fair.

Interesting how love and the fair have gone hand-in-hand from the annual festival's earliest days... .

Previous post, York Town Square explored how Lancaster County begat York and Cumberland counties.

And York County begat Adams in 1800. (And Cumberland begat Frankin, named after Benjamin Franklin, in 1784.)

And many know that Adams County was named for patriot and second U.S. President John Adams.

But it's not as commonly known how Adams' view of York County changed during his two visits here... .

An e-mailer recently assumed that Cumberland County came out of York County in 1750, in the same way Adams County withdrew in 1800.

Actually, York County was erected from Lancaster County in 1749, and Cumberland County emerged from Lancaster the next year.

This gives York County its long-touted distinction of being the first county west of the Susquehanna River and the fifth formed in Pennsylvania.

The two new counties, sharing a common border, immediately worked to increase their ties... .

Southeastern York County has bred a 7-foot-2-inch player that has been at it for 100 years.

And no, this player didn't toil for the championship Kennard-Dale High School basketball team in the mid-1990s... .

Eric Wise, a reader with many interests, picked up on York Town Square posts on York Safe & Locks. ("York Safe & Lock faltered after founder's death;" "York safes durable, beautiful.")

They reminded him of his grandfather's story about the streets of post-World War II Tokyo: ...

Web search technology helps the York Daily Record/Sunday News keep track of residents from York and Adams counties who make news elsewhere.

Various search engines scrape prescribed names of York County towns and turn up local people making news across the nation.

For example, an article from a Vermont newspaper tells about Tom and Nadine Bosley’s interest in a “nature-meets-history-meets-technology display" called “Rings of Time." http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060910/NEWS/609100379/1003/NEWS02 The Bosleys, of Thomasville, and other users are treated to a multi-media show telling the story of different periods during the life of a 120-year-old white pine stump.

Actually, the Bosleys did not need to go to Vermont to experience such a history lesson, albeit lower tech... .

The Hercules recovery vehicle made famous by pulling down the statue of Saddam is not the first well-known military icon with York roots.

That Hercules vehicle, "Renegade," was assembled in West Manchester Township's BAE plant.

Before World War II, the York-Hoover Body Co. produced a prototype for a military vehicle that could navigate all types of terrain. The company then successfully completed orders for 69 more vehicles.

But, alas, York-Hoover turned down another order for 4,500 sturdy vehicles because it had pledged its resources elsewhere... .

How could the York Daily Record/Sunday News support making a permanent home for a Renegade?

Our 9/11 editorial published today urged that the Hercules recovery vehicle that pulled down Saddam's statue be returned here after it is retired, assuming, heaven forbid, it doesn't fall prey to enemy action in battle.

The vehicle, tagged Renegade in Iraq, was made at West Manchester Township's BAE Systems and returned to York County recently for refurbishing... .

A historical marker near the York Fairgrounds states that the York Fair is the oldest such event in America.

So does a York Fair mural on the side of the East Market Street parking garage. (The widest of all the murals at 120 feet.)

And occasionally the claim will find its way into print, as it did in the York Daily Record on Friday.

The problem is that it's a hard claim to pin down. Two of the oldest York County histories -- Gibson's and Prowell's -- just tell about its founding in 1765... .

Attractive white roses adorning the Leader Heights overpass abutments greet motorists driving north on Interstate 83.

There can be no mistaking it. Drivers are approaching the vicinity of York, Pa., the White Rose City, and the roses mark the start of the new and improved Dead Man's Curve.

Such highway enhancements are rare along the interstate in York County and might leave some wondering how York ever garnered such a symbol, a symbol fortunately discarded as the name of the city's new minor league baseball team. (The York White Roses, the longtime name of the now defunct York team, did not win the day in the 21st century. The York Revolution won that battle.)

Anyway, the following from Never to be Forgotten explains the origins of York, the White Rose City... .

The things you learn scanning the local interest book section on Labor Day at Borders in Lancaster:

I knew that a classical school that later became Marshall College started in York in 1834. I knew it started when the German Reformed Seminary moved here and that the seminary and classical school later moved to Mercersburg in Franklin County.

I knew that Marshall College moved to Lancaster to join with 1787-vintage Franklin College to become Frankin & Marshall College in 1853... .

The renovated old county courthouse has a new informative display tracing the history of the buildings serving York-area residents for the past 250 years. http://www.ydr.com/search/ci_4259982

The display, titled "The Evolution of the York County Courthouse," can be viewed on the third floor of the 1898 building, located on East Market Street.

York County has played host to four courthouses: the Colonial Court House, in Centre Square; an 1841 building situated on the site of the 1898 courthouse; and the new North George Street judicial center.

The location of the courthouses say a lot about the evolution of the county... .