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: November 2008
Copper top of York Square’s ‘Teapot Dome’ needs to be recharged
Dave Herman of the Kinsley Education Center shows the old trolley kiosk that sat for years in York’s Continental Square. Kinsley is renovating the kiosk and found that its copper roof could not be saved. The cost of a new … Continue reading
Collapsed York County bridge: ‘All of us knew this would happen sooner or later’
An errant motorist ran into this steel bridge on Ridge Road at Bentz Mill Road in Washington Township in the northwestern tip of York County, causing the bridge to collapse. York Daily Record/Sunday News photographer Paul Kuehnel captured this unusual … Continue reading
Did York’s Thanksgiving proclamation indeed create America’s first Thanksgiving?
This First Thanksgiving marker is a bit off the street in downtown York unlike the other dozen markers that relate to the Continental Congress’ visit to York in 1777-78. It’s located in a park that offers a bit of sanctuary … Continue reading
Pre-World War II Thanksgiving holds lessons for York countians today
These distinguished gentlemen served as the board of directors of Delta’s Peoples National Bank in 1930. The Depression was hard on banks in York County, too, as several rural banks failed. Charles Arthur Bloomfield gave this scorecard for bank failures … Continue reading
Unsung York County asset: Actual, virtual historical community with hustle
This is the cover art for blogger Scott Mingus’ forthcoming “Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition.” Here, artist Bradley Schmehl captures the burning of the Wrightsville Bridge in late June 1863. Mingus is one of many productive members of the … Continue reading
Books probing York County in the Civil War come in strong, sudden onslaught
Yet another book is out on York County in the Civil War. This is the second book in recent years specifically on the battle, that ended in more than 300 blue and gray casualties. Background posts: The Four Bloggers write, … Continue reading
Is West York’s Brandon Real the best local running back ever?
West York’s Brandon Real looks for running room against Littlestown this season.The senior holds several YAIAA rushing records. Background posts: Who is rightful owner of the area’s basketball scoring record?, York County Tech sports: ‘If they took something like that … Continue reading
Underground Railroad expert: ‘We cannot alter past ignorance, but we can resolve not to repeat it’
. Cyrus Griest, an agent in the Underground Railroad and his wife are buried with other abolitionist Quakers in the Menallen Friends Meetinghouse, Adams County. Quakers in Adams and York counties were known to aid fugitives traveling along the Underground … Continue reading
Abe Lincoln stopped at Hanover station:”We want to preserve history … so it doesn’t disappear’
Re-enactor Byron Wildasin was among members of the 16th Pennsylvania, Co. G, to support renovations to Hanover’s Lincoln monument. The markers tells about the president’s stop in that southwestern York County town on his way to deliver the Gettysburg Address. … Continue reading
Stone structures tell York countians how their ancestors lived
Welsh miners from the southeastern York County village of Coulsontown worshipped at the nearby Slate Ridge Presbyterian Church. Clearly, some of the slate they mined found its way into the church’s cemetery as headstones (the darker markers), rather than the … Continue reading
