A rusting fence surrounds the empty Smurfit and Stone building on Kings Mill Road in 2005. York College of Pennsylvania is acquiring the site, so those weeds are set for extermination some day. Background posts: Author: ‘York’s streetscape features almost every style and era of American architecture’ and York-area picture book not your typical coffee table publication and Fourth-generation member of Glatfelter paper family dies.
A historic house – the Philip King house – stands on the Smurfit-Stone Container site that York College of Pennsylvania is acquiring.
Fellow blogger Scott Butcher writes about the 427 Kings Mill Road house in his “York’s Historic Architecture.”
According to Butcher, the mill was constructed near the confluence of Tyler Run and Codorus Creek… .
By 1812, King and his wife, Catharine, had constructed a manor house.
Butcher wrote:
“The King House is a prominent example of Federal architecture, a favored style of architects within the young nation. The prominent entrance features an arched pediment with dentils, pilasters, rosettes and a transom light. The arched feature above the doorway exemplifies the Federal style, which also frequently incorporated a fanlight above the main entrance. The roof is gabled and includes three dormers with arched pediments. A water table is present, and brickwork is of the Flemish bond.”
News coverage has not include plans for the house. In recent years, York College has renovated historically significant structures in and around its campus.
Let’s hope the King House receives similar consideration.
Welcome to York Town Square, 8 years of daily posts about journalism and history, topics that can easily become plodding and self important. My goal is to keep this blog fun and accessible. And I try to say something in each post. I welcome your comments and respond to every one you write. Please contact me at 
Does anyone have a picture of the King House? I am a descendant of Philip Jacob King and I would love to see what it looks like. Thanks.