August 2009 Archives

The First National Bank of Glen Rock's building has long been an anchor in the borough's downtown. It was constructed in 1912, and this photograph was taken two years later. Bob Ketenheim nicely captures Glen Rock, Pa.'s, past in his recently published "Around Glen Rock," part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series. Background posts: Google Images bring life and times of Glen Rock's Cliff Heathcote, other York County, Pa., memories and Mystery of Glen Rock-area's Narrow Gauge Road deepens and Glen Rock hilltop farm: 'You cannot stay stressed here for long'.

Bob Ketenheim's "Around Glen Rock" contains numerous interesting photos that individually tell the story of this southern York County's borough history.

And sometimes photos in this book, working in tandem, tell perhaps unintended but rich and revealing stories.

One photo, for example, shows a proud Wesley C. Koller driving his brand new Stanhope make of automobile into Glen Rock on Manchester Street in 1900... .

About 50 airports or airstrips have operated in and around York County, Pa., since the 1920s. Kampel Airport in Warrington Township is one of the grass airstrips still in operation. In this York Daily Record/Sunday News file photo from 2006, Bill Luther has just received a ride in a Boeing Stearman PT-17 for his 85th birthday. Luther trained during World War II to fly Boeing Stearman PT-17s. Other posts of interest: First York Airport's administration building stands today and Just try to resist studying this memory-tugging photograph and U.S. 30 Drag-O-Way, Part III: 'We would watch the dragsters on trailers head for Thomasville'.

Aircraft still land and take off from many of the 50-something airports that have operated in and around York County.

The York Airport is the best known example.

Some of the airports are now plowed under... .

The Spring Grove (Pa.) Public School, left, was dedicated in 1898 and enlarged in 1921, right, as seen in this photo from "The Spring Grove Years." Who are the two luminaries in those round fixtures, photo at right, on this Dempwolf building's side, on either side of the arched entryway? Background posts: John Luther Long: Miss Saigon's York County connection and Each month, three free history presentations offered to York countians and York countians major makers of Kentucky, make that Pennsylvania, long rifles.

Recent posts have reviewed various sung and unsung sites in the Spring Grove-Hanover- McSherrytown area. (See Mining a rich vein of southwestern York County's religious history, Part 1 and Part 2.)

But the tour of southwestern York County that spawned those posts touched on non-religious questions as well.

Here are three: ... .

Pennsylvania Furniture Co.'s William Henry Hubley is shown in this newspaper clipping from a York County Heritage Trust file preparing a dresser for a coat of varnish. The West York-based fine furniture manufacturer operated for about 70 years after its founding in the 1890s. By 1949, the company had manufactured more than 100,000 bedroom suites. Background posts: These antiques bear the York, Pa.-made Pennsylvania Furniture Co. label and Red Lion's Ebert Furniture: From bedroom suites to gunstocks and Bethlehem Furniture Co. woodworker carved JFK statue.

Pennsylvania Furniture Co.'s fine woodworking continues to intrigue local folks and those with the long-defunct company's bedroom suites around the world.

Who made this wonderful furniture?

I found a 1949 newspaper clipping about a Renaissance man, William Henry Hubley, who then typified York County craftsmen.

Here's what the article said about the wordworker:

The Hippodrome, one of downtown York's many theaters in their early 20th-century heyday, is example of stories told in a Junior Curators' exhibit unveiled this week at the York County (Pa.) Heritage Trust. Background posts: You maybe didn't know it but ... they're from York County - Part II and TV show box set 'Terry & the Pirates' to be part of a museum exhibit someday? and Young curators produce York Fair exhibit: 'A Fair of Our Own'.

Maybe it was meant to be.

Big league pitcher James "Lefty" York lived his later years in York, Pa.

He was in the majors for a cup of coffee with the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago Cubs covering parts of two seasons, 1919 and 1921. He compiled a 5-11 record in 42 games.

The Arkansan would be forgotten to history, except that Junior Curator Alex Daugherty has resurrected him as part of "From Artists to Athletes: a History of Entertainment in York County" exhibit at the York County Heritage Trust... .

St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hanover, Pa. also serves as a mini-museum. One exhibit is this beautiful 19th-century altar. Other posts of interest: Abe Lincoln, Gwyneth Paltrow passed through Porters Sideling and Dutch vs. English? York County debate still perking in 1920s and People of varying religious groups founded York County.

"The 10-mile line between York County's Spring Grove and Adams County's Edgegrove bears a rich vein of history."

That's how my last York Town Square post about a long tour of southwestern York County sites began.

Here are some specifics about that visit in question-and-answer format, which showed great diversity in the religious sites visited: ... .

After various moves over the years, York Airport landed in Thomasville and so have thousands of planes. This one landed near the field in 2002, and the pilot and passenger walked away from the crash. Background posts: First York Airport's administration building stands today and Just try to resist studying this memory-tugging photograph and U.S. 30 Drag-O-Way, Part III: 'We would watch the dragsters on trailers head for Thomasville'.

Post a blog item on York-area airports - operating and defunct - and people e-mail with fond memories.

There just seems to be pent-up interest in those old airstrips, perhaps because one has to squint to see where they once operated. And it's fun to try to figure buildings standing today that were used for airport operations at one time.

If you want a full dose of all things about airports in York County, consult John F. M. Wolfe's spiral-bound booklet "Profile of Aviation, York County, Pennsylvania," first published in 1998... .

U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy arrived in York, Pa., on April 20, 2008, to meet local Democrats. He died early today. (See additional photos, video of that visit below.) Background posts: Bobby Kennedy spoke to Foremen's Club in York about labor racketeering and York, Pa.'s Loretta Claiborne about friend Eunice Shriver: 'She could have gone anywhere, but she wanted to help humanity' and JFK's visit to York County a long-remembered event.

Ted Kennedy came to York on a rainy Sunday in April 2008 during the height of the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.

He visited Obama headquarters, his choice of the pair. He later walked across West Market Street to the York County Democratic Party's campaign office.

"Not only the eyes of Pennsylvania, but the eyes of the country, of the world, are going to be on what you do in Pennsylvania," Kennedy told a gathering at Obama's headquarters.

Here is the York Daily Record/Sunday News story on that visit (04/21/08):

This image comes from the front of the Eastern State Penitentiary brochure. The long-closed Philadelphia prison was America's first penitentiary, constructed to inspire penitence in those detained. It's now a museum raising the question about whether York County, Pa.'s old jail could be used for fundraising purposes. Other posts of interest: Old York County, Pa., jail on endangered list and Prison listing brings back food loaf memories and 'There were only so many cells in that old stone prison.

Look east from several points at York's Sovereign Bank Stadium, and you'll see a fortress-like, ruddy building rising high well beyond the outfield fence.

That's York County's old Chestnut Street Prison, vacated in 1979, when inmates were moved to a brand-new lockup near the county-owned Pleasant Acres in Springettsbury Township.

The old jail has been for sale for many years. One prospect considered making it a restaurant. Some places - Boston, for example - have converted old prisons into apartments.

The old building is difficult and expensive to knock down because its built, well, like a prison... .

Baseball great Brooks Robinson is seen in his York (Pa.) White Roses uniform in 1955. His statue can be seen everyday in Brooks Robinson Plaza at York's Sovereign Bank Stadium. Background posts: Brooks Robinson - and stories about his York, Pa., pro debut - enduring and York Town Square reader: 'I thought Vic Wertz had some connection to York?' and Baseball's Methuselah played for White Roses.

True or false?

Brooks Robinson broke into professional baseball in York and went to the majors and greatness after a short gig here, never to return to minor league baseball?

The answer is .... .

The United Brethren Church built two-story cabins when it opened the Heidelberg Township (Pa.) campground in 1896 for churchgoers to stay overnight or weekly. Penn Grove Campground later operated as Camp Pamaveda and is known today at Penn Grove Retreat. All but one of the wooden structures, sometimes called tents, have been torn down, and campers to this southwestern York County facility now sleep in newer cinderblock cabins. The corner of the tabernacle, an open air pavilion for worship services, is seen at right. The campground was a stop on a recent tour of religious sites in York and Adams counties. Other posts of interest: Abe Lincoln, Gwyneth Paltrow passed through Porters Sideling and Conewago Chapel steeple worker wondered if he'd ever get up there: Now, 'Here I am' and Pamadeva. Get it? Pennsylvania. Maryland. Delaware. Virginia..

The 10-mile line between York County's Spring Grove and Adams County's Edgegrove bears a rich vein of history.

Spend five hours mining that vein with three knowledgeable students of history, and you come away with a clarity about how much you don't know about this fascinating region.

Actually, those students are longtime teachers about York County's history: Jim Rudisill, Luther Sowers and June Lloyd.

On a recent Saturday, Rudisill served as tour guide, equipped with his 14-stop itinerary neatly handwritten on lined notebook paper... .

A teen tries to guide her putt past the horse statue at Putter's Paradise in Manchester (Pa.) Township. An e-mailer to York Town Square wondered when miniature golf arrived in York County. (See additional York (Pa.) Daily Record/Sunday News file photo below.) Other posts of interest: York-area full of memory-spawning landmarks and Playland plays nostalgic note for York countians and Western York County home owner seeks info on old toll house.

"A crazy question popped into my head today dealing with entertainment in York County," an e-mailer wrote.

"When did miniature golf come to York and what were some of the early popular venues?"

Dates like that are tough to track down.

So I asked history enthusiasts at the York Daily Record/Sunday News Exchange bulletin board.

I received two responses:

The New York Times obituary about York native Ernest W. Lefever gave insight concerning a controversy involving Lefever during the Reagan administration. Other posts of interest: York County high school grads teach lessons in achievement on national stage and York County home to national pro-life leader and In recent years, York County presidential endorsements a mixed bag.

Another case in which all roads seem to lead to York... .

Native son and York High grad Ernest Lefever died at the age of 89 recently, and his local obituary noted his leadership of internationally known The Ethics and Public Policy Center.

His accomplishments were such that he earned a New York Times obituary, which stated in part:

In this York Sunday News photo from 1958, York (Pa.) Little Theatre's Jean Farlow makes noted screen actor Cameron Mitchell appear 40 years older for his part as the William Jennings Bryan character in "Inherit the Wind." A photo of the production was part of a York County Heritage Trust exhibit opening this week. Other posts of interest: Former York countian-turned-screen-writer Laurice Elehwany: How to make it as a writer and Young Alan Alda performed along the Codorus? Researcher checking that out and Many national stars first performed on YLT's stage.

Paper covers the exhibit cases that are part of the York County Heritage Trust's "From Artists to Athletes: A History of Entertainment in York County."

The Trust's Junior Curators, a group of budding exhibit overseers, will unveil their handiwork starting on Friday, with the exhibit running through Oct. 30.

But a label near one of the covered cases serves as a reminder about one of York County's leaders in the entertainment field - probably the most honored actor ever from the county... .

The last line in this multi-deck newspaper headline tells of the days of cockfighting in the York and Adams counties area. Michael Vick's activities indicate that the sport of animal fighting hasn't gone away. Other posts of interest: Famous York County cockpit painting might not be about cockfighting and A short test of your York black history knowledge - Part II, Exhibit captures decades-long flow of wide Susquehanna and Artist Jeff Koons came back to York for a show.

So says The York Dispatch in May 1902, quoting an 85-year-old resident.

Animal fighting was against the law then, too, but a tavern a few miles from Hanover along the the York/Adams border put a work-around in place.

Here's how it worked, according to the newspaper article: ... .

Jann Rentzel Lehman is looking for information - particularly pictures - about her great-grandfather's York County, Pa., business.

Here's her query:

I was wondering if you could locate any information on my great grandfather, Jacob Rentzel's Farm Implements and Phosphate Feed Business at 15 South Main St. in Manchester.

AMF York produced the Ski-Daddler, a power sled, which the company indicated was popular at that time. "Ski-Daddler is used for racing, exploring, carries skis and is a great asset to all 'round winter sports fun," the York (Pa.) Chamber of Commerce's "Greater York in Action" reported. Other posts of interest: York, Pa. made big, heavy things - and was immensely proud of it and AMF-Harley in York, by the numbers and AMP's and AMF's alphabet soup spilled in same York County town .

Harley-Davidson is examing four locations as possible relocation sites for its motorcycle production lines from York.

Those sites will provide an option for the company to consider alongside keeping the plant in York, a decision expected before year's end.

Nervous York community leaders are wise in talking about a Plan B. What if Harley moves? ... .

That would be devastating, of course.

This story, from an unspecified paper as found in Jere Carl's scrapbook at the York County (Pa.) Heritage Trust, spins together a strange tale about the night when the sky over York and Adams counties seemed to be falling. Background posts: Iron-mine-turned-into-party-spot turned into York County park and Site filled with wealth of York County geological info and Quarrying in Delta-Peachbottom.

A July fireball has sent searchers looking for pieces of the meteorite in York and Lancaster County.

But that single falling star was nothing like the 1833 Perseid Meteor Shower that made York/Adams residents think that the world might be ending.

A 1902 newspaper clipping tells the impact of the meteor bursts. And it gives a glimpse of a local industry - silkmaking - then at its height:

The Murals of York program was well under way at the time of the 250th anniversary of York County (Pa.) in 1999. So the Murals of York committee commissioned its painting as a summary of the main events that made up the celebration. Background posts: York vs. Lancaster, Pa: The American War of the Roses still rages and The day west bankers looked forward to tax time and York, Cumberland counties longtime companions.

"The 10th anniversary of York County's 250th anniversary"? Isn't that like saying the 48th anniversary of my 1st birthday?"

So wrote a commenter on a recent York Daily Record/Sunday News story on the 260th anniversary of York County - and the 10th anniversary of the mammoth 250th celebration in 1999.

The commenter is right that it's a bit like a celebration about a celebration.

But the 1999 celebration is still remembered by many. Even if the 10th anniversary isn't significant, the 250th was, indeed... .

An York County (Pa.) Agricultural and Industrial Museum exhibit features a model of York's first airport in Fayfield, along Haines Road. Museum-goers can see the exhibit and other information about early aviation in the county at this York County Heritage Trust museum. Background posts: Beacon helped spot whereabouts of York County town and Just try to resist studying this memory-tugging photograph and It's a bird. It's a plane. It's cigars with wings..

Recent York Town Square posts, which resulted in a York Sunday News column about past York County airports have prompted readers to share their memories, intriguing information - and questions.

For example, Betty Hirschfield wrote:

"I remember an airport on Haines Road many years ago...Am I right?"

Ammon Stolzfus, 37, of Quarryville, Pa., picks up the latest issue of Cruise Letter, a newsletter made 'By Cruisers For Cruisers,' outside the Markets at Shrewsbury in southern York County. In this 2007 York (Pa.) Daily Record/Sunday News file photo, Stolzfus was working at the outside booth for Penn Dutch Kitchen during Friday Cruise Nights. When asked if he ever checks out the cars himself, he told the newspaper there's never any time. Background posts: Who was Norman Wood (of bridge fame)?, Horse, buggy, one-room school make county comeback, Amish: 'We are making a commitment to forgive'

The Amish, commonly associated with the east bank of the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, are seen more and more in southeastern York County. They also can be seen at the Markets at Shrewsbury, a house of vendors along the Susquehanna Trail in Hametown, Shrewsbury Township.

The so-called Pennsylvania Dutch church people - German Reformed and Lutherans - mostly pioneered in York County. The Amish, different from the church people in their practice of baptizing adults among other doctrinal distinctions, settled among similar believers in Lancaster County.

So, many York countians, even Pennsylvania Dutchmen, are not that familiar with the Amish... .

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Visitors to the new Gettysburg National Military Park visitors center are presented with the opportunity to examine all kinds of Civil War exhibits. But Civil War enthusiasts don't have to go to Gettysburg to learn about the Civil War. York countians can receive their lessons at home. Background posts: New Lincoln blog category introduced to honor Abe's 200th birthday and Abe Lincoln stopped at Hanover station:"We want to preserve history ... so it doesn't disappear' and York educator plays Abe's friend: 'This definitely was a cool thing'.

Dr. Charles C. Fennell, Jr., will present on the "Confederate Disaster on Oak Ridge: The Demise of Brig. Gen. Alfred Iverson's Brigade on July 1, 1863 at Gettysburg" Wednesday in York.

The licensed Gettysburg battlefield guide will address a meeting of the York (Pa.) Civil War Roundtable.

The Civil War group's meeting is a reminder about the regular monthly meetings that are available at no cost about different aspects of York County's history... .

A rescuer holds a Chinese passenger by his pants as he tries to transfer to a small boat from the grounded freighter Golden Venture June 6, 1993, off New York City. About 40 passengers were detained in York County Prison for more than three years awaiting disposition of their cases (Associated Press photo). A dozen years after their release, a book discusses their plight. Background posts: 'York: A Key City in the Keystone State' and York's Chestnut Street fortress bad symbol of York's past and All famous York visitor posts from the start and .

Reviewer Alex Kotlowitz got it right in assessing Patrick Radden Keefe's "The Snakehead, An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream:"

He notes that Keefe writes that America has suffered a kind of bipolarity when it comes to immigration throughout history... .

Earlier this year, native York countian Judy Druck Routson released a book on her family. The Drucks were early on the scene in York County, Pa. Springettsbury Township's Druck Valley borrows its named from the family. Background posts: York County villages bear memorable names and About phone pole playground at Rocky Ridge: 'Children's heads got caught in between the logs' and Long Level and Pleasureville fielded bands?.

When you think about Druck Valley, you think of Rock Ridge County Park.

And when you think about Rocky Ridge, you think of the nearby region colorfully known as "The Glades."

More on that region in a second.

First, what of the settlers in that part of present-day Springettsbury Township?

Ball Mason jars, around for 125 years, can be used for many things. In this Kansas City Star photo, tea lights flicker in the jars. In fruit- and vegetable-rich York County, Pa., the jars remain staples for canning, their use for decades. Background posts: 21st-century Victory Gardens might morph into Stimulus Gardens and 20 questions and answers to prove your York County WWII smarts and Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking York County residents often conversed with German POWs and Jamaican fruit pickers worked York County orchards in World War II .

Five brothers named Ball started production of fruit jars in 1884, with John Mason's 1858 invention in mind.

Three years later, they moved their plant to Muncie, Ind., and their Ball Mason jars became a standard part of American homes.

This 125th anniversary of the jar brings to mind time of a government snafu when canning was most needed - the days of World War II... .

York, Pa., artist Horace Bonham, 1835-1892, was one of 19th-century York's best known personalities. Today, his best-known painting is "Nearing the Issue at the Cockpit." Background posts: A short test of your York black history knowledge - Part II, Exhibit captures decades-long flow of wide Susquehanna and Artist Jeff Koons came back to York for a show.

The Philadelphia Eagles' signing of quarterback Michael Vick of dogfighting ring infamy shows the disgrace of such a crime in the 21st century.

But it's interesting that animal-fighting did not hold such ignominy 150 years ago... .

George Shumway's book on the Schreyer family of Hanover, Pa., shows York countians as major makers of 18th-century rifles. The book is available at York County libraries. Background posts: Springetts collector attracts 'Antiques Roadshow's' Kenos and Northwestern York County flag expert: 'I was interested in my nation's heritage' and York Hospital doc: Expert on antique surgical saws, antiquated procedure of bloodletting.

When people talk about Kentucky long rifles around here, they usually qualify them as Pennsylvania long rifles.

For example, when Denver, Pa.'s Dan Morphy Auctions sent a news release about a sale of a collection of long rifles set for today, it called them "Pennsylvania-made pre- and post-Revolutionary War era long rifles."

The release later put "Kentucky" in quotes.

And the auction house gave further explanation:

In 1926, York, Pa.'s Union Evangelical Lutheran Church hired J.A. Dempwolf to design a new sanctuary. That would be his last church design, according to a church spokesman. In 1929, the new sanctuary was dedicated. "The shape of the ceiling is that of an inverted ship's hull; hand-carved oak figures of Moses and Luke flank the altar; and art-glass windows line the nave, choir loft and clerestory," the spokesman said. Interestingly, the first building the Dempwolf firm designed was a Lutheran church - First St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church on West King Street, according to a York Daily Record article. Background posts: Dempwolf windmill graced north bank of York's Codorus Creek in 1870s and Fawn Township's magnificent Centre Presbyterian Church worthy of a looksee and Dempwolf architects built York's skyline, history.

Brothers John A. and Reinhardt Dempwolf designed more than 400 schools, churches and other architecturally significant buildings.

Just in York County alone.

Eleven of those buildings will be on display during Historic York Inc.'s "Discovering Dempwolf" on Sunday, Oct. 11.

Some facts about the Dempwolfs and the tour:.. .

Philip K. Eberly's "Susquehanna Radio, The First 50 Years" tells about the early years of radio in York County, Pa., and southcentral Pennsylvania. The 1992 book is available at York County libraries. Background posts: 101 Ranch Boys play on in York County memories and Old WSBA station: 'Another part of history has gone' and Carly Simon at WSBA: 'What do you want to hear?'.

In his book on the nationwide Susquehanna Radio Corp., the late Philip Eberly answers questions and provides insight locally into the 1940s and 1950s when radio was the hot media.

For example, what does WSBA stand for?

Actually, Eberly's "Susquehanna Radio, The First 50 Years" isn't clear on that point:

York, Pa.'s Loretta Claiborne joins other Special Olympians and Eunice Kennedy Shriver in this portrait hanging in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. From left are Airika Straka, Katie Meade, Andy Leonard, Claiborne, Shriver and Marty Sheets. According to the York Daily Record/Sunday News, this was the first portrait commissioned by the museum that was not of a person who had served as president or first lady. (See additional photo below.) Background posts: William Penn Senior High School Hall of Fame honors a host of York County achievers and Loretta Claiborne's achievements bring spotlight her way and Who were most prominent 20th-century sports heroes in York and Adams counties?.

Special Olympian Loretta Claiborne first met Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1972 and crossed paths with her again in 1980. The two kept in touch after that.

In an interview at the time of Shriver's death, Claiborne told the York Daily Record/Sunday News: "She was a woman of wealth. She could have gone anywhere, but she wanted to help humanity."

But how did York's celebrity Special Olympian get involved with those games to begin with? ... .

Natanael Santiago of York flips for the rings at Rocky Ridge County Park in this 2006 York Daily Record/Sunday News file shot. At one time, a pile of telephone poles at this Springettsbury (Pa.) Township park served as a place for fun. Background posts: Richard Nixon's visit to his namesake park sparks memories and Wildflowers at Shenk's Ferry glen sprouting despite centuries of encroaching civilization and Native Americans help clean up Dritt family cemetery in new York County park.

York Town Square postings about York Township's Springwood Park brings Loganville's Alan Nelson back to his childhood.

Specifically, he remembers forts at Rocky Ridge County Park constructed from telephone poles.

Kids climbed on them and within the mazes the piles created, he wrote in an e-mail.

He was seeking information on this low-tech playground.

Enter York County Parks' Jeri Jones, who knows a lot about a lot of things... .

Leonard Zinn, Hall-of-Fame steel guitarist, sets to work. Zinn played for the 101 Ranch Boys, a group that helped launch WSBA Radio in York County. Philip Eberly tells about the Boys and other radio personalities in "Susquehanna Radio: The First 50 years." Background posts: 101 Ranch Boys play on in York County memories and Old WSBA station: 'Another part of history has gone' and Carly Simon at WSBA: 'What do you want to hear?'.

Philip Eberly, who died recently, left a legacy on the early days of York County radio as a WSBA and Susquehanna Broadcasting salesman, sales manager, station manager, vice president and general manager.

So says a recent York Daily Record/Sunday News article (8/07/09).

But his most lasting contribution might be his 1992 book "Susquehanna Radio: The First 50 years." (Available via the York County Library System.)

That work tells about WSBA and Susquehanna Broadcasting's early years up to 1992. That empire grew into a media group that grew into stations in San Francisco, Houston and Dallas before it was sold in recent years to Cumulus Media.

For example, an interesting book section tells about the company's venture into TV... .

Malissa Hilliard, of Lower Windsor Township, participated in a recent road rally to keep Harley-Davidson in York. The 1996 Sportster, foreground, was made there. Harley linked up with another York County staple - chicken corn soup - recently in the southeastern part of the county. To see how chicken corn soup is prepared, see photo below. Background posts: All Harley-Davidson posts from the start and All York Eats: Hogmaw and such posts from the start and All Made in York posts from the start.

Blogger June Lloyd has managed to tie together two York County icons - chicken corn soup and Harley-Davidsons.

The link is akin to York-area industry and Chanceford Township agriculture gladly shaking hands.

Here's a hint how she made the link... .

"The Picket" stood in the center of Hanover's Center Square for years. It has since been moved to a corner of that intersection. This image comes from Scott Mingus' blog "Cannonball." Mingus will give tours tailored to specific areas of York County, with proceeds going to the York County Heritage Trust. (See additional photo below.) Background posts: Stack of books on York County's Civil War past getting higher and The Four Bloggers write and 'One of the shells found its mark'.

Civil War author, lecturer and blogger Scott L. Mingus, Sr. will lead personalized guided tours of various sites in York County linked to the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania in 1863.

For a free-will donation to the York County Heritage Trust, Mingus will present customized tours... .

Anna Olmeda of Dover recently discovered this KKK certificate in the back of a framed photograph. Background posts: Criticism of Geno's leads to 'commie' claim and Leonard Pitts speaking in York, Pa.: Sometimes, history hurts and York, Pa.: 'It's a midsize city with an interesting history'.

Signs of the Ku Klux Klan's presence in early 20th-century York County are pretty common around here.

The various chapters held regular picnics, cross burnings and parades in small towns throughout the county. So, this secret society left a public trail.

A reminder of those days came recently when Dover Township's Anna Olmeda found a certificate in an old picture frame granting Claude A. Slyder, presumably from York County, membership in the Klan... .

A silo in a neighboring farm overlooks BAE's West Manchester Township (Pa.) plant, where rows of Bradley vehicles are ready for action, in this 2005 York Daily Record/Sunday News file vehicle. (See additional photo below.) Background posts: Jeep prototype has York County WWII roots and All Made in York posts from the start and From Bofors to bikes, Harley plant top hog.

BAE Combat Systems is known for the number of zeros in the defense contracts it frequently pulls down.

And it's known for the York County-made Hercules Recovery Vehicle that pulled down the statue of Saddam Hussein during fighting in Iraq.

But motorists could drive by the farmland between York and Spring Grove and not know this major defense contractor is operating in nearby Bair Station.

Here are some facts about the company, gleaned from BAE Systems history-rich Web site and my "In the Thick of the Fight":

The Brogue General Store has served as a community meeting place for years. Here's a gathering from 2004. Background posts: One-room school days fascinate York County history students and High-ranking military brothers spent time in York County and Wildflowers at Shenk's Ferry glen sprouting despite centuries of encroaching civilization.

Fellow blogger June Lloyd is a native of The Brogue.

The former York County Heritage Trust archivist knows much about her home area - and is offering a well-grounded explanation for the origin of the southeastern York County village's name... .

Thomas V. Chatman Jr., a pioneer in York's (Pa.) black community, passed away this week. Background posts: Mattie Chapman, first black elected county official profiled, Pioneering women in state politics and 10 years ago, York's exclusive Lafayette Club became less exclusive.

Tom Chatman, York's first black chief of police, died this week, and Mike Argento's obituary story quite rightly details his accomplishments on the road to that office.

"He endured, back in his days as a patrolman and later a detective, the most vile racial epithets from bigots and being called an Uncle Tom by members of his own community," Argento wrote.

To boil down a list of Chatman accomplishments, he became York's police chief within 10 years after the York race riots ended. The practices and policies of York's police department contributed to those terrible summers of 1968 and 1969.

With the spotlight on this pioneer, it seems right to repeat or three-peat his place in this sampling of minority and female "firsts" in York County's past, many of which have occurred since 1970:

This undated postcard shows Farquhar Park Pool, replaced in recent years by the Graham Aquatic, early in its years of operation. The pool opened in 1922. (See additional photos below.) Background posts:Cartoonist made York newspaper owner's views an art form and York Town Square reader: 'I never knew about the White Rose Amusement Park' and Reader searching for Boys Club Pool photo.

Dan Meckley, like many York Town Square readers, is interested in the old Farquhar Park Pool and the White Rose Amusement Park. (See comments, for example, under: Farquhar Park pool: 'Good grief, how long has that pool been here?')

"Here is my contribution to the genre," he wrote.

Before going on active duty in the Navy, he served as head lifeguard at the old pool in 1943.

He said it was one of the largest in Pennsylvania, the last vestige of the White Rose Amusement Park. The park closed a decade earlier.

In this York (Pa.) Daily Record file photo from 2005, June Grove is seen in Brogue's St. Luke Cemetery. Her ancestors are buried there along with Revolutionary War veterans George Keener, 1757-1841, John Stermer, 1760-1855, Henry Tome, 1754-1846. Background posts: 'Painting pastor's' work survives devastating southeastern York County blaze and On York County parks, Susquehannocks and carved river rocks and How many Amish have crossed the bridge from Lancaster to York County?.

Information in a post on fellow blogger Joan Concilio's Only in York County site gives a possible explanation for why the Chanceford Township village of Brogue is often called The Brogue.

The short answer is that it was a shortened version of someone saying "I'm going over to the Brogue Hotel," a landmark there for years.

But where did the village name of Brogue come from?

June Grove knows more about the Chancefords (which includes Lower Chanceford Township) than anyone... .

This early 20th century view of York, Pa.'s market street shows that trees were part of the scene then, albeit not designed in to the streetscape. But they were there much earlier than that, too. Background posts: Escaped bovine makes York newspaper headline and York-area picture book not your typical coffee table publication and Author: 'York's streetscape features almost every style and era of American architecture'.

In a previous post, a York Town Square reader opined that trees lining York's market street add much to the downtown.

But they also obscure wonderful architectural features on building facades.

When were the trees added?

Notice the Dritt name on the broken tombstone at the historic Dritt cemetery in the new York County (Pa.) Native Lands County Park recently. Those are the hands of Paul Nevin, one of the cleanup crew members. (See related photo below.) Background posts: 400 years ago, John Smith explored Chesapeake Bay and For years, York countians have eyed amazing, destructive Susquehanna River ice jams and Petroglyphs, American Indian carvings, almost forgotten treasure.

After months of rancor surrounding the Lauxmont Farms controversy, it was intriguing to see a recent example of productive peace in a park that the episode spun off.

Last weekend, local Native Americans weeded an overgrown cemetery on land that is now part of York County's Native Lands County Park.

That was the cemetery for the Dritt family, an old-time local family that hasn't been able to muster such a clean-up effort in recent years.

The park is home to more than the Dritt cemetery.

It contains the site of the last Susquehannock Indian village and cemeteries that would have resulted from such a settlement... .