There’s delight in learning that others are fascinated by the same things you see along the road. York countian Gary E. Heiland noticed this shelter, located south on George Street around the 1600 block on the right side of the road. ‘I am sure it is a shelter, as I recall it 10 to 15 years ago when it was above ground,’ Gary wrote, ‘It was enclosed on 3 sides with an open door towards the road. It might have been a shelter for a school child waiting for a bus, but I don’t know that to be a fact.’ It seems to be sinking slowly into the ground. He’s wondering about the ‘who, what, when, where and why of the sub-shelter.’ Any help out there? The shelter, if it’s a bus shelter, is itself an artifact of history. Kids wait in their parents’ SUVs nowadays, right? (See reader responses below, all of which question its use as a bus stop!) Also of interest: Reader doesn’t understand some things about York County and Does anyone have information on the Summit House near Conewago Creek? and Where was this photo, “Inner Circle,” taken?
Neat stuff from all over … .
A York countian asked about the go-to person on Camp Stewartstown, the old World War II prisoner-of-war camp where German prisoners were detained.
The camp covered the Stewartstown playground near the Presbyterian Church. The rec center there was part of camp facilities.
No marker underscores the importance of the site… .
I gave him the following leads about people knowledgeable about the site:
Doug Winemiller or someone else at the Stewartstown Historical Society might be of help.
Bob and Margaret Shaub are the experts on Camp Stewartstown. Bob is reachable via the Codorus Valley Historical Society, 48 Baltimore Street, Jefferson, 17310-0010.
I also gave the inquirer the following background post on the site: Story revives memories of oft-forgotten York County POW camp and Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking York County residents often conversed with German POWs and Jamaican fruit pickers worked York County orchards in World War II and German POWs in York County: ‘They worked cheaper than We did’ and Southeastern York County, Pa., made for Saturday morning drive.
Seeking info on Hex Murder: Another e-mailer wondered about leads for information – particularly photos – on the Hex Murder of 1928 and the resulting trial.
Here is my response:
- J. Ross McGinnis wrote the Trials of Hex, which is still in print. Ross, a local attorney with Stock and Leader is extremely articulate and would be good on camera.
- There are relatives of Rehmeyer who are still around, including a 92-year-old former teacher from the Hametown area, Jeannette Harvey.
- You can get leads on these folks and more at the Hex Murder category on my blog.
Recommended web story of the day: Yorkblogger June Lloyd’s York Sunday News column covered the terrible fire at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (01/16/11) in 1939.
Forum of the day, The Exchange: Date night at Rehmeyer’s Hollow: Stories from the site of York County’s Hex Murder
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 
Could it be a small springhouse building covering a roadside spring? It doesn’t appear tall enough to be a bus shelter.
I also believe that spring water came out of a pipe in that little “house”. c6n-zhb
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The “shrinking school bus stop” was really a box holding salt and/or sand to help drivers negotiate the twists and turn of a slippery George Street covered with ice and snow.
Recently, I learned that a trolley traveled from York to Red Lion and passed straight through this section of S. George Street. I was told that there was a concrete station that was still erect but wasn’t able to find it. At first glance, I thought this was the station but I think Dave was right – salt/sand holding box. Does anyone know anything more about this station and/or trolley from York to RL?
I rode a school bus in Windsor Twp. in the 1950s and the kids just kind of milled around and tried to keep warm until the bus came. No shelters and no parents waiting in cars–you walked to the bus stop–or ran, if you tended to be a bit late leaving home.