York countian L.O. Buckner took a 35mm slide of a January 1959 ice breakup along the Susquehanna in the Wrightsville area. (More photos below.) Background posts:
Readers tell about those blizzards of 1993, 1996, Temporary river art collection may find permanent home along Susquehanna and Long Level and Pleasureville fielded bands?.

Jim Buckner of New Canaan, Conn., passed along photos of massive ice piles along the Susquehanna River. He gleaned them from his father's collection of York County scenes.

"Although I'm a native Yorker, I've been away from the city for a half century and don't know whether changes in the climate cycle have deleted this spectacular, albeit destructive, event from the county almanac or not," he wrote... .

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A large crowd listens to big band music over the weekend at Dills Tavern, part of Dillsburg's175th anniversary festivities. The tavern serviced the plentiful passengers on the Harrisburg and Baltimore Turnpike, as they passed through the notch in the mountains. Background posts: Franklintown second cousin to neighboring Dillsburg, Flag expert: 'I was interested in my nation's heritage', Dillsburg's Jane Alexander pioneering county woman in state politics

The York Daily Record/Sunday News story (8/23/08) called Dillsburg York County's
"wild child."

The 175th-anniversary celebration over the weekend was, indeed, a bright moment in the northwest York County borough.

The wild child comment brings to mind the most celebrated wedding of a townsman - or townswoman.

Anne Dill, 24 years old and the beautiful widow of a descendant of the town's founder, married the distinguished clergyman and Declaration of Independence signer John Witherspoon... .

Posted in American Revolution Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research God & York County Local journalism & Web People Small-town life War Women's history York Town Square

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The restored cyclorama and a copy of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address will be the focus of the official grand opening of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center, Sept. 26-28. Background posts: Q&A on new Gettysburg visitor center, old Electric Map, Gettysburg National Battlefield produces steady supply of news, Part II, Gettysburg Cyclorama, with new shape, ready for September opening.

The majority of York countians in the 1860s did not like Abe Lincoln's politics.

That's evidenced by their support of his opponents in 1860 and 1864.

And most did not like his famous speech... .

Posted in Civil War Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks War York Town Square

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David Kline works around his Red Lion-area Family Heir-Loom Weavers. He will demonstrate the use of old looms to OLLI Brown-Bag Lunch participants on Oct. 27, one of several such sessions that are part of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes this fall. Background posts: York County's landscape, buildings, landmarks can serve as a classroom,
OLLI's theme song: 'Don't stop thinking about learning' and Iron-mine-turned-into-party-spot turned into York County park.

That machinery has produced costumes for actors in the films "Amistad," "Gods and Generals," "Gettysburg" and "Cold Mountain."

His Family Heir-Loom Weavers have produced items for nine presidential homes. That resume includes carpets at Abraham Lincoln's home in Springfield, Ill., and George Washington's Mount Vernon home.

But he'll leave the big machinery behind in a Brown Bag Lunch and Learn program in October, part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute fall lineup... ... .

Posted in Civil War Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Made in York People Small-town life War York Town Square

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Crispus Attucks' Cindy Leiphart is surrounded by a dirt room beneath the floor in the William C. Goodridge house in York. Fugitives may have used a trapdoor in the kitchen floor to hide in this room, part of the Underground Railroad. Background posts: Research needed to unearth Underground Railroad, Part II, 10 years ago, York's exclusive Lafayette Club became less exclusive, Part II , William C. Goodridge: From slavery to success story

Efforts to turn the home of William C. Goodridge into an Underground Railroad museum are sitting on a siding while sponsors are searching for funds.

But a recent York Daily Record/Sunday News story telling about these funding woes revealed that the site is listed with the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

That means that there has been some outside-the-county scrutiny of the home of Goodridge - a former slave who became a successful 19th-century York businessman -as an Underground Railroad site.

It appears to be the only site in York County to be so listed... .

Posted in Black history Civil War Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks War York Town Square

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The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg brought back vets from both sides to Adams County in 1938. Many York/Adams residents remember the event 70 years later. This Associated Press photo from an unidentified newspaper shows, from left, Cyrus Stamets, 95, a Union veteran from Richmond Ohio, John W. Turnbough, 94, a Confederate vet from Eldorado, Okla. and Confederate Gen. M.D. Vance. Background posts: Late-19th century Gettysburg photos ready for public, Red Lion doctor treated both Revolutionary War soldier and people alive today and Signs point to York, 'Prize of the Confederacy,' and other York/Adams Civil War wonders.

Sometimes, it seems that everyone in York/Adams visited Gettysburg to observe the 75th anniversary of the battle.

Memories of those grizzled Civil War vets who visited the battlefield in 1938 have firmly settled into the minds of many York/Adams residents living today. You hear about them often... .

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When builders dug the Howard Tunnel through a southern York County ridge in 1840, they left room for two tracks. The second track was added after the Civil War.This is one of many interesting facts collected by Scott Butcher and included in captions in "York's Historic Architecture." (Butcher is signing his new book at 2 p.m. Sunday, at the York Emporium.) Because of the tunnel builders' foresight, the rail trail is able to follow the path of one of the old tracks today. The other track is still there for rail use. Background posts: Thousands discover formerly unheralded York County rail trail's Howard Tunnel , No light at the end of this (abandoned) Pa.Turnpike tunnel and York County ... 'A smorgasbord of architectural styles'.

Scott Butcher's new book "York's Historic Architecture" is packed with photos.

But it's also loaded with dates, details and architectural information, including many interesting tidbits about many buildings, well known and not.

Here are five points that are certain to pique your interest:

Did you know ? ...

Posted in Books & reading Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Local landmarks Nostalgia & memories Quizzes & (fun) tests Unsung/obscure sites York Town Square

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The Kralltown Road bridge, seen here in 2006, is of the truss construction typical of those PennDOT is systematically replacing. In fact, PennDOT is placing some of them up for sale. Background posts: When the bridge over the Codorus moved, Charles Dickens on his Susquehanna River crossing: 'I was in a painful dream', and A 7th bridge? Pedestrian walkway may span Susquehanna River some day.

I recently turned onto the one-lane Bowers Bridge crossing the Conewago Creek near Manchester and wondered how the rickety but beautiful structure had escaped the wreckers ball. After all, a trolley bridge downstream was no more. And a highway bridge even further down the Conewago was there but no longer used.

As it turns out, PennDOT has caught up with the Bowers Bridge... .

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This is a rare photograph of White Oak Park courtesy of J. David Allen & Son Photography. This photo shows vehicles navigating the road to Emigsville near the Oaks' buildings. The traffic island are there today, placing the Oaks at about the location of the present-day rental units lot where vehicles are stored. Background posts: 'Dell rat' blogs about southside hangout , The Oaks: 'I often look up there ... and think about how nice it was', and Memories about 'The Oaks' pile up.

John Allen is part of the generation that lived during the heyday of White Oak Park, a northside hangout where many local rock groups cut their teeth.

He graduated in York Catholic, class of 1966.

That's the year highlighted in an upcoming reunion at Sovereign Bank Stadium based on a White Oak Park theme.

For whatever reason, photographs of The Oaks are rare... .

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York educator Victoria Lyles achieved much, and one of her lasting legacies is her involvement in the founding of York Twinning. Background post: YLT + YSO + 75 years = A1 entertainment, Many national stars performed on YLT's stage and 'Weekly Reader's' founder Eleanor Johnson.

York Little Theatre's Julie Aiken is finishing up work on a book marking York Little Theatre's 75th annversary being celebrated this year.

She came across a woman who seemed to be making things happen across the community in the 1930s through 1950s - Victoria Lyles.

Among other things, Julie found that Victoria Lyles worked with Rabbi Alexander Goode on teaching tolerance in York City schools and was instrumental in desegregating York's schools.

"Do you have any further information about this amazing woman?" she wrote... .

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Mail bag People School days Women's history York Town Square

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