N.Y. Wire/Whistle: March 2008 Archives

York (Pa.) Ice Machinery Corporation, later York Corporation and today owned by Johnson Controls, served as a catalyst for the York Plan. Yorkco chairman William S. Shipley headed the York Manufacturers Association, which promoted the sharing of machinery and manpower to land large World War II defense contracts. Here, condensers are lined up on Yorkco's shop floor. Background posts: York made big, heavy things and was immensely proud of it, The bomb: 'And yet it stopped the war' and 'Her words helped win the war'.

Continuing the series of iconic photos - photos that capture layered moments - from York County, Pa.:

The Yorktowne Hotel recently donated a circa 1942 air raid siren to the York County Heritage Trust. The trust plans to restore it and place it on exhibit. Background posts: Unusual valve gave steam whistle prominence in World War II and The bomb: 'And yet it stopped the war'.

Early in World War II, York-area Civilian Defense officials faced the problem of how to alert an entire community about an enemy air raid.

The numerous factory whistles in place were not designed to reach the entire community. The New York Wire Cloth whistle, with its adjustable valve that allowed it sound varying messages, provided one resource.

Sometime in or after 1942, Civilian Defense officials must have installed a air raid siren on the roof of the Yorktowne Hotel designed specifically to alert a broader area... .