York County Explorations Blossom With Spring Flowers

Well, it’s that time of year once again.

When Mother Nature blesses us with warmer weather I create my list of places I’d like to visit over the next few months. These may not be your typical tourist attractions, but they are certainly worthy of a closer look.

From the bygone days of the trolley…

Long-time readers may remember the story I wrote highlighting a former transformer building from the early trolley lines in the area. Easily overlooked and tucked away in rural Heidelberg Township, that building offered an intriguing look into the past.

I’m happy to report that an identical building exists in Jackson Township and I’ll soon be checking it out. My father, Carl Stough, shared the photo below which gives you a glimpse of the second building.

Trolley - transformer building

Despite its questionable condition, I’m thankful that it’s still standing after all these years.

While we’re on the topic of York County trolleys, I also have my eyes on a former trolley stop just outside of Menges Mills. The property is owned by the parents of a school friend and I’ve already received permission to swing by to photograph it.

Home Sweet Home…

Sitting on the edge of a wooded area and not far from a gently-flowing stream, an abandoned brick farmhouse has been calling my name. The parents of the elderly property owner once lived in the house, but it’s been sitting empty for decades. It’s hard to say if it would be safe to go inside, but I was told to stop by for a visit any time so he could show me around.

I certainly can’t argue with his hospitality.

Gone but not forgotten…

For at least two years, perhaps a bit longer, I’ve been searching for a small cemetery near Saginaw. Wogan Burial Ground is the final resting place of at least eight people, one being that of Revolutionary War veteran George Wogan. During his service, he was a guard at Springettsbury Township prisoner-of-war site Camp Security.

Cemeteries on private property can be tricky to visit, and this one is certainly no different. I’ve been told it sits on the edge of a former quarry near the Susquehanna River, but its exact location hasn’t been easy to pinpoint. The aerial image below, courtesy of Bing.com, shows the area where the cemetery should be located.

Former quarry site

I’ve sent a letter to the owner asking for permission to search for the burial grounds. If granted, I’d also enjoy documenting the building from the former quarry operation, which appears that they are still standing.

A trip to southern York County…

The Stewartstown Railroad has been in the news for years as efforts are underway to save the threatened railway. There are several buildings and structures with its operation, and I’ve been given access to document all of them.

While in Stewartstown, I’d also love to explore the former Ramsay Theater that rumors say used to have a bowling alley in the basement. This is another site that contact with the owner is needed, which is some thing I’m working on.

Ramsay Theater

Photo credit: Cinema Treasures (submitted by David Shelleman)

The list goes on and on…

Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the end of the list and is only a starting point. I also have plans to visit some abandoned or neglected churches, schoolhouses, barns, cemeteries, and anything else that crosses my path along the way. I not only expect the next few months to be busy, but also extremely memorable.

What sites would you like me to visit and write about? I’m open to all suggestions.

In other news…

Preserving York is seeking local businesses who would be interested in sponsoring our 2013 fundraising event. Several have already made the commitment while others have asked for additional information. If you would like to know more, please send me your contact information and I’ll see that you receive it promptly.

Emotional Week for the Preserving York Community

There are times I try to write a meaningful story but the words just don’t seem to do my thoughts justice. As an analytic thinker, there are always countless ideas and decisions being considered in my mind.

This week, those who are passionate about York County history lost an iconic landmark when demolition of the former Avalong Farms barn began. I’m not going to detail the events that lead us to that point because, quite frankly, I don’t have the energy to do so.

Avalong-1

You see, as the founder of Preserving York and the administrator of its Facebook page, I read scores of heartfelt comments that members shared with each other. Some were saddened by the loss and told us they shed tears while others were very vocal about their feelings for corporate America, who them blame for many of these types of losses.

I would like to sincerely thank each and every person for openly sharing their feelings. I truly respect the entire Preserving York family for pulling together over the past few days, and I’m happy to call all of you my friends.

As I sit here typing, my own eyes wet from tears of admiration, I’m deeply in thought of how Preserving York should be organized to handle future threats towards historic York County properties.

Wait a minute. Do we even know which older properties are threatened? Let’s take it a step further. Do we know what older properties are out there, threatened or not?

Another thing to consider is a statement I’ve heard many times: “You can’t save all historic properties”. How do we decide which are worth saving and who should make that decision?

Should Preserving York as a whole participate in picketing and protests during situations such as that faced by the Avalong Farms barn?

What about mudslinging, name calling, and harassment of those who could possibly stop such a project from taking place? Should they be bullied into submission?

Preserving York, and myself as an individual, will never condone such actions and will always work with others in a proactive manner.

With each new thought, even more questions bubble up to the surface, but I’ve always been one to ask a lot of questions.

PYBlogHeaderFinal1 (1)

I’ve decided to organize a townhall meeting focusing on historic preservation, whether physically or through photography, memories, and documentation. I’m awaiting confirmation for a promising venue and have started to invite speakers who will be able to aid in the dialogue.

This will be a public event and those attending are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas.

Preserving York can only go so far using my own personal finances, which is why I am also planning a fundraising effort to be launched in the early Spring. This will include a short video to include supporters, in their own words, sharing why Preserving York is important to them and their community.

If you have experience with the recording and/or editing of video and would like to donate some time and effort for this project, I would greatly appreciate it.

Despite the loss of the Avalong Farms barn this week, there is still fascinating history all around us. What have you discovered recently?

An Ostrich in a Suit and Sea Lions Visiting York?

Despite the lack of new stories recently I can assure you that there are some important things happening behind the scenes at Preserving York “headquarters”. Expect to learn more later this month, and you’ll also see some some much needed updates taking place on the static pages at the top of this website.

Over the weekend I attended an auction that offered a remarkable assortment of items including ephemera, firefighting memorabilia, railroad photographs, Civil War items, antique firearms, and much more. I was fortunate to win several lots that had interested me including some amazing local trade cards. A few were quite unique so I thought I’d share two of them. I know my friend Chris Otto, founder of the Papergreat blog, will enjoy these.

The Dude At His Toilet

TradeCard

This has got to be one of the most unusual Victorian trade cards that I’ve ever seen. “The Dude At His Toilet” was printed in the 1880s according to some online references that I have come across.

Does anyone know if the caption has any significance, or possibly the meaning behind it?

TradeCard-3

Opposite of “The Dude” is an advertisement for the York Stove Company which was located at 24 North George Street in York, Pennsylvania. The Climax Cook was touted as The Most Reliable Cook Stove Ever Made and contained large nickel plated panels.

I wonder if any of these stoves are still in the area.

Sea lions and elephants in York, OH MY!

TradeCard-2

This entertaining trade card was almost placed on the pile of non-local items that I’ll be selling since it didn’t seem to have an apparent connection to York. Based on some research that I performed, I now feel that there is in fact an amazing local connection.

Last month my friend and fellow history lover June Lloyd wrote about alligators that lived in a pool at Penn Park. It looks like York hosted some other exotic animals, including living sea lions and sea elephants that rolled into town via the railroad circus.

TradeCard-4

The Sells Brothers’ circus was started in 1871 by brothers Allen, Ephraim, Lewis, and Peter who came from Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania before settling in Ohio. Their circus started in 1871 and continued until 1895. In 1900 they merged with another circus owned by Adam Forepaugh to form the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers’ Circus. Later it merged with the Floto Dog & Pony Show to form Sells Floto Circus.

You don’t want to miss reading: Sells Brothers’ Enormous United Shows.

If this trade card is accurate, the Yorkers of yesteryear who attended their show were in for quite a treat. Sea lions, sea elephants, and the only baby sea lion living in captivity were surely the stars of the show.

The routes of early circuses appear to have been recorded quite extensively, and the Forepaugh – Sells Brothers’ Circus was in York on April 27, 1900, May 15, 1902, and June 16, 1911.

As shown above, this trade card does not mention the Forepaugh name, so I feel it could date to the years before any mergers, from 1871 – 1895.

Imagine the excitement on the streets when the portable aquarium was removed from the train car. I think I can still hear the commotion after all these years.

NOTES:

  1. Please be sure to share Preserving York’s postal address with those who may not have internet access. We’d love to hear from them: P.O. Box 11, Spring Grove, PA 17362