Only in York County

In a column early this year, reader Kim Slagle asked about who owned the former Allaman Maytag in York.

Kim said, “I’m trying to find out info about my father. I was told by a relative (that I just discovered I had) that either my father or his son at one time owned it. Their last name would have been Warner.”

I’m happy to report, Kim, that readers were able to provide a lot of information for you!

Jason Gross wrote, “I remember it as being owned by Harry Allaman, who also hosted a TV show about outdoor events. I think the TV show was Call of the Outdoors. This would have been in the ’50s. I think the Maytag shop was on either East Market or East Philadelphia Street.”

Tying that to the Warner question raised by Kim, I heard from Darlene Warner. She said, “When Harry Allaman passed away, my father, Bill Warner, bought the business. He owned the store until the late ’90s, when he died in 1996. I believe Kim might be seeking information about my great-uncle Roy Warner, who would have been her father.”

Kim, if you’re reading, please let me know if you’d like to know more from Darlene. I can put the two of you in touch!

I also heard from Don Jones, who wrote, “My mother, brother and myself rented an apartment next to Harry Allaman’s Maytag business, which the Allamans owned. We moved in the early 1960s and my mother stayed until some time into the late 1980s or early ’90s. Bill Warner worked for the Allamans, and after they retired, Bill acquired the business. I was there until 1973. I remember Bill quite well.” Don also followed up to give me the exact address – 736 E. Market St. – and to mention that once Bill Warner acquired the property, he became the Jones family’s landlord as well.

Sally Hersh also remembered both Harry Allaman and Bill Warner (as well as Harry’s TV show!) She wrote, “The store was owned by Harry Allaman, who was on WGAL, I believe on Sundays, with Call Of The Outdoors. We bought our first automatic washer and dryer in 1964 from him. The gentleman who worked for him was Bill Warner. He lived about 2 1/2 miles from us near Zeiglers Lutheran Church. Bill took over the store or bought it from Harry sometime in
the mid ’80s, I think.”

I also heard from reader Mary (Ness) Ruth, who confirmed Bill Warner as the later owner of Allaman Maytag. Mary wrote, “My father, Preston Ness, and Bill were cousins. Back in the ’70s, when I was a child, we went to Bill to buy our Maytag washer. When I got married in the ’90s my Dad got us a washer from Bill; it lasted a long time.”

Perhaps the most fun response to this column came from my friend and AMAZING research assistant Audrey Lerew. Audrey is regularly helping me by finding things at the York County History Center (formerly the Heritage Trust), but in this case she had a direct connection as well.

Audrey said her brother, Robert Kornbau, worked for Harry Allaman after he got out of school! Audrey and Robert were able to tell me that Mr. Warner was Wilford Franklin Warner, known by Bill. He lived in the Shiloh/West York area and used to have a small cabin down by the river in the Accomac area. And Bill also worked at C.B. “Red” Klinedinst’s store with Audrey’s sister Charlotte Halpin before taking over the Maytag store!

Audrey was able to find information on Bill’s grave and his obituary via the FindAGrave website, and she found the image you see with today’s column in a February 1975 York Daily Record, officially tying together the Allaman and Warner names with the store!

Many thanks to all who shared memories of Allaman’s.