Ask Joan: Seeking more memories edition
I’m spending this week fighting a spring cold, or some other kind of upper-respiratory “ick.” Seriously? It’s May. That’s ridiculous. I hope you’re feeling well, and I hope you enjoy today’s trip to my mailbox; these are all questions that were sent via postal mail – in some cases quite a while ago – all seeking memories of former locales!
What’s inside
1. Heard of Boeckel’s Landing?
2. More memories of People’s Drug Store
3. Seeking Pilot Haven Garage info
1.
I was wondering if you have ever heard of Boeckel’s Landing. It was a place we went to when we were children. Mr. Boeckel – “Joe” – had his landing on the Susquehanna River. You go down Route 74 south to Sunnyburn, turn left on Slab Road, turn right on River Road. He had a little store, rented boats, picnic area. I was wondering if anyone has heard of it or been there.
– Erma Dettinger of Red Lion
Would love to share any Boeckel’s Landing info for Erma!
2.
Does anyone remember Gibbs’ Peoples Drug Store on the corner of West Market and Beaver streets in downtown York? Bon-Ton, Jack’s and Weinbrom’s Jewelry stores were on opposing corners. Mr. Klock was the manager and Mr. Morningstar was the assistant manager. I worked at the soda fountain for a short period of time. It was my first job after getting “working papers” at 16 years of age, about 1944. Just wondering.
– Phyllis Witmer
We do have some previous posts about Peoples Drug in general, but we have not heard too much about the one at Market and Beaver, the “Gibbs’ Peoples Drug” Phyllis mentioned. I’m including our general memories of Peoples here, but would love to hear more about this store specifically for Phyllis!
July 15, 2011: Mail call: Memories of Peoples Drug
Jan. 27, 2012: A couple of quick memories about Peoples Drug
March 1, 2013: Ask Joan: Seeking recipe for Peoples Drug sandwich
April 15, 2013: Yet more memories of downtown York from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s
Feb. 20, 2014: Even more memories of Peoples Drug
3.
Wondering if you and/or the readers could share any information about… Pilot Haven Garage, which was located on South Main Street in Dover, PA, on the left side when traveling south on Route 74. This garage did service on Jeep vehicles (CJs, station wagons, pick-up trucks, forward-control trucks, snowplows, etc.). They were all things Jeep (Willys and Kaiser). Perhaps someone or many people know about this 4×4 service center of years gone by.
– William M. Reigle of Spring Grove
Would love to hear your memories of this service center! We’ve talked about service centers in the past, most recently in this February post, and I”d love to hear more about this one from the area where I grew up!
Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!
