More memories of Dover, Weigelstown and Mount Royal
We’ve talked often in the past about memories from the greater Dover area, including the Weigelstown and Mount Royal neighborhoods especially, which are places I used to live and spend a lot of time!
I have several more memories to share in the wake of some recent and not-as-recent posts; I hope you’ll enjoy them today!
Past posts
· June 4, 2010: Do you remember the Jay’s restaurant?
· Aug. 5, 2010: More memories of stores in Weigelstown
· Feb. 19, 2011: Even more memories from the Weigelstown area
· May 7, 2011: Memories from the Mount Royal area of Dover Township from a longtime friend
And now, the memories!
In response to some of those, Bill Schmeer noted, “Several people have commented about a Super Thrift Market at the site of the new CVS Pharmacy, but no one has mentioned the Brooks Drug Store that was in that spot for at least a decade, right before CVS moved in. Morrell Fox, a fellow I went to elementary school with in the late 1930s was the pharmacist there – 110 miles from where we started out. Also, there was, or maybe still is, a news stand in a small building next to the Weis Store. It was started by a young man named David Eberly, son of the late general manager of WSBA Radio, and who passed away at a very young age. There was also a New Way Dry Cleaner in the building at the corner of Carlisle and Hilton that now houses a fish market and restaurant.” I know we’d talked about Brooks in one or two of those previous posts, as that was our family’s drugstore for many years!
Tara L. asks, “Does anyone remember the ‘Twin Oaks Drive In’ near where the Robin’s Nest Day Care is now? It was run by Alice Buffington who lived with her husband in the house next door. My mother was adopted by the Buffingtons in the late 1920s and I have a picture of the drive-in and house.”
And Cheryl Miller adds, “Does anyone else remember the Harris Kindergarten in Weigelstown? This used to be where the mobile homes sales are on Carlisle Road. I remember going there and after you memorized a certain poem and/or nursery rhyme, you got a guppy to take home. We had more guppies than we knew what to do with!”
Meanwhile, Jo Ott writes, “Love the Dover Spangler’s ACE Hardware store & I miss Hake’s on 74.”
Speaking of that now-former Hake’s location and, in fact, its predecessors, Michele Wiley (who, I should add, is a relative of the Weaver family from past post comments, as well as one of my sister Louise’s close friends from high school) notes, “Prior to Leon Drawbaugh owning the store on Route 74 (Carlisle Road) at Conewago Road, the store was owned by the Conrad Stauffer family. The reason I remember this is because I went to Dover Elementary School with the Stauffer daughters. I think there was also an older brother in the Stauffer family. Michelle Stauffer and I were in the same grade. Fifth grade (1968) was the Stauffer daughters last year at DES. They moved to the York Suburban School District. Karen & Michelle Stauffer were cheerleaders at YSHS & Michelle graduated in 1977. From what I remember, after high school and/or college graduation, Michelle Stauffer married a man from England. When Mr. Stauffer owned the store, Leon Drawbaugh worked there & lived in Dover Township.”
Michele continued, “Leon Drawbaugh bought & ran the store through the ’70s & early 1980s. I don’t remember what year the ownership changed to Hake’s, but it may have been as late as the ’90s. Leon’s son graduated from Dover Area High School on or about 1981 & lives in Dover Borough. The Hake family bought the store from the Drawbaugh family. Unfortunately the store has sat empty for (a couple) years. Many of us in Mt. Royal would like to see the store reopen for business.”
And finally, Michelle said, “In reference to the Conewago Twp. / Dover Twp. Spangler families, my paternal great-great grandmother was Sarah (Spangler) Crone, spouse of Philip Crone, a stone mason & farmer who helped to construct the original Rohler’s (Rollers) church stone building (Blue Bird Lane area of Dover Township). There are many Fetrow family grave markers in the Rohler’s Church cemeteries. My maternal great-grandmother is Lillian (Rohler) (Roller) Fetrow, Shirley (Fetrow) Weaver’s grandmother.”
Speaking of the other Hake’s store at Canal and Bull roads, Brian Smith writes, “I grew up in Dover and now live in the Stony Brook area. Every week I make the drive back to Dover to visit Hake’s Grocery Store. They have the best deli dept in York Co. The place is always packed. I wonder if it would make an interesting article to write about the history of that grocery store, the family that has owned and run it for many years, and it’s function not only as a supplier of all things essential, but also as a meeting place for Dover residents who often hang out there.” Hake’s is, indeed, an interesting place!
And finally for today, I have this note from Nancy L. Reever, who says, “I started shopping at Spangler’s Grocery Store when it was located where Advance Auto Parts now stands. That was in 1964, when I moved to the Dover area. I continued to shop with them when the moved to a new bigger store just south of where the were. I was a customer to the end. Ash and Sandy were always very personable when I went to the store, they knew the regular customers by name. So today, 48 years later, I am now shopping at the Spangler’s Ace Hardware and still being greeted by name when I go there. I wish Sandy and Ash the greatest success with the hardware store, it is a GREAT much needed addition to the Dover area.”
Many thanks for all of these memories!
