Mail call: Memories of Dauber’s Florist and more
Today’s letter comes from Jane (Dauber) Duke, who describes herself: “I am also a life-long York countian and my family has roots in York back to the 1700’s.”
Jane writes, “I was reading thru this and have some things to add – most notably Dauber’s Florist on North George St. (corner of Route 30 & N. George St) and Dauber’s Nursery out in Manchester. (now the home of Dauberton Estates or whatever they are calling it) Dauber’s was on that corner from 1918 till it closed in 1983. We owned everything from North George st to Interstate 83 way back when – at least 5 houses from the greenhouses up to my parents home at the top of the hill were owned by aunts & uncles. My grandparents lived on the other side of Route 30.”
She also adds, “How about Avalong Dairy out on Mt. Zion road where Rutter’s is now – best and I mean BEST broasted chicken I ever ate.”
And about Franklin Discount – there WAS a Franklin Discount on Pine Street near York Catholic – and Ollie’s pales in comparison. I know this for a fact because when I was walking to one of my girlfriend’s houses after school we would stop there to root around and you had to root around in that place. What a hoot!
And Beefsteak Charlie’s on East Market St – near the corner of Market St & Mt Zion Road – it burnt down in the mid-80’s. Really dark, great steaks, and better frozen daiquiri’s were hard to find.
There were also two really cool restaurants on East Market st – one was where the Red Lobster is now – but it faced East Market st. if I remember correctly it was kinda of below street level.
And further out near Wal-mart there was a really cool bar & restaurant where Thirsty’s Quick Stop is – something like the Blue Moose or something with Moose in the name – anybody remember that place?”
Jane, was it maybe the Woozy Moose? I had another reader who talked to me about the Woozy Moose, and that is definitely a subject for another day!
The Woozy Moose was a bar/restaurant in the old firehouse on east Market street. It had a moose head with crossed eyes above the bar.the story goes like this, as I remember:
George Washington and Lafayette would meet at the edge of a field for a drink each evening during the civil war. Each evening a moose would show up and the two gentlemen would give the moose a bit of the drink. Afterwards, the moose would walk back into the woods a bit “snatched”. One evening a British sharpshooter too aim and had George Washington in his site. Just as he pulled the trigger, the “woozy” moose walked between the sharpshooter and Washington and the bullet killed the moose. So goes the legend. The legend was printed on the back of the menu.