Family history research is so absorbing because you never run out of relatives, and you sometimes find some surprising ones. For example, I am distantly related to President Dwight Eisenhower. We both descend from immigrant Hans Nicholas Eisenhauer, (b. 1691), but our lines split way back. See below for my
An exciting trove of art by late Yorker Ralph Eck (1930-2015) has recently been discovered. The paintings are on display at Millersville University’s Eckert Art Gallery, but only until May 11, so you will have to act quickly to see the exhibit. The gallery, in the Winter Art Center at
Cindy Martin, friend and volunteer at the York County History Center Library and Archives, just shared this story with me. Cindy related that she plans to replenish her book supply at the York County History Center Book Blast, which will be held this year from August 9th (members’ night) through
Leafing through a recent issue of a magazine for tractor collectors called Antique Power, I found an article “Resurrecting a Pioneer Diesel” by Dave Gerlach. The photos show a gleaming orange farm tractor with a bold nameplate reading “Sheppard Diesel.” The article relates that in 1933,
My York Sunday News column last month illustrated how you often to take several sources and put them together to round out the story on a person, an event or a place that you are researching. Speaking of research, a couple occurrences this past week reminded me that you should
The Holiday Season—when thoughts turn to Stauffer’s chocolate coated stars. Over the years the Stauffer family has shared company history with the York County History Center. One of my favorite artifacts is the long cylindrical animal cracker cutter at the Agricultural and Industrial Museum on West Princess Street. They have
A Facebook friend asked about the history of Victor’s Italian Restaurant on Ogontz Street, knowing that the building was a former church. I looked through the York County History Center files and City Directories as well as online sources. Several newspaper articles on Victor’s in the YCHC restaurant file recapped
You might have noticed, in person or on the news, that the Thanksgiving historical marker, across from the York County Administrative Center on East Market Street has been recently refurbished.
A friend told me earlier this week that she was at the Stauffer Cookie outlet on Belmont Street in York, and that they still had chocolate stars. I’m sure they won’t be around too long. Since they discontinued the chocolate bunnies a few years ago, it will seem like a
I have to stretch the York County, Pa. history connection a bit for this post, but I can do it. First, in one of my recent posts on the York County World War II USO, I mentioned that my former neighbor, Muriel Smith, who was one of the local USO