Some months ago I wrote about the Pennsylvania German Birth and Baptismal certificates (often known as Taufscheine or Fraktur) that were produced in the Hanover print shop of Wilhelm Daniel Lepper and Samuel Endredy Stettinius. These two printers established Hanover’s first newspaper Die Pennsylvanische Wochenschrift, in 1797 and issued their
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
Eliza E. Ridgely was a beautiful young woman born into a prosperous Baltimore family. The Marquis de Lafayette was said to be charmed by her during his 1824 visit to Baltimore, and she played her harp for him when he was a dinner guest of her parents. Eliza’s letters at
For the past few years, Albert Rose, long-time volunteer at the York County History Center Library/Archives, has been documenting war memorials throughout York County. He has visited and photographed many of them and also verified some that no longer remain. But he looking for still more, such as the ones
Remember “The Twist,” the dance craze from the 60s? Remember Chubby Checker who brought “The Twist” to life? What connection could this have to York County? Read on. A friend recently mentioned that her cousin, Reverend George Garber, a retired Lutheran pastor who now lives in Florida, was over 100
The York County History Center has a treasure trove of newspapers going back over two centuries. Most have been microfilmed, making these outstanding historical sources easily accessible. I often use them as sources for blog posts and my York Sunday News columns. (Some, but not nearly all of the
The 2016 edition of the Journal of York County Heritage will be officially launched on Thursday, September 15, with a reception at the York County History Center Museum, Library and Archives at 250 East Market Street in York. Doors open at 6:30, with the program beginning at 7 p.m. The
In my last post I shared my recent visit to the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, Maryland. Less than half an hour away is the Dr. Samuel Mudd House Museum. After picking up arms and ammunition at the Surratt House, the next significant stop on John Wilkes Booth’s escape route
I recently took a field trip that I had been thinking about for some time. For several years I have been researching and writing about Edman “Ned” Spangler, the native Yorker who was a carpenter and stagehand at Ford’s Theater, working there shifting scenery on April 14, 1865, the night
Folk artist Lewis Miller, a York native, had relatives on both sides of the Civil War. He and his brothers and sisters grew up in York, but in adulthood, three of his brothers settled in Virginia. Miller left a number of watercolor drawings depicting his view of the Civil War.