What was the connection between the preforming Durang family, who spent some time in York during the early 19th century and our national anthem? I wrote a York Sunday News column on the subject in 2006. I just realized I never posted the column on this blog, which I started
Do you ever wish you knew what your ancestors were like? After all, they were living, breathing souls just like you and me. Most of you probably know or knew your parents and all or many of your grandparents. Some even remember a great-grandparent or so. Just multiply those family
Pennsylvania German food is captured in Lewis Miller’s drawing and text on early 20th century York tavern life.
From the time the first humans walked the productive soil of what is now York County, Pa., food has been grown, preserved and happily eaten here. Here a few examples from our history: One of my recent York Sunday News columns told about York County’s very successful participation in the
Looking through the antique and vintage Christmas cards at York County Heritage Trust Library and Archives yesterday, I found one with a Camp Security theme. It had a printed signature of Mr. and Mrs. Russell S. Wehler. The front of the card is shown in the image above. It is
In 2006 York Daily Record columnist Jim Hubley wrote that the temperance crusader Carrie Nation was signed as top attraction at Hanover Fair in Sept 1902, speaking between horse races. She was also scheduled to give a lecture, Why I Smash, at the Hanover Opera House. Only 12 people showed
Lewis Miller recorded the quirks and humor he found in the citizens of 19th century York County. No detail was too small to escape his pen and brush. In a recent post I shared Miller’s depiction of a dog stealing an unattended sausage at the tavern run by Martin and
The drawings of York folk artist Lewis Miller are often used to illustrate 19th century American life. An example is the illustration above of a dog stealing Mrs. Weiser’s sausage out of the pan. It shows the three-legged frying pan set over the coals on the hearth, the right height
Newspapers of the past give a good look at the lives of our forebears. The advertisements can sometimes reveal more than news items. The ad below, from the York Gazette, for Richard Porter’s tavern, store, house with barn and other outbuildings, livestock, farm equipment, furniture and land, including an island
The Sponslers of York seem to have been an interesting family. Many members were quite musical; there was even a Sponsler family orchestra. In a previous post, I shared a 1904 newspaper account of musician J. V. Sponsler’s attempt at playing the steam whistle at Herman Noss’s lumber yard. Another