Lewis Miller drawing showing himself, George Kuntz, and Dr. George Shaffner in a sleigh accident in 1831. Miller is retreiving Dr. Shaffner’s wig. There were no automobiles 130 years ago, but people still managed to accidentally harm themselves by other means of transportation–buggies, wagons, sleighs…. Many of the worst local
The image of Liberty is very familiar to present-day U.S. Mint sculptor and engraver Don Everhart, whose Statue of Liberty design graces the back of the mint’s presidential dollar coins. We also recently learned that Everhart, a York County native, had the honor of meeting the Dalai Lama. Everhart was
Lewis Miller Drawing of a York County Pennsylvania German Christmas Tree In December 1867, the Gazette reported: “FESTIVAL– The Moravians are now holding a festival at Washington Hall for the benefit of their new church. They have the largest and finest assortment of fancy articles and toys ever offered at
Prosperity seems to have come to the York County of 140 years ago, if the ads in the December 31, 1867 issue of the York Gazette are any indication. Entrepreneurs and agents from New York, Philadelphia, Maryland, and Adams County were offering investment opportunities. Real estate was enticingly offered by
The Lewis Miller drawing above shows a busy King’s Mill in 1799. In a previous post I mentioned that, now and in the past, we are impressed by the biggest and the best. Sometimes, though, we must stop and wonder if figures have been exaggerated or misreported. The following small
I guess it is human nature to want to have the biggest and the best. We are always impressed by the tallest buildings and the most gigantic pumpkins. Our forebears were no different, as we can see by the Lewis Miller drawing above of a huge pumpkin. Miller captioned it:
One hundred and ten years ago an article on the front page of the Gazette starts out: “A gang of burglars raided the post offices at Dallastown and Red Lion sometime Monday night and succeeded in making a fairly good haul.” The first robbery was in Red Lion. The article
One hundred and ten years ago, most folks, especially in rural areas didn’t have telephones. That wonderous invention was only 21 years old in 1897. As far as other media, Heinrich Hertz has only discovered radio waves ten years before and television was way in the future. The way to
McCall’s Ferry (Holtwood) Power Plant Under Construction, ca.1907. Electric power was on the front page 100 years ago. The Merchants Electric Light, Heat, and Power Company distributed hydroelectricity generated by the York Haven Water and Power Company, which utilized giant Kaplan turbines. These turbines were manufactured in York by the
We didn’t know how bad smoking was for our health 90 years ago, when cigar factories were springing up everywhere. In York County, we knew cigars were very good for our economy. For well over 150 years, processing tobacco into cigars kept many York Countians gainfully employed. Lewis Miller illustrated