Springwood Resort had its ups and downs
Postcard sent in 1902 to Miss Leonora Breneman, Stewartstown RFD 2 from “Guess Who”
One place that is still remembered fondly is Springwood Park in the Ore Valley area, north of Yoe in York Township. At least one of the buildings, a home, still stands and I understand there are still some remnants of the pool off the east side of the Springwood Road.
Springwood Park was along the Peach Bottom Railway Line and was a very popular excursion in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The last owners to successfully operate the park, with its dance hall and pool, were the Greenawalts. The family owned the property from around 1936 until 1964, with operations ceasing in 1954 when it was not thought feasible to repair some major storm damage.
In between these times of prosperity, the resort’s ownership fell into hard times. Lila Fourhman-Shaull, Director of Library and Archives at York County Heritage Trust shared the following clipping from the February 27, 1931 York Dispatch:
BANK BUYS A PARK
Springwood Sold by Trustee in Bankruptcy to First National, a Creditor
Springwood Park, York Township, southeast of the city was bought by the First National bank of York, a mortgage creditor, at a bid of $2,400 yesterday afternoon in a public sale of the property of Horace E. Spangler, bankrupt. There are about 10 acres of land in the park, which was used for many years as a picnic grove and more recently as a general recreation park.There are on the land a two and one-half story stucco dwelling, a frame dance hall, composition roof, a skating rink with a frame building, a frame refreshment house, a frame bath house, with two small additions, frame two story garage for two cars. There is a concrete swimming pool and three frame booths.
The sale was made by William C. Drawbaugh, trustee in bankruptcy. James G. Glessner and William B. Gemmill are the attorneys. Valentine McCullough was the auctioneer.
If you have any memories or photos of Springwood, I would like to know about them and add the information to the growing Springwood file at York County Heritage Trust. The postcard above and the photo below are courtesy of York County Heritage Trust.
