Universal York

Lewis Miller drawing of York’s square in 1799.
I recently posted a Lewis Miller illustration of “wicked boys” taking a wagon apart and reconstructing it on the roof of the market house in 1804. I was asked where that market was.
Click here to read that post.
It was in Center Square, right smack in the middle of downtown York. You can see the location in the Lewis Miller drawing illustrating that area in 1799.
See below for a brief history of markets in the center of York, drawn from Prowell’s History of York County and Lewis Miller’s Chronicles of York.

I recently posted a Lewis Miller illustration of “wicked boys” taking a wagon apart and reconstructing in on the roof of the market house in 1804. I was asked where that market was.
It was in Center Square, right smack in the middle of downtown York. You can see the location in the Lewis Miller drawing illustrating that area in 1799.
See below for a brief history of markets in the center of York, drawn from Prowell’s History of York County and Lewis Miller’s Chronicles of York.
In 1754, George Stevenson, agent for the Penn family, wrote that York had two markets. There were about 700 people living in 210 houses in the town at that time.
The first official market charter for York was issued by Pennsylvania in 1755. It approved two market days, Wednesday and Saturday, each week.
I don’t have the information at hand right now when the first market shed or market house was built, but the adjacent courthouse in the center of the square was built in 1756. The state house (county offices) was constructed to the east of the courthouse in 1793.
The first market shed, along with the first courthouse and the state house were all torn down around 1841. They were replaced with two new market sheds, one erected in 1842 and the other in 1844.
Progress marched on. There was some strong opposition, but both York City councils (they had two then) voted to tear down the sheds because they were getting run down and they impeded traffic. Mayor Noell signed the demolition order shortly after midnight June 30, 1887 with directions to immediately proceed. By 2 a.m., 20 men, seven mules, and three horses were carrying out the task, with police on hand to keep order.
Central Market opened less than a block away in 1888.
That’s why you can drive straight through the square today without any pesky courthouses or market houses to impede your journey.
The second courthouse didn’t survive demolition either.
Click below to read about new life for two old York buildings that survived.
Variety Iron Works part of Northwest Triangle project.
Hartman Building to rise higher once again.
See below for York County’s first three prisons.
Nobody seems to know what to do with the old jail.
The jail above replaced this one.
And this first jail was replaced by the one above.