YDR Insider

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Posted by YDR Insider Behind the scenes, Community engagement, Newsroom visitors

Special delivery: A 1943 York City directory

David Smith stopped by to drop off this 1943 York City phone book
David Smith of Springfield Township stopped by to drop off this 1943 York City phone book today.

David Smith of Springfield Township stopped by the York Daily Record/Sunday News front desk this morning to see if we’d be interested in something:

A 1943 York City directory.

Specifically, he wanted to see if Joan Concilio of Ask Joan and Only in York County fame would be interested in the book.

It’s either going here or to the historical society, he said. (To see photos of the book, read on.)

As someone who loves old books (which describes most of the people in the newsroom), I gladly accepted the donation. Plus, I know Joan would be interested, as would Chris Otto, the editor of Papergreat, and Jim McClure, York Daily Record/SundayNews editor and blogger of York Town Square.

Smith said he cleans out houses and sometimes stumbles upon gems among the trash. He found this book several years ago.

What made him keep it? “Age,” he said.

In case you were wondering what a phone book/directory from 1943 looks like, here’s a look:

The spine of the book touts the year, the publisher and the advertisers, including which page to find the ad inside.

This is what you’ll find inside.

The price for this book was $20, which is a lot of money, even by today’s standards, especially considering we now get our phone books for free.

Statistical review
A portion of a statistical review of York in 1943.

Inside the front cover
York Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, formerly York Ice Machinery Corporation, is featured inside the front cover.

York's people in 1943
My favorite line here is “York’s pioneers were a sturdy folk.”


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we peruse this book and use it for some research, we’ll donate it to the York Heritage Trust. The trust could then decide to keep it or sell it in its annual Book Blast.
If you have a book to donate for sale at this year’s blast, the trust will begin accepting books on April 2.

According to the heritage trust’s website, donations may be dropped off 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at the Historical Society Museum & Library, 250 E. Market St.

The last day for donations is Saturday, June 22. They accept all gently used volumes but not encyclopedias, magazines, Readers Digest Books, textbooks and incomplete volumes.

The 2013 Book Blast opens to the public at 9 a.m. Aug. 15 and runs thru Aug. 17 this year. As in previous years, the event will share space with the A-Frame at the Agricultural and Industrial Museum at 217 W. Princess St.