500th YorksPast Post & Readers Choose Top 10 Posts during August 2014
YorksPast started with a post on July 26, 2012. Two years and nearly two months later, this marks my 500th post of sharing a hodgepodge of explorations of York’s Past. I’ve learned a lot, via my research, for those posts; I hope my readers enjoyed what I’ve shared along the way.
This chart shows the growth of YorksPast readership in recent months; thanks to my ever-growing legion of loyal readers! August was a breakout month of over 1000 views per day, after floating between 600 and 800 views per day during the earlier months of 2014. A big part the increase was due to the overwhelming popularity of my series of posts on the Susquehanna Trail in the Good Roads Movement; a series that is continuing on Friday’s for several more weeks.
At the beginning of every month, I’m sharing with my readers the top 10 posts from the previous month. You’re continuing to catch up on reading the past installments of my historical novel, that I post every Thursday; 29 of the top 50 post views were installments of Railcar Gold. These are your favorites during August 2014:
Story of the Susquehanna Trail in the Good Roads Movement
We have the Susquehanna Trail road name in York County as a result of the Good Roads Movement in Pennsylvania. This led-off post, in a multi-part series, provides a background on the Good Roads Movement in Pennsylvania and leads up to the establishment of the Susquehanna Trail Association on February 2nd, 1917.
Bury’s in Springettsbury Township was not just Hamburgers
West of Playland Skating Rink, at 2709, 2710 and 2720 East Market Street, Bury’s had various businesses in Springettsbury Township. Only one of those locations housed Bury’s Famous Hamburgers; learn about the other Bury businesses.
The Wellsboro Agitator campaigns for the Susquehanna Trail
In the February 28th, 1917 issue of the Wellsboro Agitator, a Susquehanna Trail Association coupon was printed for the public to join the association for $1.00; thereby hoping to sway the Board of Governors of the Association to select a northern route of the Susquehanna Trail through their region.
Avoiding Sour Beer’s Eddy on a Perilous Voyage from Wrightsville to Peach Bottom
An 1880 engraving likely depicts the type of perilous voyage the York Collegiate students encountered when they hitched a ride on a Susquehanna River lumber raft in 1883.
The Susquehanna Trail lands York, PA at the Crossroads of PA Routes 1 & 4
Pennsylvania Routes 1 & 4 crossed in York’s Continental Square until the “modern” state route numbering system was implemented throughout the states. PA Route 1 became Route 30 and PA Route 4 became Route 111 over all but the Harrisburg to Sunbury part of the Susquehanna Trail, which became Route 11.
#15 Wrightsville Hardware Company; top Wrightsville employer in 1899
In 1899, the Wrightsville Hardware Company had been manufacturing hardware and iron novelties for 19-years. The #15, in the post headline, signifies that in the year 1899, there were only fourteen companies containing a work force of more employees in all of York County.
The Susquehanna Trail forks at Amity Hall
The Susquehanna Trail forking off, to the right, of the William Penn Highway at Amity Hall. Between Amity Hall and Harrisburg, the Susquehanna Trail followed the already established William Penn Highway.
Adventures in a South Seas Paradise
At Palmyra Island lines were fastened around the old PT-boat wharf’s aging bollards, however it became quickly evident that they were unfit to hold the ship. Hastily the crew wrapped lines around a couple of nearby palm trees, which held.
The President Lincoln Torpedoed on Return Trip; York sailor KIA
The U.S.S. President Lincoln was the largest U.S. Naval vessel to be lost in the First World War. George B. Hoffman, of York, PA; was among those Killed in Action when the U.S.S. President Lincoln was torpedoed by a German submarine.
YorksPast begins Third Year; Readers Choose Top 10 Posts during July 2014
In early August, I shared this top 10 list; i.e. the posts with the most page views from my loyal readers, during July 2014.
