The boarded up house in Springettsbury
I received an unexpected reaction to last weeks post: General Gordon napped at 3103 East Market Street. This post answers that inquiry and also provides additional details about Albert Smyser’s prized horse; stolen by the confederate troops when they invaded York County during 1863.
A reader inquired why the house at 3103 East Market Street is boarded up; commenting, “it seems totally out of place, on a main street in the suburbs!” The split screen image shows the house in 1947 and now in 2017. Click on this LINK for a Full View of the illustration in this post if details are cut off in the cropping of illustration.
This house has been unoccupied for many years. During which, the owner did little maintenance; allowing years of rainwater to get into the interior via major roof leaks, failed spouting and clogged gutters.
In 2014, the owner allowed Brookline Builders, a Historic Preservation Contractor, to examine the house and provide her with an estimate of the needs of the building. Brookline noted because of the prolonged wet interior conditions: (1) “The second floor joists have rotted and the bricks they rested on have and are falling away,” and (2) “The first floor joists are falling and need to be supported temporarily very soon or they will collapse into the basement.”
Since the owner chose not to stabilize the house, Springettsbury Township required the house to be boarded up for safety reasons.
Additional details about Albert Smyser’s prized horse, stolen by the confederate troops in 1863, are provided in Scott Mingus’ book “Flames Beyond Gettysburg.” In the first paragraph of his Chapter 10 ‘Gordon Attacks Wrightsville,’ Mingus notes, prior to marching to Wrightsville, General Gordon and his staff dined at a farmhouse called “The Cedars.”
With the newspaper find in last weeks post, we now know that farmhouse is the boarded up house at 3103 East Market Street. The just of Mingus’ description matches that provided by Bob Smyser; i.e. concerning the theft and return of Albert Smyser’s prized horse—on the day the confederates marched to Wrightsville; i.e. June 28th, 1863.
On page 190 of “Flames Beyond Gettysburg,” Mingus’ notes Albert Smyser’s prized 3-year-old horse was again stolen on June 29th as the confederates returned from Wrightsville. The source is York County Damage Claims: “Albert Herman Smyser filed a $175 claim for White’s Cavalry taking his “3-yr-old black horse,” with John McConnel present when it was taken.
How did Albert Smyser get back his prized horse, the second time? Maybe the answer to that question contributes to the Smyser lore about that horse?
Links to related posts include:
- General Gordon napped at 3103 East Market Street
- 1830 Then & Now for a Stately House in Springettsbury Township
- Matching Historically Minded Buyers with Historic Properties
- 1860 Buildings 11-20 in South Region of Springettsbury Township
- Surprises in Peter deBarth’s 1825 Deed; 3103 East Market Street
