YorksPast

Story of the Susquehanna Trail in the Good Roads Movement: Part 10

During 1917, the Board of Governors of the Susquehanna Trail Association had selected the road segments they would champion as the Susquehanna Trail between Harrisburg and the New York state line. The spring of 1918 saw a competition between Gettysburg and York for being the next city on the Susquehanna Trail, as it extended southward to connect with the Lincoln Highway.

Notification that York was officially selected to be on the Susquehanna Trail appears in the July 2nd, 1918, issue of The Gazette and Daily. York was also invited to nominate two members to the Board of Governors of the Susquehanna Trail Association. The York Committee selected State Senator Henry Wasbers and William Ilgenfritz; they were elected as voting members at the full Board of Governors’ meeting in Sunbury on July 17th, 1918.

Following the election of new members, at the Sunbury meeting, the Board of Governors debated several routes between York and Harrisburg; all utilized Route 333, Route 250 or a combination of parts of these routes. At the beginning of this post, I’ve marked the intersection of Route 250 (North George Street) with Route 333, as they existed in 1918, on the Bing.com Birds Eye View of Northgate Shopping Center north of York.

It was the whole Board of Governors that had the final say on the Susquehanna Trail route through Northern York County. The York Committee consistently favored Route 250, which went through Emigsville, Manchester Boro and York Haven Boro; therefore it is assumed Wasbers and Ilgenfritz likely voted for Route 250. However they were only two votes, out of many others on the full Board of Governors of the Susquehanna Trail Association. The favored route selection, at the Sunbury meeting, went with Route 333; the most direct route from York to New Cumberland; through Newberrytown and Zion View. This is the Susquehanna Trail route we know today in northern York County.

Once a Susquehanna Trail route was selected, the Association championed improvements to the road; by fund raising or lobbying for governmental funds. Many times they suggested minor changes to the route, to allow for a better driving experience; mainly by straightening of curvy sections or improvements to intersections.

The following September 18, 1937 aerial photo is from Penn Pilot. I’ve added the road names. It shows the North George Street area north of North York; comparable to the 2014 Bing.com Birds Eye View at the beginning of this post.

A 1915 Highway Map, within my post Arsenal Road evolved from a Crooked Road that had an Iron Bridge that Shivered and Shaked, shows that the main east-west intersection crossing North George Street was originally at 11th Avenue. Route 333 veered off to the northwest from this intersection with North George Street (Route 250) and 11th Avenue headed east towards the bridge crossing the Codorus Creek into Springettsbury Township.

It is likely that the Susquehanna Trail Association decided the intersection of the Susquehanna Trail with North George Street needed to be widened, thus a new Trail entrance was moved into fields a short distance north, as can be seen in this 1937 aerial photo. I suspect this, because 1915 and 1926 highway maps confirm this intersection improvement occurred between 1915 and 1926. The Susquehanna Trail spanned 1917 to 1924; conceived in 1917 and all improvements made by its official opening in 1924.

From this intersection to Centre Square in York, the North George Street also became the Susquehanna Trail. After the selection of these routes by the Board of Governors, the Susquehanna Trail was initially designated State Route 4 and afterwards Route 111 in York County.

Around this intersection, in the 1937 aerial photo, one can see the large plant nursery that existed in fields on both sides of North George Street, just north of North York. The original Route 333 entrance to the Susquehanna Trail was renamed as the continuum of 11th Avenue.

With the Susquehanna Trail foothold established to Centre Square in York, quickly the Board of Governors of the Susquehanna Trail Association took up the task of selecting the route that they would champion southward from York to the Maryland line. That will be my post next Friday in my continuing series on the Story of the Susquehanna Trail in the Good Roads Movement.

Related posts include:

• Zion View’s Green Frog BBQ on Labor Day
• Camp Ganoga and the Susquehanna Trail
• Story of the Susquehanna Trail in the Good Roads Movement: Part 1
• The Wellsboro Agitator campaigns for the Susquehanna Trail
• The Susquehanna Trail forks at Amity Hall
• The Susquehanna Trail lands York, PA at the Crossroads of PA Routes 1 & 4
• Susquehanna Trail to Tap the Lincoln Highway at either Gettysburg or York; with Dover route Considered
• Yorkers spring into action To Attract the Susquehanna Trail
• Board of Governors of the Susquehanna Trail Association visit York in 1918
• Susquehanna Trail Association switches in favor of a York Haven route; should York get the Trail
• Establishment of the Susquehanna Trail in York County during 1918
• Susquehanna Trail extends from York to the Maryland line
• The Road to JOPPA; origins of Susquehanna Trail in Southern York County
• Susquehanna Trail incites a Halloween Jubilee
• The Susquehanna Trail as a Ribbon of Concrete
• York is In Danger of Losing the Susquehanna Trail during 1923
• Newly Completed Susquehanna Trail teems with Historical Scenes
• Agitating for a Susquehanna Trail Celebration
• High Jinks on the Susquehanna Trail
• History of The Susquehanna Trail—Route Numbers
• Susquehanna Trail through York County; Wrap-Up
• Remembering Besser’s on the Susquehanna Trail
• Susquehanna Trail WWI Memorial Sycamores
• The Susquehanna Trail: Greatest highway in Eastern America
• Dauber’s Nurseries tied to Susquehanna Trail and Arsenal Road
• Walking the Lincoln Highway from Coast-to-Coast

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