Batter up, pass the hot dog: York relishes the Revolution
The naming of York’s new baseball team the “York Revolution” ties into the community’s most cherished moment — the nine months that the Continental Congress visited York County in 1777-78.
What’s the evidence that York relishes its Revolutionary War past when Congress met in the town’s Centre Square Courthouse? Well, count the historical markers downtown. About a dozen tie into the Revolution. Only one, way out in West York, connects with the Civil War… .
About 65 business draw on themes from the Revolution: “Colonial,” “Capital,” “Yorktown” or “Continental.”
The American Revolution in York was a time of great pride. The delegates to the Continental Congress limped into York Town, shoved out of Philadelphia by the redcoats. They strutted back to Philadelphia nine months later with a constitution under their belts and help from France on the way.
“York County residents have looked on this reversal of fortunes with pride ever since, placing a Colonial stamp on the community that has lasted 225 years,” I wrote in “Nine Months in York Town.” “It has been said that York County frames historical images of its heritage with wood from the York County Court House, widely known as the Colonial Courthouse.”
Interesting though. Despite this pride, 45 percent of county residents responding to a Polk-Lepson survey in 2000 didn’t know about York’s connection with Congress or the Revolutionary War. Only about 10 percent mentioned the Articles of Confederation, suggesting they had a working knowledge of York’s role in the war.
If you want to know more, check out these links:
– Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and history
– York: ‘The first capital of the United States?’.
