York Town Square

The missing historical marker that marked the spot of Camp Security is missing. The sign stated: ‘Stockade built in 1781 by Col. Jas. Wood on land of Daniel Brubaker. British Troops of Burgoyne’s army imprisoned here guarded by York County militia. The camp was about a mile to the south.’ Background post: Camp Security memories tucked inside memoirs.
The presence of the missing Camp Security marker is a story in itself.
The marker is one of more than 15 American Revolution-related markers dotting greater York.
The prevalance of these markers underscores the area’s rightful love affair with its Revolutionary War past. In contrast, the number of markers pointing to Civil War sites is one or two.
It could be three, but a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Web site says that a marker pointing to Gen. Jubal Early’s march through the Weigelstown area is also missing.
Thus, these signs can be viewed as artifacts that, taken as a whole, point to the way the community sees itself. That surrender to the invading Confederates in those pre-Gettysburg days of 1863 is long remembered – or maybe intentionally forgotten.
But what is not as easily explained is the dearth of World War II markers… .

Only one sign in all of York County points to World War II – the one near the boyhood home of Gen. Jacob Loucks Devers.
No such signs point to key York Plan sites. For example, Forry Laucks and his York Safe & Lock were a pioneer in pulling together lists of manpower, machines and materials from various factories to land large defense contracts. York Corporation, now owned by Johnson Controls, and others worked on parts of the Manhattan Project. Outside York, 11 military men died in a plane crash in Northern York County.
And in Stewartstown, York countians played host to a German prisoner of war camp at the community park, right next to the Presbyterian Church.
The Camp Security marker might be missing, but at least there’s a sign to mark that POW camp.
Perhaps Ken Burns’ “The War” will kindle the kind of interest in World War II that it deserves.

There’s no sign of a missing sign. A marker that described the historical significance of Camp Security is gone.
Friends of Camp Security, an organization formed in 2000, say the sign marked the location of the only Revolutionary prisoner-of-war camp still known to be intact. The group wants the sign returned to its home, which is for a now-topless pole on East Market Street in Springettsbury Township.
Carol Tanzola, president of Friends of Camp Security, said she learned a couple of months ago that the marker was missing. Around that time Tanzola called Historic York and asked for help. Calls were then made to local and state officials to see if their workers had removed the marker for roadwork or other reasons, Tanzola said.
“We had assumed it was taken out to be refurbished,” Tanzola said. “We’ve done all these inquiries and the sign is still missing.”
“It’s very sad that the sign for something as significant as Camp Security … It’s gone,” she said. “It’s not just me who notices it but other people in the community.”
Tanzola hopes that anyone who has information about the missing sign will contact her organization, local or state officials.
“No questions will be asked,” she said.
If the sign is not returned, the cost to replace it will be about $1,500, she said. Friends of Camp Security could apply for a grant that would cover half of that amount, Tanzola said.
“It’s just sad; we’ve got so little left of the preservable site,” she said. “This is a county issue. Camp Security … It belongs to everybody’s heritage in the county.”
Springettsbury Township Manager John Holman on Thursday said the municipality’s police and public works departments have looked for the sign.
“We are aware that the marker is missing … We do not know where it is,” he said. “We certainly appreciate the state historical preservation commission’s efforts to try and find it … We’re hoping it is found.”
Karen Arnold, executive director of Historic York, said the markers allow local residents and visitors to the area learn more about the significant historic locations. It’s amazing how many people actually notice and read the markers, she said.
“A lot of them are erected by taxpayer money and they are property of the Commonwealth,” she said of the markers. “Having one missing is a sign of a problem.”

Related link: http://www.campsecurity.com