York Town Square

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Old, new Conewago bridges keep each other company: Linked in with neat York County history stuff, Aug. 23, 2012

More stuff below: Endangered artifacts/Abandoned Cyclorama

 The modern highway bridge across the Conewago Creek north of Manchester keeps company with the its older brother, abandoned but not demolished. The older bridge was left standing after the new bridge went up in contrast with the practice a couple of miles upstream. In that case the older, picturesque Ganoga Bridge taking the old Susquehanna Trail over the Conewago was recently demolished after a new bridge went up. (See photograph below.) It’s just interesting to see how policies about demolishing old structures change over time. Also of interest: Old Ganoga Bridge: ‘It is a highly unusual sight in York County’ and Conewago Creek Crossing hot spot for years.

Neat stuff from all over … .

News about pending demolition of the old Foustown distillery smokestack near Glen Rock is bringing comments and memories.

Here one from Twilly Detweiller on yorktownsquare.com:

“It is sad to see the smoke stack will be no longer exist but requirements for safety are obvious. I never failed to look over to see it on my frequent drive on the adjacent state route – a couple of times, when accompanied by my wife/family, we would detour off our route and take the side road that went by it for a closer look….. A quiet, solid sentinel from times long ago – asking us not to forget the past.”

A co-worker emailed me with the following sentiments: “I know, been driving past that 30 yrs on the way to stuff. I always imagine it in its prime. Friend bought a house in city, came with liquor stashed in a basement cubby. Some foust whisky still in bottle.”

And here’s a comment I made on Google+: “There’s a neat story about Foustown, near Cousler Park, not to be confused with the smokestack-damaged Foustown near Glen Rock. One time, Scott Fisher, our opinion page editor, found pieces of pottery near the northern Foustown. This testifies to the Pfaltzgraff pottery that operated there in the mid 1800s. Love that stuff.”

Cast your vote: The Virginia Association of Museums is giving you a chance to vote on the Top 10 most endangered artifacts from their region. Over 50,000 have cast ballot so far. Check out: Endangered artifacts.

Center of the Universe: Yorkblogger June Lloyd tells about another connection of a York countian to a major American event – the manhunt after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.  See: Adventures of a York countian.

Forum of the day: An environment assessment about the abandoned Cyclorama building in Gettysburg is now public. The park service still wants to demolish it: http://bit.ly/O4MGDO. What’s your view? Should the landmark circular building be used where it is, moved or demolished? Background: Opposing forces charge and countercharge over old building.

This is the location of the now-demolished Ganoga Bridge outside Strinestown. The new bridge spans the Conewago upstream from the old Boy Scout Camp Ganoga, now private property. For a photograph of the stately Ganoga Bridge before demolition, check out: Susquehanna Trail.