York Township’s Springwood Park dance hall: ‘We would pack the place’
This is one of only two photographs of old Springwood Park in York County Heritage Trust image files. (See second photo below). A York Township history places the park on the railroad bend north of Relay and Yoe. But see the existing house along Springwood Road, with the distinctive windows, in the post Springwood Pool and its sloping sides: ‘I remember so well how cold it was’ to gets its exact location. (But drive carefully because that stretch of road is wicked.) Background posts: 19th-century mines gave Ore Valley its name and Yo! More support for Yoe vs. Yohe and So, you want learn about your house’s history?.
The post “York Town Square commenter asks about much-remembered Springwood Pool’s ownership ” brings forth more information about York Township’s Springwood Park.
But there’s not a lot on the official record about that now-abandoned spot.
The book “York Township celebrates 250 years of history” is a resource (See comment with this post).
It at least tells about the dance hall in the photo above:
This Heritage Trust photo is captioned: “Orion Gesaug Verin,” 1904. The group, perhaps there for a holiday excursion, is posing on the Ma & Pa Railroad tracks that ran near the park. The railroad offered transportation to the venue, which was open from the 1920s to the 1954.
“Across the street (Springwood Road) from the pool was a windowed dance hall approximately 75 feet by 100 feet. Many large bands entertained at this site. According to Mr. (James) Botterbusch, ‘Saturday nights we would have square dances and we would pack the place.’ James Botterbusch remarked, ‘I think we had the first outdoor movies every Sunday night, which were free. We built a movie screen on the hillside and people would pull in and watch the movies.’ South of Springwood Park was a small movie theatre operated by Reuben Swords.”
E-mailer Lynda Stoddard is seeking a bit more information about the park that isn’t readily immediately available on the public record.
She understands the Greenawalts were the last owners of the park and wants to confirm that. And she understands that there was a shooting at the park.
Any more information out there on these queries about this almost-forgotten, but-once-popular recreational spot?
*Edited, 3/5/12
