York Town Square

Part of the USAToday Network

The First Post: 6 views of how Springettsbury Township’s old Road House Restaurant building has changed

A picture of the original house dated 1908. Submitted - Daily Record/Sunday News
Maybe it’s because many people in York County, Pa., have seen so many significant structures come down in the past five years. Or 50 years. But the preservation of the house best known as the former Road House restaurant has struck a responsive chord with residents. Paul Kuehnel provided visual coverage of the rehabilitation of the former Road House eatery into The First Post eatery. The responses on his Facebook page (see below) was enormous. ‘Kinda crazy,’ he wrote in an email. Here’s the Road House, or The First Post, in 1908. Also of interest: Meet First Post’s longtime, now long gone neighbor: York Valley Inn.

Below are five more views of this property along the old Lincoln Highway in Springettsbury Township … .

+++
A picture of the back of the house dated 1946. Submitted - Daily Record/Sunday News

The family that is renovating The First Post, descendants of the late Nick Kocoronis, estimate the building has been around since 1848. Yorkblogger Stephen H. Smith notes that a building was on the site – now 3691 East Market St. – in 1860. Read the YDR story by Gary Haber: Former Road House renovations.

+++

first

Nick Kocoronis and his family are known for their work with nearby Stonybrook Family Restaurant and Lion’s Pride/Great American Saloon in Red Lion. Stony Brook operates in a former Howard Johnson’s. The Red Lion eateries operate in the former Warner’s Dairy complex. So the family has adapted old buildings into eateries. Check out The First Post’s Facebook page.

+++
Railings and tile flooring under construction.  Paul Kuehnel - Daily Record/Sunday News

 Stephen H.  Smith is also president of the Springettsbury Township Preservation  Committee. ‘They’re doing a good job of keeping it historically accurate,’ he told the Daily Record. 

+++
A 19th century bar that came from Pittsburgh was blended into the new wood surrounding it. Paul Kuehnel - Daily Record/Sunday News

Stephen H. Smith said The First Post would be added to the list of Springettsbury Township’s 100 most historic buildings. Read more comments about this project on York Daily Record’s Facebook page.

+++
Amazing interest: Paul Kuehnel was the photographer on this First Post story. Look at the responses he received on his Facebook page. (Mobile users might need to click on the date).

17 photos: See what is taking shape inside this new future restaurant in Springettbury Township that has been taking…

Posted by Paul Kuehnel on Monday, April 6, 2015

Also of interest:
The First Post?
Report Gary Haber explains about this building, a longtime fixture along Route 462, Lincoln Highway and their predecessors:
The Nick Kocoronis family was told that the building was used long ago as an inn.
If so, it would have been one of the first places a traveler coming into York would have seen. Thus a traveler, preparing to visit or stay, would have tied his horse to a post.