York County Agricultural & Industrial Museum
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Entrance to the Museum
Annual Book Blast Event at the Museum
Oyster Fest at the Museum
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Although technically two separate museums, visitors to the Agricultural & Industrial Museum explore the history of labor in Pennsylvania and how the development of certain technologies aided York County in substantial economic growth.
Agricultural Museum
The agricultural part of the museum is located in the Old Eastern Market building. First built in 1889 and operating as a farmer’s market until 1947, the current 13,000-square-foot museum features about 20 exhibits. Self-guided and guided tours are available, and the museum also includes a gift shop, a play area, and a garden.
Exhibits in the agricultural part of the museum range from the economic culture surrounding farming to essential equipment used in the field. For example, within the “Banking Artifacts” exhibit, visitors can discover an authentic four-ton safe, while the “Plowing and Cultivating” exhibit displays several generations of horse-drawn plows and cultivators. Other exhibits here include the “Cigar Manufacturer,” “York Automobiles,” and “Machine Shop.”
Industrial Museum
The industrial part of the museum is located in a multi-building complex that focuses on industrial artifacts dating from the 19th century and onwards. One of the more popular sites at this museum is undoubtedly the old fashioned ice cream parlor, which transports visitors back to yesteryear with an up-and-close look at the most social spot in the town.
Also, the full-size 1892 model of Phineas Davis' coal-fired 1831 locomotive prevails as an exciting look into the railroad culture of Pennsylvania. Other exhibits in the industrial part of the museum include the reconstructed (and operating) “Gristmill,” “Auto Body Manufacturing,” and a hands-on exhibit showcasing the telephone’s history and how it works.1