Classroom

&nbsp;Built &nbsp;in the 1700s, the First Presbyterian Church of York is over 200 years old. It is still an active religious church that is continuously worshiped in today.The building’s roof collapsed in 1860 causing the church to be reconstructed. In the later years, the church had to expand their property because lectures that were held in the church started to become too crowded. The church&nbsp;added its&nbsp;current Kerr Education Building, which it uses for&nbsp;offices and lectures. &nbsp;The grave yard was a later addition in the 1800s. There are currently 175 well known towns people from the 1800s to the 19th century buried at the church. Graves were actually found underneath the church from before the building was established. Hand-made stained glass windows, crafted by&nbsp;artists in the 1800s, makes the church extremely historical. The stained glass windows honor&nbsp;people who made an impact on the community. There is an overwhelming amount of history behind the church and the features help create the historical feeling. 
	When looking at the stained glass windows, one&nbsp;notices the variety of colors that explode throughout the glass. There are many stained glass windows that create colorful streams of light which fill&nbsp;the church with a beautiful appearance and&nbsp;&nbsp;peaceful feeling. The graveyard  has many rows of weathered plots that have been there for ages. Some of the plots are tall, while others are shorter making the appearance of the graveyard unique. The exterior of the church has Gothic-style cone on the roof. The archatectural structure of the outside has old brick with an antique design. The building is surrounded by trees and a cheery small town. For being built in the 1700’s, York’s First Presbyterian Church still has its old sentimental charm.
	Looking at the overall historical views and exquisite design, the church is a true landmark for the town. &nbsp;Much time was put into the detail of the building to make York’s First Presbyterian Church beautiful. It will tell a story for the people who come to visit and worship in the chapel. All the features work with the history to create an amazing building that will represent York for years to come.&nbsp;

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The First Presbyterian Church, constructed in 1785, has many attributes that make it an historic building, most notably its old stained glass windows, antique exterior and centuries-old graveyard.  All of these features are the key to grabbing the attention of people passing by on the street. When people notice the church they also notice a welcoming feeling emanating from there. By learning the history and viewing the masterpieces that make the church, everyone will be intrigued by the rest of the town.


York's First Presbyterian Church 

Instructor

This short walk connects visitors to the early history of York and several of the leading landmarks and museums of the downtown area. The tour makes a loop and so it only includes a portion of what this historic town has to offer. 

The first courthouse
that was built in the city of York was down the road at 205 West Market
St.&nbsp; In 1841, the first courthouse was sold and demolished, after the
second courthouse was built, despite what many residents&nbsp;wanted. The second courthouse's construction was started in 1839, and finished in 1841. In 1863, Confederate General
Jubal Early, along with his 10,000 troops, took over the sheriff’s office. He
demanded $100,000, food, supplies, and sundries for sparring the city. The
city was only able to raise $28,000. Fortunately, for the residents of York, Early was
called to Gettysburg and the city was spared.&nbsp;

The third
courthouse was built in 1898 in the same location as the second courthouse. Architect John Augustus Dempwolf, designed the structure which was completed at a cost of $450,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;The fourth courthouse features more modern design and the addition of two
courtrooms and large wings on the east and west sides of the building.&nbsp;

The current York Courthouse is located at the site of the city's second courthouse which was constructed from 1839 through 1841. This structure featured a marble staircase and six 20-foot tall columnns in the front of the building. Although the exterior was elegant, the county soon needed a larger structure that featured three domes. The present courthouse replaced that structure. 

York Courthouse

Imagine
the sound of vehicles rushing by, mixed with the commotion of those walking by,
filling the surrounding atmosphere, outside of the Strand-Capitol building. The
building itself has an older appearance, but with a modern touch to it at the
same time.&nbsp;

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; According to one historical article,
the Strand-Capitol astonished &nbsp;those that came to its grand opening in 1925,
“with its marble terrazzo floor, graceful archways and lavish decorative
materials – 1,800 pounds of gold leaf, 100 pounds of bronze and 4,000 pounds of
ribbon gold in plaster molding. Chairs were upholstered in genuine Spanish
leather, and a spectacular 2,800 pound chandelier hung from the ceiling”
(Groups). Imagine the sound of excitement filling the atmosphere as people
stare in awe at the amazing and unique architecture and architectural details
incorporated into the Strand-Capitol building.&nbsp;The Strand has the
capacity to hold 1,214 while the adjacent Capitol has less than that, only being able to
seat 700 people. According to a historical article the Capitol is “an intimate,
elegant structure with a balcony and ornate decoration” (Groups). Both the
Strand and the Capitol have unique beauty and historic value. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Before the Strand-Capitol was constructed, there was the a smaller theater known as the&nbsp;Hubley
Building. Although, the Hubley building was used as a theater, it is not the
same type one would think of as today. Then in 1925, Nathan and Louis Appell
built the Strand Theater. &nbsp;Constructed during the&nbsp;roaring twenties, when moving pictures
were becoming &nbsp;popular, the theater flourished, as it did during the Great Depression, an era when&nbsp;Yorkers went to the
movies more than ever. In the postwar period, however, with the development of&nbsp; “ suburbs and suburban shopping centers, tThe Strand, like other downtown&nbsp;theaters suffered. Eventually, the Strand
was officially closed in 1977. 

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; But rather than tearing down the theater and building a parking lot, the city rallied around refurbishing it. &nbsp;&nbsp;Ironically, had the government not &nbsp;denied the federal grant that Mayor John D. Kraut
applied for, then York would not have its famous Strand-Capitol Theater and
would have lost a major historical building from the roaring twenties. The
history of the Capitol Theater is similar to that of the Strand’s history, which like the Strand, closed in 1977. The Strand was
reopened in April of 1980, followed by the reopening of the Capitol in July of
1981. According to a newspaper article the reopening of the Strand, “was one of
the proudest moments in the history of York” (Groups). Ever since then the
Strand-Capitol Theater has been used for theatrical entertainment for the York
community. Today the “Strand is the home for the York Symphony Orchestra and
Performing Arts for Children. The Capitol provides ‘big screen’ films in a
movie theater of grand style” (Groups). Recently the Capitol has brought
vaudeville back to life; which consists of vaudevillians, sing-alongs and
silent films. Throughout the years of its existence its purpose has not
changed, it is still used today for entertainment to the public.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Strand-Capitol can provide
residents of the York community with several important lessons. However, the
most important lesson one should know is to cherish the arts of theater and the
historical aspects of the building itself. &nbsp; &nbsp;Although, the
Strand-Capitol has been renovated, it has not lost its original look nor has it
lost its sole purpose for being built. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The Capitol and Strand Theaters make up the majority of the Appell Center for the Performing Arts.  The Capitol, built in 1906, began as the Theatorium and then a dance hall known as the Jackson which had a balcony added in 1917.  The Italian Renaissance Strand was built adjacent to the Jackson in 1925 by Nathan and Louis Appell.  The Appells then purchased the Jackson the next year and converted it into a smaller live-show and movie venue which opened as the Capitol in 1927.  They were threatened with demolition in the 1970s, but were saved largely through the efforts of Louis Appell Jr.  Both theaters still host live shows as well as vintage and current movies.     

The Strand-Capitol Appell Center for the Performing Arts

The purpose behind York Central Market’s existence was to create a controlled area where merchants and hagglers could sell their wears and stock to the hungry citizens of the new city. It was also built to keep up with the increasing population of York. The original men who came up with the idea to build York Central Market were William, John, and Richard Penn. &nbsp;&nbsp; After 40 years of use, the sheds that made up York Central Market were showing their age and instead of looking like a proud city market, looked more like an ugly shantytown complete with sheds and abandoned wagons. Noell, the mayor of York City at the time, wanted these sheds destroyed and an enclosed market house befitting the city constructed. In 1928, a vote was quickly taken and the resolution to demolish the sheds passed 5-4. To build a new market place, it cost around $45, 000.00.&nbsp;Citizens of York thrived on the idea of demolishing the sheds and frantically joined in destroying them. A dentist, Dr. James A. Dale, became quiet excited at the prospect of seeing these eyesores demolished and, in his agitated state, he seized a fire axe from his store wall and took a mighty swing at one of the market shed’s wooden pillars. Unfortunately for the good doctor, his blow was off the mark and instead of cutting into the supporting timber, the axe struck its iron support, which caused the axe to rebound, and a large piece chipped out of its blade, which struck him squarely in the head, knocking him unconscious.&nbsp;York's Central Market was ahead of the curve regarding plumbing and indoor bathrooms as it was one of the first buildings in York to have both. &nbsp;Even now it is more than&nbsp;just a nice place to go get coffee with friends; it is one of the&nbsp;crown jewels of York which serves&nbsp;as&nbsp;a community center and hub.&nbsp;&nbsp;During York's First Friday celebrations, the market hosts special events from live music to pumpkin festivals.&nbsp; Currently, its&nbsp;50-plus vendors are divided into several categories: baked goods, dining, produce, beverages, services, specialty goods, meat, fish &amp; deli and vegan/gluten free.&nbsp; York Central Market recently underwent a $2 million renovation during which its electrical, plumbing and heating systems were updated, new lighting&nbsp;and doors were added and its mezzanine was upgraded.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The York Central Market has been in continuous operation since it was constructed in 1888.  It was designed by locally prominent architect John Dempwolf who also designed numerous buildings in the area.  Dempwolf created a massive, 35,000 square-foot red brick building in the Romanesque Revival style complete with a hipped roof with steep gable dormers and projecting front pieces.  To give the building stature, he placed two three-story towers with pyramid roofs at either side of its main entrance.  Today, the market is home to over 50 vendors who sell a variety of food items, from restaurant-style meals to fresh produce, meat and fish.  It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. 

York Central Market

The town of
York was founded in 1741, incorporated as a borough in 1787 and as a city in
1887 and the York Friends Meeting has been present since the beginning.&nbsp; The first call for a Friends Meeting appeared
in the Warrington Monthly Register in 1764 and two years later lots 175 and 176
were deeded “…for use of the Society of Friends, forever.” by Nathan and Edith
Hussey.&nbsp; William Willis and Joseph
Garretson were then tasked with building the east portion of the Meetinghouse
in 1766.&nbsp; The west portion was added in
1783 to accommodate a women’s meeting and a panel was added to separate the two
which could be raised to create a large meeting room for worship.

York was
then established as a Monthly Meeting in 1786 with William Kersey as clerk of
the Meeting.&nbsp; The size of the York
Meeting then ebbed and flowed as new members joined and others headed west to
establish Meetings in Ohio and Indiana.&nbsp;
The low point in membership arrived in 1858 when there were not enough
male members to hold a Monthly Meeting.&nbsp;
It then was incorporated into the Baltimore Monthly Meeting as a result
and remained as such until 1913.&nbsp; It was
then reorganized as an Independent Meeting in 1932.&nbsp; 

In 1951 it
became part of the Warrington Quarter once again and George Jessop sat as clerk
until 1955.&nbsp; That year it was taken over
by Eldon Leech who clerked for the next 38 years and was often the only Friend
in attendance in order to “keep the Meeting.”&nbsp;
During the Vietnam War Era it became an anti-war meeting place.&nbsp; However, by the early 1970s it had fallen
into a state of disrepair due to neglect and vandalism.&nbsp; Its mortar was crumbling, bricks were
missing, window panes broken, and many gravestones in its small cemetery
were knocked over, defaced&nbsp;or missing.&nbsp;
Fortunately, the building was saved by the combined efforts of the York
Chamber of Commerce and Historical Society of York County which raised funds
and secured the assistance of local union members who volunteered time and
materials.&nbsp; Renovations were completed by
1976.

The York
Friends Meetinghouse is one of the few pre-Revolutionary War buildings in York
County and one of the oldest Meetinghouses in the country.&nbsp; It still holds silent worship every Sunday at
11:00, discussion/speakers second and third Sundays at 9:30 and spirit led
singing the fourth Sunday at 9:30.&nbsp; The
York Friends Meeting still practices and emphasizes simplicity, peace,
integrity, community, equality, stewardship and service at its Meetings during
which all are welcome.&nbsp;

Completed in 1766 and expanded in 1783, the York Friends Meetinghouse is the oldest religious building in York County having been used as such for over 250 years.  Its east section is a simple 1.5 story, two bay brick structure with a gable roof and the west addition is similar in design and almost doubled the building’s size.  As one would expect, its interior is as simply designed as its exterior, with center facing wooden pews and unadorned walls.  The Meetinghouse is still used by the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, for weekly meetings and worship services every Sunday at 11:00.  The Meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

York Friends Meetighouse

Built in 1754, the provincial courthouse allowed the growing town's population to attend to legal business without ferrying across the Susquehanna River to Lancaster. From September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778, delegates to Continental Congress met in York's Colonial Court House, located in the town's square. Ahead of advancing British troops, Continental Congress evacuated Philadelphia and convened for one day in Lancaster before voting to move across the Susquehanna River to York. The Articles of Confederation were adopted in York on November 15, 1777. Some off the major figures of the American Revolution who came to York included John Hancock, Sam Adams, John Adams, Henry Laurens, the Marquis de Lafayette, and General Horatio Gates. Cultural differences and strained resources are believed to have created some tensions between members of Continental Congress and townspeople.The courthouse was renovated in 1815. By 1841, York had outgrown it's courthouse and a new building was constructed just off the square.

Built in 1976, this building is a replica of York's provincial courthouse. The original was located in the center of York's town square from 1754-1841. Continental Congress convened in York from September 30, 1777 to June 27, 1778, running the affairs of the American Revolution and adopting the Articles of Confederation.

Colonial Court House Replica

The single-story
home that would become the Golden Plough Tavern was constructed in 1741 by
Martin Eichelberger.&nbsp; That single floor
has a unique timber framing and log construction in which the walls are framed
with the space between the posts infilled with hewn beams and the gaps are
chinked with stones and mud.&nbsp; The second-floor
walls are half-timbered with brick nog (fill) between the timbers and wattle
(wooden strips) and daubed with a viscous material, usually a combination of
soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw.&nbsp;
This 6,000-year old technique is rare in America as is the building’s
liegender stuhl (lying chair) trusses that comprise the roof.&nbsp; The tavern was essential to the community of
York as it served as an inn, restaurant, meeting place and source of news from
far away places like Philadelphia.

The
2.5-story Gates House was built c.1751 by Joseph Chambers who later became the
second owner of the Golden Plough.&nbsp; The
brick and limestone home was constructed in the Georgian architectural style
and was home to Revolutionary War officer General Horatio Gates from September
of 1777 to June of 1778 while the fledgling U.S. government was located in York.&nbsp; The government relocated from Philadelphia to
York after the defeat of the Continental Army at Brandywine.&nbsp; While there, Gates served as the President of
the Board of War to the Second Continental Congress, a position similar to
today’s Secretary of Defense.&nbsp; There is
some evidence that the Marquis De Lafayette visited either the Congress, Gates
or both while they were in York.&nbsp; Today
the house is used as a period museum to show how a well-to-do family lived
during the late 18th century.

On the other
hand, the Barrett Bobb House reveals how a family of more modest means
lived.&nbsp; The unique two-story log cabin
with dovetailed corners was built in 1811-1812.&nbsp; Bobb utilized squared-off logs with stone and
mortar chinking between.&nbsp; It was originally
located at the corner of Pershing and College Avenues and moved to occupy land
closer to the Gates House and Golden Plough in 1968.&nbsp; The first floor contains four rooms and a
small hallway while the second floor has an open floor plan.&nbsp; It is believed, for a time, that the house
was occupied by two families.&nbsp; It is now
furnished and decorated in a style typical of an 1830s German-American home.

The
reproduced Colonial Courthouse, built in 1976 to help celebrate the country’s
Bicentennial, is a replica of the original which was built in 1756 and razed in
1841.&nbsp; While the Second Continental Congress
was located at York it met in the Colonial Courthouse and passed the Articles
of Confederation, the country’s first guiding document, as well as a treaty of alliance
with France.&nbsp; All four buildings are on
the Colonial Complex’s guided tour.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Located in York, Pennsylvania, the Colonial Complex is a collection of four historic buildings that served various purposes during the colonial, pre and post-Revolutionary periods.  The Gates House and attached Golden Plough Tavern have always been at this site, while the original Barnett Bobb House was transported there in 1968.  Lastly, the Colonial Courthouse is a 1976 reproduction of the original that was once locate at York’s center square.  The complex is operated by the York County History Center and is open for guided tours throughout the year.  The Gates House and Golden Plough Tavern were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and the Barnett Bobb House was added in 1975.

Colonial Complex

The Bon-Ton
began in 1898 when Max Grumbacher and his father, Samuel, opened Grumbacher &amp;
Son, a millinery and dry goods store that occupied a single room.&nbsp; It soon outgrew its small beginnings and the
family built a five-story, 37,000 square-foot store at the corner of Market and
Beaver Streets in downtown York in 1912.&nbsp;
Attempting to lure high-end patrons, the Grumbachers chose the moniker “Bon-Ton,”
a British term that designates a member of the elite or high society, for their
department store.&nbsp; The store continued to
thrive and, as a result, incorporated in 1929.

Max
Grumbacher Sr. died in 1933 and his two sons, Max Jr. and Richard, along with his
widow, Daisey, formed a partnership and not only continued the family business,
but expanded it as well.&nbsp; A second store
was opened just after World War II in Hanover, Pennsylvania and a Bon-Ton
arrived in Hagerstown, Maryland soon after.&nbsp;
Today, Bon-Ton maintains its corporate headquarters in York and its
merchandising headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.&nbsp; And while there is some evidence that the
chain is struggling financially, it still operates over 260 stores in 26
states.

As for their
flagship store, the Grumbachers selected the well-known firm of J. A. Dempwolf
to design a building that reflected their vision.&nbsp; Dempwolf responded by designing a structure in
the Commercial Style made popular by Chicago department stores.&nbsp; His design featured a glazed terracotta façade,
large rectangular windows and stepped parapets along the roofline.&nbsp; It also featured a Tea Room that could accommodate
over 250 patrons and a second-floor café that kept people in the store for
lunch.&nbsp; The store even eventually incorporated
York’s first “moving stairway” or escalator in 1956.

As has
happened to numerous downtown retail stores across the country, the Bon-Ton
followed the people to the suburbs, where multi-store malls were being
established in the 1960s and 1970s.&nbsp; As a
result, their downtown York store sat unused for over a decade.&nbsp; It was eventually acquired by York County,
which hired the firm of Nutec Design to re-imagine it as the York County Human Services
Center.&nbsp; To achieve that goal, the entire
interior was gutted, to include asbestos removal, its exterior was restored to
it heyday of the early 20th century and the large warehouse behind
it was demolished.&nbsp; Currently, the
building still serves as a county government building.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Completed in 1912 and designed by prominent Pennsylvania architect, John A. Dempwolf, the former Bon-Ton Department Store is now the York County Human Services Center.  The chain’s initial flagship store, the building was abandoned in the late 1970s when the Bon-Ton moved to a York suburban mall.  It then sat vacant for over a decade until it was acquired by York County and underwent a major renovation in the early 1990s.  Best known for hosting Santa during the holiday season, who arrived via the York airport astride a fire truck, the building and department store are fondly remembered by most of York’s older residents.

The Bon-Ton Building, York

<div><div>The original design of this historic hotel featured&nbsp;wrap-around balconies, a feature that is once again present in the restored apartment and retail building.In 1875, the building was remodeled and the&nbsp;balconies were removed. A fire on September 27, 1879 destroyed the building and despite several attempts to rebuild, it was not until 1903 that a new building was completed. &nbsp; The building was remodeled in the 1920s to match the styles and economic boom of the era. The new owner, W.
A Reist, added suites and retail outlets on the first floow such as Jacks', which sold ladies clothing. This store could have
sold clothing to the new type of woman, the flapper. The flapper was a girl who
broke from the long Victorian dresses and long hair filled with curls. Instead
these girls bobbed their hair and raised their skirts to right below the knee.
The National House shared this trend with women by removing the Victorian balconies in favor of sleek and straight lines.</div></div>

The National House was originally built in 1828, and operated as the White Hall Hotel for many years. Charles Dickens stayed at White Hall Hotel with his wife in 1842. It was at this time that he proclaimed the couple had enjoyed the "best beefsteak... in America." The historic hotel has hosted presidents such as Martin Van Buren and countless celebrities. The National House is no longer a hotel but rather an apartment complex with a bar and restaurant and retail outlets on the first floor. 

The National House 

In 1749, the county of York was
founded, and the one building that the area was missing was a county prison. It
took six years until the county built the prison. The prison was built in 1755,
so imagine six years with no place to hold those who fought against the law. This
prison was not the traditional prison we know and think of today. To get a real
idea of how old the jail is, it did not have barbed wire on the fences to keep
prisoners in, and there are no pictures that show how the actual prison looked.
Though the prison might be considered “primitive,” the jail did in fact hold
value of importance in the county. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From the
outside, the jail resembles a style of house that would have been built at this
time. The walls of the main building were made from stone and what seems to be
mortar, a cement-like substance. The jail stood two stories tall with windows
that had iron bars installed to keep those who were prisoners inside the prison
and away from the general public. The only reminisces of the prison are
sketches that someone drew at the time that the prison stood. The prison was
said to have been located on the corner of King and George streets in York
County. One flaw in the design of the location of the building of the prison
was that it was probably built in a populated area, which gave the inmates a
better chance of successfully escaping the prison. In 1768, in the July sessions, “the
county commissioners requested that the county jail be enlarged, as it was too
small for a work house and prison and the walls were not safe, whereupon the
court ordered them to erect an additional building” (Prowell). The prison was
running out of room, and the conditions of the prison were becoming overcrowded
and unhealthy. The commissioners of the county decided to build an addition
onto the main building of the prison. The addition of the jail resembles
another popular style of house at this time. The walls of this addition were
made with long wooden beams and plaster. This new building was most likely
built to house more prisoners, house guards that were off duty, or even process
new incoming inmates. The jail had a courtyard to give
the inmates of the prison an opportunity to stretch their legs, exercise, and
converse with other inmates. The courtyard ran parallel to East 
King Street, and the courtyard was 180 feet by 154 feet long (McClure). The
courtyard was built in the shape of what seems to be like a rectangle. The
members on the board of the jail wanted the prisoners to be more confined so
there was less risk of them escaping the prison (McClure). With no barbed wire
or any other way of keeping prisoners from climbing over the walls, the risk of
them escaping increases greatly. 







&nbsp;The jail is a key part of the history of York
County in how we saw jails and prisons in the past and how we see the
traditional prison that exist today. Through the mistakes of the past and flaws
in the prison’s design, engineers would be able to rebuild and create the
prison in York County. Sad enough, the jail no longer stands and cannot be
toured or study like other prisons from the past such as the Eastern
Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A walk through the cold, long
hallways would give the impression of how it felt to be detained here. If one
was to see the way that the prison was build, he or she could grasp the idea of
how the conditions were and how the prisoners lived their lives while being
within the walls of this facility.&nbsp;

Imagine that you are an inmate being brought into justice for a petty crime that you have committed against the county of York. You are lined up with several other hard-looking men who have been sentenced to time in prison for murder, corruption, and contempt. As you take in your surroundings, you notice the building made of stone in front of you. The building looks as if it is just a regular house that someone is going to come out and welcome you inside, but it has a feeling of foreboding surrounding it. In a raspy deep voice, one of the guards yells “We are here.” The cozy looking two story stone house, which you have presumed it to be, is not so hospitable, it is the first York County Prison. The prison might be remembered as a welcoming house to all, but the prison only welcomes those who have disobeyed the law. Even though in present day, the prison may no longer be standing, it has much history in how it contributed to the community of York. The York County Jail has affected the community through detaining prisoners, keeping the law, and isolating the prisoners in a facility that is separated from the general public.

The First York County Jail was built in the year 1755. The building was exceedingly small and contained two large rooms to hold prisoners. There were no individual cells. There were many windows that had bars on them to keep the inmates from escaping. An addition was added in the early 1800s. By 1854, the building had deteriorated so much that it was torn down in 1854. 

The First York County Jail

The Laurel
Fire Company began as the Sun Fire Brigade of York Town in 1771 and each member
was provided a bucket with which to fight fires when called upon.&nbsp; They drilled every Saturday and purchased their
first lever-operated engine in 1772.&nbsp; A
shed to house the engine was built along N. George Street in 1773 and Rudolph
Spangler was appointed its custodian.&nbsp;
The name of the company was changed to the Laurel Fire Company some time
after 1777.&nbsp; The name was derived from
the laurel wreath that was painted on the engine.&nbsp; 

A new
station was eventually built on S. Duke Street.&nbsp;
However, that station was, not without some irony, engulfed in a fire
that scorched 18 buildings in the area.&nbsp;
The company then purchased a lot at the corner of S. Duke and King
Streets and the cornerstone for the new station was laid in 1877.&nbsp; It was dedicated in May 2, 1878.&nbsp; Electric lights were added in 1886 and stalls
were built for two horses (Harry and Frank) to pull the engine the same year.

In 1885, a
fire at the York Collegiate Institute convinced many fire fighters and town
leaders that a hook and ladder truck was necessary to help prevent future
fires.&nbsp; Led by Rex Stouch, for whom the
Rex was named, money was raised and a truck was purchased in 1886.&nbsp; When it arrived the next year it was housed in
a carriage house owned by the York County Agricultural Society.&nbsp; A temporary home was then constructed along
E. Market Street until a more permanent home could be built adjacent to the
Laurel Station in 1888.&nbsp; However, it was
not until 1957 that an interior door was installed connecting the two stations.

Today, there
are many remnants and reminders of the Laurel-Rex’s past as well as updates to
the building due to the technological advances in fire fighting equipment.&nbsp; For example, the Rex’s basement was filled in
to support the weight of modern hook and ladder trucks.&nbsp; On the Laurel side, the Corinthian columnns
were removed and steel rods were added to support the 2nd floor all to
make more room for larger engines.&nbsp; However,
the horses’ names still appear where their stalls once stood and the wood in
the lounge is still worn from their chewing.&nbsp;
Also, a gas chandelier remains in the 2nd floor meeting room
as does a Dampier ladder that was damaged during a 1913 fire at the
staion.&nbsp;

The Laurel Fire Station is a large two-story building of Italianate design built in 1877-78 which joined with the Rex Hook and Ladder Company in 1888 to form the Laurel-Rex Station.  When the Rex was built next to the Laurel, care was taken to make the two buildings architecturally compatible with one another, to include the bell towers at the corners of each building.  The Laurel-Rex can trace its origins back to 1771 when its members operated from their homes.  The company has since progressed from buckets to human and horse drawn engines to its present-day, modern fire fighting equipment.  Today, it is one of the oldest continuously operating fire stations in the United States and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

Laurel-Rex Fire House

W.L.
Stoddart was appointed by the hotel’s executive committee to design the eleven story hotel. Construction
on the hotel started January 1st, 1925, less than a year after the&nbsp;Chamber of Commerce appointed a committee charged with investigating the construction of a luxury hotel since York was centrally located near Philadelphia, Baltimore and Harrisburg. &nbsp;City boosters promoted the plan with editorials in the local press with headlines such as&nbsp;“Modern
Hotels DO Pay!”&nbsp; By the 1940s, the hotel contained well over 200 rooms and expansion plans were being made. The&nbsp;Yorktowne Hotel enjoyed initial success but struggled during the Great Depression and the 1970s, when travelers chose accommodations near the interstate over the more expensive downtown hotels.&nbsp;In February
of 2011, the historic hotel was scheduled for sheriff’s sale after PNC Bank claimed the
hotel owners defaulted on $4.5 million loan and owed more than $20,000 in late
fees. The sale was scheduled for June 13th
but it was canceled after the hotel owners believed they reached an agreement
through negotiations to prevent the foreclosure. According to county records the York Hotel Group paid $5.25 million to
buy the building- a sale that may have prevented the hotel from closing.By the start of the 21st century the Yorktowne had fallen into a state of disrepair due to neglect.&nbsp; The roof leaked, the masonry had deteriorated and its rooms were in need of modern upgrades.&nbsp; It also had no sprinkler system or&nbsp;proper handicap access and its HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems were all substandard.&nbsp; Despite all its shortcomings, the hotel was purchased at sheriff's auction in 2011 by the Starwood Property Trust which, in turn, sold it to the York County Industrial Development Authority (YCIDA)&nbsp;in 2015 for $1.8 million.&nbsp; In mid-2017, the YCIDA auctioned off much of the hotel's contents in order to raise funds for a potential remodel.&nbsp; The YCIDA then decided to embark on a $20 million renovation of the venerable hotel.&nbsp; These renovations include the demolition of the 1957 Duke Street&nbsp;addition&nbsp;to the hotel which will be converted into a courtyard.&nbsp; The addition of a rooftop bar is also being contemplated&nbsp; The YCIDA also plans to reduce the total number of guest rooms, add apartments and open the first floor for retail space.&nbsp; A late 2018 or early 2019 grand re-opening is planned.&nbsp;

The 11-floor Yorktowne Hotel is designed in the Renaissance revival style and first opened its doors in 1925.  Plans for its construction began in 1923, as the twenties were just starting to roar, and York was seen as a city on the rise in need of a downtown hotel.  It featured 20-foot ceilings, oversized guest rooms, brass and crystal chandeliers, and mirrored and paneled walls.  It was expanded in 1929 and again in 1957.  It was recently purchased by the York County Industrial Development Authority and closed in November of 2016 for a $20 million makeover.  Plans are to re-open the hotel in early 2019 as a mixed-use building with retail space, guest rooms and apartments.       

Yorktowne Hotel

York Water Company was established by a group of investors who met at the&nbsp;Indian King Tavern in 1816 who sought to create a method to prevent fires within the town.&nbsp; &nbsp;When the business began, water was distributed by wooden pipes. These were later replaced by cast iron in 1840&nbsp;which&nbsp;increased the system's durability. The company pumped water from the nearby river and later began using water from Codorus Creek with a state of the art pumping system that involved steam. By the year
1896, York became a booming town which&nbsp;led the York Water Company to add pumping stations further
upriver owing to pollution which also made the water from the Creek unusable.

Polluted water led to a typhoid outbreak at the turn of the century.&nbsp;In
1899, the York Water Company developed a filtration system that was capable of
removing the bacteria from the water and allowing the residents to no longer
worry about contracting typhoid fever from their water supply.&nbsp; It was the first successfully operated water treatment facility in Pennsylvania. The headquarters building, designed by William Billmeyer,&nbsp;includes a 25-foot-high ceiling which is decorated with a 3,800-square-foot mural by artist Gustav Ketterer.&nbsp; The mural incorporates the theme, "The Gift of Water to Mankind" and&nbsp;&nbsp;includes Greek, Roman and Christian mythological figures and notions.&nbsp;On each side of the ceiling, there is a picture of a mini water fountain spraying water into the air. Today,&nbsp;there is a live fountain that is spraying water on the top of the ceiling right above the door. &nbsp;Behind the building's four exterior Corinthian columnns that support a large pediment that features a relief of a bubbling fountain&nbsp;and large Palladian windows Ketterer's mural dominates the interior.&nbsp; HIs three frescos present his interpretation of the Four Rivers (Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates and Pison) delivering the gift of water from the Throne of God; the Roman and Greek gods of water, Poseidon and Neptune; and Psyche offering a cup of water to Venus.&nbsp; Between the windows are four goddesses that are directly linked to water, Pomona the goddess of fruitful abundance, Flora goddess of flowers, Ceres goddess of grain and Amphitrite goddess of water.&nbsp; During normal business hours, the York Water Company invites all to come view Ketterer's work.

Established in 1816, the York Water Company is the oldest investor-owned utility company in the United States and has the longest record of consecutive dividends since 1816.  The company's headquarter building is one of the most architecturally significant buildings in York. Samuel Small was the original owner of the property and sold the building to the company in 1928. The marble structure, completed in 1929, stands like a magnificent marble temple amidst common brick buildings. The interior of the building celebrates water with figures such as Poseidon being featured in the center of the ceiling alongside depictions of the “Four Rivers" that coincide with the Four Gospels of the Bible.  

York Water Company and Headquarters

William C. Goodridge was born to an enslaved African-American mother in Baltimore in 1806. It is not known who his father was, but it is generally assumed he was a white man. In 1811 he was indentured to the Reverend Michael Dunn who operated a tannery in York. Dunn planned to free Goodridge once he reached 21, but he was freed at the age of 16 when Dunn’s business went bankrupt. Goodridge them moved to Marietta for a time where he became a barber. He then moved back to York in 1824 and opened his own barber shop. In 1827, he married Evalina Wallace who also became his business partner. The two had seven children, five of which survived to adulthood. The same year they were married, the Goodridges moved into a well-built brick home along Philadelphia Street and William lived there until the mid-1860s. The couple quickly expanded their barber business to include the sale of various items, to include a baldness cure known as Oil of Celsus. Goodridge then opened a freight service, the Reliance Line, in 1842 which operated primarily between York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. In 1847 he built the tallest building in York, Centre Hall, a five-story commercial property located in central York. Goodridge operated an employment agency from Centre Hall and rented out space to various businesses, to include a tavern and York’s first newspaper, The Democrat. One of Goodridge’s sons also operated a photography studio within Centre Hall.By 1856, Goodridge owned 12 properties in York and was one of the wealthiest African-Americans in south central Pennsylvania. However, things began to go awry after his wife died in 1852 and most of his properties were sold at auction after he went bankrupt just prior to the start of the Civil War. Goodridge remained a barber in York until 1864 when he moved to East Saginaw, Michigan to live with family. He then moved on to Minneapolis to live with his daughter, Emily, where he died in 1873 at age 66.The Freedom Center, which opened in 2016, focuses on Goodridge’s dual roles as business and African-American leader and Underground Railroad stationmaster in York. Due to the secretive nature of the business, it is not known how many people Goodridge assisted on their road to freedom through providing them temporary refuge or secreting them to Philadelphia in one of his freight cars. The center is operated by the Crispus Attucks Association of York. The first floor has been restored to how it looked in the 1840s, while its second floor will feature rotating exhibits.

The former home of York businessman, William Goodridge, is now the William C. Goodridge Freedom Center and Underground Railroad Museum. Goodridge was born into slavery in Baltimore in 1806 and eventually became one of York’s most successful businessmen by the 1850s. He also built the, at the time, tallest building in York in the form of a five-story building called Centre Hall. However, he is best known for being a vocal abolitionist and an active stationmaster within the Underground Railroad, helping to smuggle slaves to freedom through his properties and actual railroad shipping line. Visitors to the Goodridge Freedom Center can view the secret room where Goodridge hid runaway slaves until he could move them to freedom or the next station.

Historical Walking Tour of York Pennsylvania

York's First Presbyterian Church

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information