YorksPast started with a post on July 26, 2012. A few days ago, on July 26, 2014, I began the third year of sharing a hodgepodge of explorations of York’s Past. The posts totaled 472 during those first two years; averaging slightly more than four and one-half posts per week.
This chart shows the growth of YorksPast readership in recent months; thanks to my ever-growing legion of loyal readers! At the beginning of every month, I’m sharing with my readers the top 10 posts from the previous month. You’re continuing to catch up on reading the past installments of my historical novel, that I post every Thursday; 25 of the top 50 post views were installments of Railcar Gold. These are your favorites during July 2014:
Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse (1889-1952)
Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse stands today along Stonewood Road in York County, Pennsylvania. Following the 1951-1952 school year, it was one of the last five One-Room Schoolhouses that closed in Springettsbury Township.
Tractor Seat Chair or Modern Art; You Decide
United States Patent No. 644,506 was issued to Walker A. Dromgold, of York, PA, on February 27, 1900. My first thought, this could easily be a piece of modern art.
Miller’s One-Room Schoolhouse (~1860-1952)
In 1856, a tiny 0.08-acre lot was set-aside at a “T” intersection for a school building. This lot was distinctively in the middle of a farm lane, on the boundary between John Miller’s and John Stricker’s farms. About 1860, Miller’s One-Room Schoolhouse was built on that lot. Today that building still stands as a private home at 3565 Heindel Road in Springettsbury Township, York County, PA.
A Retrospective of the Confederate Invasion of 1863
This retrospective of YorksPast posts related to the Confederate Invasion of 1863, into York County, Pennsylvania, is for the “Sesquicentennial Plus One” commemoration.
Readers Choose Top 10 Posts during June 2014
In early July, I shared this top 10 list; i.e. the posts with the most page views from my loyal readers, during June 2014.
#17 Celestino, Costello & Company; Top Cigar Manufacturer in York during 1899
Celestino, Costello & Company is the eleventh cigar related manufacturer that I’ve written about thus far, in counting down the top 50 employers in York County during 1899. This was one of the many cigar related businesses attributed to Edwin Myers, who made extensive modifications to a farmhouse in Springettsbury Township in 1901, creating the Meadowbrook Mansion in the Georgian Revival style.
Reading the HEADLINES; A Quick Index to ALL YorksPast Posts
Reading the Headlines is an always-up-to-date, quick index to all YorksPast Posts that was suggested by a reader.
Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse named for Preacher David Witmer
Witmer’s One-Room Schoolhouse was built in 1889; prior to the 1891 formation of Springettsbury Township from Spring Garden Township. Township farmer and Mennonite Preacher David Witmer deeded the land for Witmer’s Schoolhouse to the Spring Garden School District for One Dollar. Offering land for schoolhouses for only one dollar, nearly always resulted in the schoolhouse being named after the benefactor.
Vulcan Technology is in Pullman’s Electrically Controlled Gasoline Automobile
The Vulcan Electric Gear Shift had it origins in 1909 U. S. Patents by Frank Beemer. The Vulcan Motor Devices Company of Philadelphia purchased the rights to these patents. Vulcan worked on commercializing the Electric Gear Shift design. Initially they had some problems, however by 1913 Vulcan had a marketable product. Pullman Motor Car Company in York, PA, was one of the initial car makers to offer the Vulcan Electric Gear Shift on one of their models, such as the 1914 Pullman Model 6-46A.
Memories of Miller’s One-Room Schoolhouse and the Surrounding Area
Mrs. Erma Throne Daron had a very long teaching career, which included many years at Miller’s. Turk Pierce provided memories of Miller’s One-Room Schoolhouse and the surrounding area in the mid-1940s.
