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Monday, March 27, 2023

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Uncharted Lancaster

Uncharted Lancaster

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Have you ever wondered why some tombstones have coins on them?

In October 1938, workers broke ground near Mt. Gretna to build an escape-proof maximum security prison. But Depression Era budget cuts stopped the "Alcatraz of Pennsylvania" from ever being completed. Now LiDAR imagery helps reveal what the site would have looked like.

Towards the end of the Great Depression in 1937, rumors circulated that a “new maximum security prison” was to be built near Mt. Gretna in Lebanon County. Project architect Henry Hornbostel described it this way:

Lancaster County has five Mason-Dixon line markers along her southern border. I recently posted about an easy to get to one at the intersection of Grubbs Corner Road and Pilottown Road. Another is located inside Lancaster Conservancy's Rock Springs Nature Preserve. I attempted to find it once before but was defeated by an incredibly dense briar patch. Last weekend I tried again. This time wearing thicker pants and leather work gloves. Not only did I find it, but the marker proved to be an elusive "crownstone."

I spotted this iron spike coming out of one of the stone blocks at the culvert in Shenks Ferry. I did my best King Arthur impression, but it didn’t move. Not worthy I guess. Click the bio link in the profile to learn more about the area

Many of you know that I have a propensity for maps so when I saw this one from @chesapeakemermaid I had to share it.

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