In 1903, the Pennsylvania Railroad began an ambitious three-year engineering project which ran through Lancaster County,…
Category: Local History
1852: Winter so cold the railroad ran tracks across a frozen Susquehanna
The winter of 1852 froze the Susquehanna at Havre De Grace solid. This presented a problem…
Enjoy this Safe Harbor Visitor’s Guide and Map from 1989
During a recent tour of Safe Harbor Dam, I picked up a copy of the company's…
River View Hotel Visitor’s Guide
It's hard to imagine today, but the now sleepy village of Pequea in Martic Township was…
Meet York County’s silent stone sentinels: the Wrightsville Lime Kilns
If you have ever eaten at John Wright Restaurant in Wrightsville, you may have noticed the…
A Brief History of Colemanville United Methodist Church
The Colemanville United Methodist church was first organized in 1849 on land donated by Mrs. Edward…
At Lancaster’s founding the town was English in name only
At its founding, Lancaster was English in name only. Had you walked down the streets of…
Sons of Liberty: Matthias Slough and the White Swan Hotel
Despite having no battles fought here, Lancaster was still a hotbed of political activity before and…
Lancaster City Revolutionary War sites: Equestrian Stables for Washington’s Army
With the outbreak of the Revolution, Lancaster was far enough away to be a safe location…
1907 McCalls Ferry Dam Postcards
I recently acquired three 1907 McCalls Ferry Dam (now called Holtwood) postcards. Being a firm believer…
Lock 12 Historic Area
I recently came into possession of an out-of-print booklet published by Holtwood LLC detailing the Lock…
In the News: ‘Mysterious Rock Art Island Of The Susquehanna River’ with TopoRanger
In August, YouTuber Topo Ranger and I journeyed out to see the petroglyphs of the Susquehanna…
Seeking information about Private Earl J. Lynn from 1921
When you own a property as old as the Drumore Mill, it is not uncommon to…
Meet Hannah Hetherley, the ‘pow-wowing’ witch doctor know as the ‘Sorceress of Lititz’
In 1879, a rag-tag group of Christmas day-born treasure hunters led by the "Sorceress of Lititz"…
Rediscover the almost-forgotten Pequea Magnetic Ore Mine deep in the heart of Horse Hollow
Deep in the heart of Horse Hollow, spanning both sides of the Pequea Creek lies a…
Forgotten Places: Conestoga Centre’s Horse Hollow
Forgotten Places: Conestoga Centre's Horse Hollow. Did the Union Army really herd reserve horses there during…
LiDAR imagery reveals the site of Mt. Gretna’s proposed Maximum Security Prison
In October 1938, workers broke ground near Mt. Gretna to build an escape-proof maximum security prison.…
The Beautiful Drumore Mill: Home to the Peach Bottom Slate waterfall, former Civil War lookout, and underground railroad stop
Discover the magically retreat known as The Drumore Mill on Harmony. This 30-acre property nestled among…
Susquehanna pastimes at the River View Hotel in Pequea
It's hard to imagine today, but the now sleepy village of Pequea once entertained tourists from…
LiDAR imagery of Safe Harbor reveals razed ghost town
Prepare to have your mind blown because I recently gained access to LiDAR imagery of Lancaster…