Lancaster's metallic bookworm has been reading the newspaper daily for nearly 40 years. But how much…
Category: Local History
Haunted Lancaster: All aboard! The Rock Point Tunnel Railroad Ghost
Even if you don't believe in ghosts, Chickies Rock is a place of death. At least…
Death by Dynamite: The 1906 Shenks Ferry TNT factory explosion obliterates 11 men
Here's a tale of the macabre detailing the worst accident in Lancaster County history. On June…
Hang’em High! The macabre history of public hangings in Lancaster
Almost as soon as people started living in Pennsylvania, we started executing them. Lancaster's first hanging…
In the 1700s no one ever accused Lancaster’s constables of being soft on crime
During the 1700s, no one ever accused Lancaster’s early constables of being soft on crime. Records…
Haunted Lancaster: The sad tale of Lover’s Leap at Chickies Rock
Even if you don't believe in ghosts or spectral apparitions, Chickies Rock is a place of…
Haunted Lancaster: The Ghost of General Reynolds
Some believe General John Reynolds' spirit never found peace. As such, his ghost wanders the streets…
The day Lancaster was the nation’s capital
September 27 On this day in 1777, Lancaster became the nation’s capital when fourteen members of…
Was Lampeter named after handicapped tavern keeper Peter Yeordya?
Legend has it Lampeter was named after an early resident and disabled tavern keeper, Peter Yeordya.…
The Grape: Secret meeting place for Lancaster’s Sons of Liberty
If you are looking for the epicenter for the spirit of independence in Lancaster County, look…
The Great Indian Treaty of 1744
In June of 1744, scores of Native Americans began to gather outside of Lancaster in a…
The Conestoga Horse: The first outstanding horse to be developed in America
Lancaster County had its own horse to pull the Conestoga Wagons (click here to read more…
How Columbia and Millersville nearly became the county seat for Lancaster
Lancaster County's first courthouse was not at Penn Square. It wasn't even in Lancaster City.
Tschantz Graveyard: The final resting place for several of Lancaster’s first settlers and one of the County’s oldest cemeteries
1710 Lancaster County Immigrants In 1710 the first extensive settlement in what would later become Lancaster…
Conestoga Wagon: Century Strong Ship of Inland Commerce
The Conestoga wagon, as known as "the ship of inland commerce," was used for over a…
Haunted treasure lies hidden in Safe Harbor; chaotic spoils of the French & Indian War
In 1870, treasure hunters descended into Safe Harbor. Under the cover of darkness, they searched for…
The Great Ice Flood of 1904 that erased Lancaster County towns from the map
In 1904 an ice flood destroyed towns along the Susquehanna. Flooding far exceeded what occurred in…
Was Lancaster County formed to rid Chester of its “thieves, vagabonds, and ill people”?
Infested with Thieves, Vagabonds, and Ill People In 1728, residents living in the backwoods of Chester…
How millions of potato bugs conspired to cause the worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history
The worst trolley accident in Lancaster County history occurred on Sunday, August 9, 1896, causing the…
How did this Martic Forge property end up with 300 millstones? Learn the history of Flory’s Mill.
After years of driving past this brick wall with embedded millstones, I wondered two things. Why are…