I recently had the opportunity to speak to the second graders at Lafayette Elementary about Native…
Category: Local History
Christopher Franciscus: the Daniel Boone of Lampeter
Christopher Franciscus was the pioneering character who wrestled a wolf while taming a wilderness here in…
Side Quest: Marietta’s Mystery Monument – ‘Speak, friend, and enter.’
It doesn't get any better than this: enigmatic petroglyphs with possible secret society connections hidden on…
Rankin Treasure Adventure
Before having his property confiscated for being a traitor, British Loyalist James Rankin hid his entire…
16 Roads, Bridges, and Places worth knowing about in Lancaster County
If you love old maps like I do, then you will enjoy this one from 1978…
1978 map of Lancaster County’s creeks, towns, and hills
If you love old maps like I do, then you will enjoy this one from 1978…
Baumgardner’s Mill: Grinding out property disputes, sabotage, and foul play
Today Baumgardner's Mill sits quietly along Covered Bridge Road in Pequea Township. But more than 100…
Southeast view of the City of Lancaster in 1978
If you love old maps like I do, then you will enjoy this one from 1978…
Take a trip back in time with this historic canoeing guide to the Conestoga
In 1976 the Conestoga Valley Association created a detailed canoeing guide to the historic Conestoga that…
Where did Lake Aldred get its name?
Located on the Susquehanna between Safe Harbor and Holtwood lies the 2,400-acre body of water known…
River Guide: Ranck’s Mill
Ranck's Mill was a once-prominent, but now nearly forgotten, location along the Conestoga.
1978 Map of Lake Aldred on the Susquehanna River
If you love old maps like me, then you will enjoy this one from 1978 showing…
Mr. Washington Goes to Lancaster
It's Presidents' Day! As such, we celebrate the life of George Washington. But did you know…
The forgotten winter tradition of ‘snowing the bridge’
Before cars, it was customary for the local farmer to snow a covered bridge after each…
1978 Map of Lancaster County Central Park
If you love old maps like I do, then you will enjoy this one from 1978…
Map of Native American paths in Lancaster County
If you love old maps like I do, then you will enjoy this one from 1978…
1978 map of Lancaster County’s Covered Bridges
In 1978 Lancaster County had 34 covered bridges. Today, it's 29. Here's a great map showing…
Uncovering the history of the Safe Harbor Iron Works
In 1846, Reeves Abbot & Company from Philadelphia selected the area near the mouth of the…
Phantom Places: Wabank House. What happened to this ‘fashionable and favorite place of summer resort’?
Built in 1855 along the banks of the Conestoga, the Wabank House was a "fashionable and…