Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division employees mug for the camera in 1944 in a rally to raise morale - and production - during World War II. The Navy sold the plant to American Machine and Foundry in 1963. Today, Harley-Davidson occupies the plant. 'Hog' label linked to Harley for 80-something years and 'Harley's Journey a Good Ride'.

AMF - the forerunner of Harley-Davidson in York - is back in the news.

The Brunswick Corp. bowling pin manufacturing plant in Antigo Wis., is closing.

That leaves QubicaAMF in Lowville, N.Y., as the last manufacturer of bowling pins in the United States... .

Posted in Events For photo fans Harley-Davidson Local landmarks Made in York War World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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John Burke Jovich meets former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey in 1972. Background posts: President Buchanan's fall reflected his presidency, LBJ: In small towns, girls are fonder; dinner pails fuller and Presidential visit No. 1: Mr. Reagan goes to Harley.

John Burke Jovich has met eight American presidents so far.

And that's not all.

Here is another feat listed by this student of the presidency who lectures, writes and consults on the presidency and who calls York home: ...

Posted in Books & reading Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research tools Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Made in York People York Town Square

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American Machinery and Foundry, best known to York County as occupant of the former York Safe & Lock factory after Naval Ordnance Plant and before Harley-Davidson, started in Hanover and became an international company. Its first plant was located on East Middle Street in Hanover until it burned down in 1903, leaving a ruin shown here in this August 1967 AMF newsletter. Background post: From Bofors to bikes, Harley plant top hog, Where was the arsenal on Arsenal Road? and Glen Rock marked site of AMP/Tyco's first Pa. plant.

AMP, now Tyco, opened its first Pennsylvania factory in Glen Rock.

AMF started in Hanover. It became best-known as the owner of the former York Safe & Lock plant, which later became Naval Ordnance Plant. Among other products that AMF made at its new plant after 1974 were Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

And AMF had a plant in Glen Rock, too

AMF and AMP in the same town.

Imagine trying to explain to relatives a change in job from one to the other... .

Posted in Books & reading Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research tools Harley-Davidson Local landmarks Made in York Small-town life York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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This was the graphic or photograph to appear with a York Town Square post, accompanying York Market House No. 5 – Carlisle Avenue Market, revisited in April 2006. Incidentally, that the present-day Dreamwrights building was built as a farmers market still surprises folks. Background posts: There were 5, count 'em, 5 York markets and Don't know much about (York market) history?.

The year 2007 saw visitors to this blog increase exponentially over the previous two years we've been posting.

We hope you are enjoying each day's history lesson. The numbers, increased commenting and e-mails suggest you are.

A list of best, first and most popular posts at this blog follows:

Posted in American Revolution Books & reading Civil War Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research tools God & York County Harley-Davidson Hex murder Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York Mail bag N.Y. Wire/Whistle People Small-town life War World War II York Barbell York Safe & Lock York Town Square York celebrities York sports Yorkco

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You never know who you're run into when you're out giving speeches.

I was at West Manchester's Country Meadows recently doing a presentation on York County and World War II.

A resident at the assisted living place stood up and proceeded to tell the audience about meeting Hedy Lamarr during her visit to York Safe & Locks, now occupied by Harley-Davidson, in 1942. (See Hedy Lamarr's visit to York long remembered.)

C. Clark Julius sat beside her during a program to drum up War Bond sales. He conjectured that he must have been a big giver to have received such an honor.

I asked him what he remembered about the beautiful actress, and he immediately said that she talked a lot -- the whole time in fact.

That's a curious thing to remember about Hedy Lamarr... .

Posted in Harley-Davidson Made in York People War World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square York celebrities

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Blaw-Knox's Naval Ordnance Depot, successor of York Safe & Locks, was one of the newsmakers that occupied a spot in Codorus narrows north of World War II-era York. The area where the creek cuts through the hills has long been a site of activity in York County, including home of current occupant of the old Naval Ordnance building, Harley-Davidson. Here, servicemen from Philadelphia's Naval Incentive Division "inspect" Twin Bofors, 400 mm anti-aircraft guns, with the aid of some women workers. (For a look at Quad Bofors, see photograph below.)

An e-mailer responded to my recent column on the Codorus narrows with some memories:

Living away from York for many years, I particularly enjoy reading
your excellent historical pieces on my hometown.

Your recent piece on the Codorus Narrows brought to mind a visit home
a few years ago, when I woke to the sight of excavation on the
hillside directly west from our family home. The hill, long being
gobbled up by a quarry on the creekside had been scraped clear for a
townhouse development to the east and south... .

Finish reading 'Hiker finds remote foundation in York narrows' »

Posted in Civil War Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York Mail bag People War York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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Hedy Lamarr stumps for bond sales at York Safe & Lock's ordnance plant in 1942. Those buildings make up part of Harley-Davidson's Springettsbury Township complex.

Hedy Lamarr's visit to York Safe & Lock's naval ordnance plant in 1942 was one of many landmark events occurring at that site. (For others, see Codorus narrows area soaked with history.)

"I came here to sell war bonds. You came here to see what that 'dame' Hedy Lamarr looks like. Hitler and Hirohito are not interested in that," she told the crowd.

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy Harley-Davidson Local landmarks Made in York People War World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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The owner of Round the Clock Diner is developing this neighborhood across the road. What will go in is not yet known.

The struggling residential neighborhood southeast of the Interstate 83 and Route 30 intersection will someday be smooshed to make way for something else. See wrecking ball.

Perhaps it was inevitable that the stranded neighborhood would wither. I-83 severed its connection with North York, and it's surrounded by highway, businesses and the Codorus Creek.

Driving its uneven streets, the neighborhood is a bit like a village that time forgot. Roads that previously ran into North York dead end at the interstate. An uninviting walkway or drainage culvert or some such tunnels under the highway... .

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Employees of the Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division plant, succeeded years later by Harley-Davidson, took over White Oak Park for a company picnic on July 29, 1945. For years, the park, located north of North York, served as a popular meeting place.

Keystone Record Collectors' Phil Schwartz is working on a project to remaster music from groups that appeared at White Oak Park, called "the Oaks."

The park, located in the vicinity of the Masonic Temple north of York, was a popular post-World War II picnic place and early 1960s teen hangout.

Schwartz explained that the groups - the Del-Chords, Exciting Invictas, El Dantes - often made "demos," and much of the music was never released. The working title of the CD project is "White Oak Park-Battle Of The Bands."... .

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Dr. John C. Bieri put on a magic show for Naval Ordnance Division workers at White Oak Park. One account states that he pulled rabbits out of hats, changed the color of flowers, converted a flag into dozens of flags, spilled candy from empty boxes and made boxes, tables and chairs disappear.

Prompted by a reader's query, a previous York Town Square post asked for photos of White Oak Park. See: Fun in North York

Well, I found some.

The park was a picnic grounds and a hangout for teens and concerts in the 1950s and 1960s. It was located in the vicinity of the Masonic Lodge, north of York.

I ran across these two photos and six others in a Blaw-Knox Naval Ordnance Plant publication. The plant now forms part of Harley-Davidson See recent H-D posts.... .

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Workers produced Bofors anti-aircraft guns at the Special Ordnance Division plant, now part of Harley-Davidson's complex, during WWII.

Decades before market leader Harley-Davidson operated out of its Springettsbury plant, another top-of-category company occupied the complex.

First, it was York Safe & Lock and later Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division, and their prime product was Bofors guns. You know, Ack-Acks, the guns on ships that you see in World War II movies.

The 40-mm anti-aircraft guns represented the Navy’s response to Japanese Kamikaze planes.

The double- and quad-mounted York County-made guns are credited with bringing down Kamakaze planes at a rate of 32 a minute in Pacific Theater fighting.

Some facts about Bofors, according to a Naval Ordnance Plant publication, February 1946: ...

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research tools Harley-Davidson Local landmarks Made in York War World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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Norman Goss, an employee at Harley-Davidson's Springettsbury Township facility, sports two Harley tattoos: The company's bar-and-shield logos appear on his back and on his right arm. 'I don't know of any other brand where people take the logo and tattoo it on their arm,' Mel Campbell, York advertising exec, said in 2005. 'That kind of loyalty . . . you don't find that in any other product.' See previous Harley posts at H-D archives .

Think Harley-Davidson, and you think Hog or Hawg.

Where did that connection come from?

It started in 1920 when a pig, the Harley racing team's mascot, was carried on a victory lap after each race won by H-D's team of cyclists.

Six decades later, the brand was reinforced when Harley inaugurated Harley Owners Group - Hog.

The owner's group, the largest cycle club in the world, was started to put Harley in touch with users.

Honda tried it, but failed, in part, because its executives didn't ride with users, Peter Reid wrote in "Well Made in America."

Which brings us to former Harley CEOs Rich Teerlink's account of the time he was leading a big ride and forgot to fill up the gas tank, common for novice riders.

"Since Rich was a Harley-Davidson VIP, he and Ann (his wife) had been asked to lead the ride, so corporate credibility was clearly at stake," Reid wrote. "They made it. Barely. Corporate stomachs, however, were reported to be in knots the size of baseballs."

Other facts, figures and date of note in Harley's storied past, taken from York Daily Record files:

Posted in Books & reading Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks People York Town Square

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President Bush sought - and gained - permission from Joel Toner, left, to start a Harley. Bush observed that Toner had a cool job. Toner said: "I agreed and said, ‘Yeah, I think I got one of the greatest jobs in the world.’”

Unlike his predecessors Reagan and Clinton, President George Bush got on the hawg during a visit on Aug. 16, 2006 to Harley-Davidson's York plant.

Some bullet points about his visit:

Scene setter from York Daily Record: "At Harley-Davidson’s Springettsbury Township plant, George W. Bush might as well have been a rock star. Donning sunglasses similar to ones worn by U2 front man Bono, President Bush strutted into the motorcycle maker’s Softail plant Wednesday afternoon for a two-hour foray. He stopped to sign an autograph, frequently shook hands with workers and later straddled a shiny blue-and-white Softail Deluxe, revving the engine to workers’ screams and hollers." ...

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York People York Town Square

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