This 1917 Pullman light delivery truck, owned by the Laugerman family and restored by Paul Vaughn, won Best in Class among York-built cars in a past Concours D'Elegance, an annual vintage car show that serves as a York County Heritage Trust fundraiser. Background posts: Mechanical museum intrigues newcomers, Where do you go for one-stop shopping on York County history? and When a Pullman automobile became a seesaw.

Was York the "Detroit of the East" or did it just miss becoming "Detroit of America"?

That prospect was raised again in the program for the annual high-end car show Concours D'Elegance held just this past weekend at York College.

The program "Ford and fins" reprinted a short item about York auto industry penned by William H. Shank, the late York resident and noted transportation writer.

"Under slightly different circumstances, York might have become 'Detroit' of America," Shank wrote... .

Posted in Books & reading Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Harley-Davidson Made in York Nostalgia & memories War Wheels of York York Town Square

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People leave Harley-Davidson's Springettsbury Township, Pa.'s, plant on the day that workers learned that 300 would be cut from the work force. Background posts: Presidential visit No. 3: Bush makes like Bono, AMF-Harley in York, by the numbers and AMP's and AMF's alphabet soup spilled in same small town.

Since 1942, news has flowed from the Springettsbury Township plant that has housed York Safe & Lock, Blaw-Knox, Naval Ordnance Depot, AMF and Harley-Davidson.

Three strikes (1969, 1991, 2007). Three presidential visits (1987, 1999, 2006). Now 300 to be trimmed from Harley's ranks.

There's more.. .

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York Nostalgia & memories People Presidential stops York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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President Reagan visited Springettsbury Township's Harley-Davidson plant in 1987, the first of a series of chief executives to mug at the York County, Pa., plant. That's Harley employee Eric Myers on the bike. Presidential visit No. 1: Mr. Reagan goes to Harley, Presidential visit No. 2: Clinton hugs Harley and http://www.yorktownsquare.com/2007/02/presidential_visit_no_3_bush_m.php.

Continuing the series of telling York County, Pa.'s, history through images: ... .

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York (Pa.) Ice Machinery Corporation, later York Corporation and today owned by Johnson Controls, served as a catalyst for the York Plan. Yorkco chairman William S. Shipley headed the York Manufacturers Association, which promoted the sharing of machinery and manpower to land large World War II defense contracts. Here, condensers are lined up on Yorkco's shop floor. Background posts: York made big, heavy things and was immensely proud of it, The bomb: 'And yet it stopped the war' and 'Her words helped win the war'.

Continuing the series of iconic photos - photos that capture layered moments - from York County, Pa.:

Posted in Books & reading Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Harley-Davidson Iconic images Local landmarks Made in York N.Y. Wire/Whistle People War Women's history World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square Yorkco

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Plans are moving ahead for an October reunion of 1960s bands that played at White Oaks Park. Meanwhile, memories of the park continue to flow to York Town Square. Background posts: Stadium will be site of The Oaks music reunion, York-area full of memory-spawning landmarks and White Oak Park welcomed Blaw-Knox workers .

For many years, Jane Heller's grandfather, Oliver Lease, ran White Oak Park, that nostalgia-inducing recreational center located in the area where the Masonic Lodge now sits, along the Susquehanna Trail, north of York.

Jane shared memories of "The Oaks" via an e-mail conversation: ...

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This big World War II mobile siege gun represented the legacies of two industrial giants. Neighboring factories S. Morgan Smith Co. and York Corporation jointly constructed the gun, which could lob 240-pound shells at targets 30 miles away. Background posts: Glatfelter, Morgan Smith head industrial legacy list and 'Little Johnny' called for Allies in World War II.

In a recent York Sunday New column titled "Contributors bring history to life (see below)," I muse about how York County factories historically have made big things and worked hard to tell the world about them.

I tied it to the recent sale of Bradley Lifting, which made big, heavy devices that helped lift big, heavy things.

I went on a riff like this: ... .

Posted in A.B. Farquhar Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York Mail bag People War World War II York Barbell York Safe & Lock York Town Square York sports Yorkco

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Harvey Bradley, who built his York company, Bradley Lifting, from scratch has sold his company to an out-of-town outfit. Here, Bradley is seen with a giant hook in 2007. His company fabricates the block that the hook will be hung from. Background posts: Glatfelter, Farquhar, Shipley: Insights from local greats, Who will lead York in the future? and Samuel Small tops community contributor list.

Harvey Bradley is a living example of some of York County's past captains of industry.

He started with few resources, except perhaps the most important, an entrepreneurial spirit. He built big things... .

Posted in A.B. Farquhar Events For photo fans Harley-Davidson Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York People York Barbell York Safe & Lock York Town Square Yorkco

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This photo shows two quad (that's eight guns) 40 mm anti-aircraft Bofors made at Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division plant during World War II. Those guns were America's best defense against Japanese suicide attacks late in the war. Today, the York Safe and Lock-made Blaw-Knox plant is incorporated into Harley-Davidson's sprawling complex. Background posts: AMF-Harley in York, by the numbers and York Safe & Lock worker recalls chat with Hedy Lamarr.

The York Safe & Lock / Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division / Naval Ordnance Division / AMF / Harley-Davidson plant near the Narrows north of York has always been associated with robust output.

That's why it has been visited by admirals and U.S. presidents.

But how robust is robust?...

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

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It would have been interesting to see this batter slide in his business suit in this photograph taken at a Blaw-Knox Special Ordnance Division picnic on July 29, 1945, at White Oak Park, north of York. Blaw-Knox succeeded York Safe & Lock near the Codorus narrows, east of the park site. AMF and Harley-Davidson followed Blaw-Knox at the plant. The park also accommodated dances with live bands in the 1960s. Background posts: Memories about 'The Oaks' pile up, Wanted: Old photos of teen hangout White Oaks Park and The Dell: 'It was like family'.

The promoters of a compilation CD of bands that played at White Oak Park Dances in the 1960s has a release date.

Oct. 18, 2008.

In an e-mail, Phil Schwartz wrote:

"The release of the CD is being timed to coincide with an even bigger event: a White Oak reunion... ."

Posted in Events For photo fans Harley-Davidson Local landmarks Made in York Mail bag Nostalgia & memories People Small-town life Unsung/obscure sites War World War II York Safe & Lock York Town Square York sports

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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 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... .

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This was the first 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: