The York Sunday New rated Bob Hoffman, founder of York Barbell, at the top of the top 10 York and Adams counties sports figures in the 20th century. Background posts: Lineup full of stars with York County links, Author muscles way into York's body building world and Richard Nixon's visit to his namesake park sparks memories.

The York Daily Record/Sunday News publication of the 25 most influential people in York County sparked much community discussion.

The same was true in 2000 when the York Sunday News issued its list of the 20th-century's top 10 sports people.

Bob Hoffman headed the list on the strength of his role as five-time Olympic weightlifting coach and his founding of York Barbell.

His selection - and others in the top 10 - brought accord and also disagreement... .

Posted in Black history Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Mail bag Nostalgia & memories People Pets & animals Quizzes & (fun) tests Women's history York Barbell York Town Square York celebrities York sports

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This image, from Aldersgate United Methodist Church's Web site shows the concrete image of Jesus, standing at the location of the congregation's longtime prized copper beech tree. Holocaust statue a must-see, Memorial honoring DUI victims should be visited and AIDS memorial at York's Albemarle Park .

While attending the viewing of longtime York Daily Record columist Jim Hubley at York Township's Aldersgate United Methodist Church, I saw the landmark cement monument depicting Jesus.

It reminded me of the church's copper beech tree.

Or rather, it reminded me of Mike Argento's story on the tree, later carved into a wooden rendition of Jesus and later a cement image.

Well, we'll let Mike tell the story (11/29/01), published in the York Daily Record before the cement image went up:

Posted in Explanations/controversy For photo fans God & York County Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Nostalgia & memories Pets & animals Small-town life Unsung/obscure sites York Town Square

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Kaltreider-Benfer Memorial Library is known for a lot of quality public services, including its used book sales. The next Book Nook is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17, at the Red Lion Country Club, formerly Copper Beech. But where does the Kaltreider come from in its name? This is part of a continuing blog series about the sources of names on the sides of York County's buildings.Grange Hall represented past way of York County life, Red Lion's Ebert Furniture: From bedroom suites to gunstocks and Red Lion's towering Fairmont Park off the beaten track.

Historian George Prowell named cigarmaker D. Frank Kaltreider as the epitomy of a self-made man, starting at the bottom and achieving "sound" financial condition by the age of 29... .

Posted in Books & reading For photo fans Local landmarks Made in York People Pets & animals Small-town life York Town Square

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Springettsbury Township's Meadowbrook mansion looms in the background as riders and horses strike a pose. At the turn of the 20th century, cigarmaker Edwin Myers brough this George revivial look to the mansion. Many stories are attached to the site. Tradition has it that invading, horse-hungry Confederates visited the spread in 1863, perhaps in search of the ancestors of the mounts pictured here. This photograph came from a Meadowbrook Village brochure filed at the York County Heritage Trust. Background posts: Property rights foundational in Lauxmont debate, York County cigars: 'They contained a vast amount of nicotine.' and Picturesque steel bridges going way of covered bridge ancestors.

The Canada goose that sought to hatch her goslings near Borders on Whiteford Road provided an opportunity to draw lessons from the former Meadowbrook estate.

I devoted my York Sunday News column (5/11/08) to the topic, which touched on the Dempwolf architects, cigarmaking, the lives of the rich and covered bridges - and the story of Mother Goose:

Posted in Books & reading Civil War Events Explanations/controversy Farms & fields For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York People Pets & animals Small-town life York Safe & Lock York Town Square

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This photo shows Bob Rebert, embroiled in a fight against a proposed sewage pipe that would cross his farm, walking on an old railroad embankment in 2007.
That railroad embankment has particular significance. Background posts: Abe, Gwyneth passed through Porters Sideling and Pamadeva. Get it? Pennsylvania. Maryland. Delaware. Virginia..

Outside forces are looking to lay sewer and gas lines under Bob Rebert's North Codorus Farm.

He's fighting the sewer line in court believing an ag security program he's under prevents such sewer line construction.

The sewer line, at least, would go under a railroad embankment crossing his farm.

That's not just another railroad embankment that lived a long existence bearing trains carrying farm products to market... .

Posted in Civil War Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks People Pets & animals Presidential stops Small-town life War York Town Square

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Gordon Mack worked as a clerk at voting precinct located in the Railroad Borough Municipal Building in this 2005 photograph. Railroad is perhaps York County's most unsung municipality. Background posts: Brewery profits produced landmark West York mansion and 'Rocks in the Glen' turns into town where things happen.

Some York County boroughs always have been defined by their bigger brothers. Yoe's relationship to Dallastown is one combo. Windsor's link with Red Lion is another.

But none are as closely associated as Railroad and Shrewsbury... .

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This 1979 photo of Three Mile Island shows steam rising from the unit that was damaged two weeks later by a near meltdown. Today, the steam plumes are reversed. The damaged unit's stacks sit silent. This iconic picture was taken by veteran photographer ( but new blogger) Bil Bowden soon after he started at the York Daily Record/Sunday News. For a warmup, see Bowden photos on this blog, York Town Square: A far different view of York County, Simple photograph helps frame York County and No light at the end of this (abandoned) turnpike tunnel.

For years, York Daily Record/Sunday News readers have enjoyed Bil Bowden's photographs.

Now, his blog Bil's Eye-View, part of the yorkblog.com suite of bloggers, will feature some of his best hit photos from almost three decades of shooting in York County and beyond.. .

Posted in Events Explanations/controversy For photo fans Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Made in York People Pets & animals Small-town life Unsung/obscure sites York Town Square York sports

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Ginger Parker is a different type of York County barn owner. She uses her barn, located on a high point near Glen Rock, to breed show horses. Here, her is the inside-out view of Parker in the barnyard. Background posts: Star Barn's relocation a plus, even if not in York County and 'An old bank barn with so much character'.

Hanover Shoe Farms put horse breeding on the map in York County.

Most recently, Donato Hanover, then stabled at his birthplace in Hanover, won harness racing’s 2007 Horse of the Year honors.

And it was 16 years go that Pin Oak Lane Farm in Shrewsbury Township gained the national spotlight as birthplace of Lil E. Tee. That colt was the first Pennsylvania-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby... .

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‘Migration’ (1997) by Hellam Township artist Rob Evans is part of the 'Visions of the Susquehanna, an exhibit of 250 years of paintings by American Masters,' on display at York College through Wednesday, Feb. 20. Several works in the exhibit, for which Evans served as curator, capture the Susquehanna River as it divides York and Lancaster counties. Background posts: Susquehanna River bridge makeover flowing along, Almost ... a double deck bridge across the Susquehanna? and When did Wrightsville Ferry service end?

The "Visions of the Susquehanna River" exhibit, in its final days at York College, shows the beautiful river from a number of vantage points.

But the paintings, as the saying goes, are more than a bunch of pretty pictures... .

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This is the text of the message carried by a union soldier who killed by a farmer near Green Ridge in Codorus Township around midnight on June 29, 1863. This comes from the book "War of the Rebellion" and appeared recently in a Codorus Valley Area Historical Society newsletter. The society is seeking to identify the messenger. Background posts: Archivist's finding sheds light on famous note among the roses and Unsung farmhouse shaping moment for York.

The east-bound courier came to a fork in the road near Green Ridge, in a remote area of Codorus Township in southern York County. He headed toward a farmhouse to gain directions and perhaps some grain for his horse.

George Bair became frightened when the mounted courier called on him.

Bair, a German who did not understand English, thought the horseman was one of the Confederates, raiding the county in these days before the Battle of Gettysburg.

One confusing thing led to another, and George Bair loaded his gun, aimed it at the stranger and squeezed the trigger... .

Posted in Books & reading Civil War Events Explanations/controversy Famous York visitors Genealogy/research Local journalism & Web Local landmarks Mail bag Pets & animals Small-town life War York Town Square

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