CenterPiece May 2017

INSIDE THIS ISSUE President's Note............................................................3 Collections .....................................................................4 Events Calendar........................................................5-6 Development .................................................................7 Education .......................................................................8 Library & Archives.........................................................9 CHANGE AS AN INSTITUTION Three years from now the year 2020 will mark the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the York County Historical Society, now the York County History Center, in 1895. Over Photo: Historical Society, shown on fourth floor of York County Court House the course of the last century the Historical Society, as an organization, has experienced great change. In many ways the Historical Society represents the adage attributed to Greek philosophy that “the only thing constant is change.” Indeed, our organizational change has been represented in a variety of ways. In regard to physical location, the Historical Society first met at the York Collegiate Institute Library. With a focus on collecting artifacts related to York County’s past, the Society’s function outgrew that location, finding a second home on the fourth floor of the York County Courthouse. It was here that the Historical Society’s first public exhibits and displays were opened. When space, access, and general location became problematic, a third location was found at the Billmeyer House on E. Market St. And in the 1950s the Society moved across the street to its fourth home and current location at 250 E. Market Street. Driven by internal and external factors these changes were often related to improving operations, public engagement, servicing the changing needs of audiences, and improving the use and access of the historic resources maintained by the Historical Society. As many readers are aware, even the Historical May 2017 Volume 2 Issue 2 continued on p.2 CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2 Issue 2 1

cont'd from page 1 Society building itself, first designed as a 1920s car dealership, has undergone re-adaptive renovations, expansions, and gallery improvements. Today's York County History Center is comprised of four additional museums that have also led to organizational change with regard to function and identity. Beginning in the 1960s, the Historical Society first expanded when it took on the operations May 2017 of the Golden Plough Tavern and the General Horatio Gates House, Volume 2, Issue 2 and later the Bonham House. More recently, the mergers of the Agricultural & Industrial Museum, Colonial Court House replica, Mission: To inspire the exploration of the the Fire Museum, and the Murals of York further expanded, history, people and culture of our county, altered, or in a word, changed, the History Center. state and nation. As a non-profit organization, the History Center utilizes collections, historic sites and museums to The evolution of the History Center is not all that unusual within help tell the American story. the museum field, especially for local institutions. However, what BOARD OF makes the History Center unique is the diversity and breadth of the collection. This collection includes an extensive Library DIRECTORS & Archives, rare local artifacts, and large industrial equipment and objects, among other categories. Further intertwined with collections are stories of national importance including the county’s role in the American Revolution and the refinement of Chair: Robert A. Kinsley II democratic ideals, to its impact on the international stage with Vice Chair: Rev. Patrick Rooney the York Plan during World War II. All of these objects, stories, Treasurer: Cynthia Dotzel and people are vitally important to understanding York County’s history and heritage. Assistant Treasurer: Jim May Secretary: Steve Feldmann The year 2020 will mark another change for the History Center, Assistant Secretary: Nadine Hubner with the opening of a new Museum, Library & Archives located in the former Met-Ed Steam Plant building, creating a History Immediate Past Chair: Thomas Shorb Center Campus with its close proximity to the Colonial Complex. Historically, the Steam Plant property represents an important At Large Members: period of national and local development, as the site highlights the advent of accessible and affordable public electricity and Fran Polk, Richard Randall, James Tanzola utilities. The property served as York County’s first electric generating facility when it was built in 1885. The plant provided Members continuous electric service to the community from 1885 to 1959. The plant also generated the first power to York’s Trolley system Mandy Arnold, Debbie Bieber, Scott Deisley, beginning in 1892. From 1898-1977 district steam heat was Tim Fulton, Ronald Hershner, Jeffrey Hines, provided to a portion of the city from this plant as well. David Hogg, Jeff Lobach, Jim McClure, Glenn Not surprisingly, this property underwent incredible changes Miller, Genevieve Ray, Joanne Shannon, Tim over the years as its use and functions for the community were Sutherland, David Walsh, Winnie DeGennaro* altered. In the coming months the History Center will ask our members and our community to help support and plan this next *Friends Representative organizational change. As you explore this edition of Centerpiece you will learn how this change might enable the History Center to better serve school students, provide greater access cont'd page 4 2 CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2

Over time, cycles or rhymes provided recommendations for provide insightful trend data that each area. At the time, merger is immensely useful. Often this conversations occurred between historical perspective provides the organization and the Historical rationale to change, or not. Society and shortly thereafter a marriage occurred creating Reflecting on the History the York County Heritage Trust. Center’s own history there is a The rationale was very similar PRESIDENTIAL discernable rhyme. Issues such - increasing audience, creating efficiencies and expanding as attracting audiences, providing NOTE appropriate collections care, fundraising to reach financial ensuring adequate staff capacity, sustainability. community relevance, sustainable finances continually resurface. Following these initial unions, the Last fall, author and presidential Sifting through our historical Trust merged three more times historian, Jon Meacham reminded documents it is abundantly clear in quick succession. The Fire us of Mark Twain’s quote, \"History that connecting audiences to our Museum of York, the Bicentennial doesn’t repeat itself, but it does shared history was a primary focus Commission (Colonial Court rhyme,\" a decidedly more positive that remains today. House) and the Murals of York take on the typical assertion came into the organization within that \"those who don’t study For example, in 1964 the Senior two years of the AIM merger. The history are doomed to repeat it.\" Business Advisory Council of the reasons were similar; a rhyme was Meacham emphasized the power York Area Chamber of Commerce evident. The result provided the of historical comparison to present was engaged to study the efficacy community with a comprehensive events, providing insight and of merging Gates & Plough with historical organization that was understanding that over time may the Historical Society of York intended to operate at peak show striking similarities. County. The study acknowledged efficiency, expand program the Historical Society of York offerings, increase funding and Equipped with past perspective, County’s core business of become financially stable. the ability to recognize reoccurring gathering and preserving was themes or situations greatly coupled with the secondary With historical perspective we enhances developing solutions or function of education. Study learned the underlying hypothesis establishing alternative options for findings concluded weaknesses in that spawned these mergers were better outcomes. community relevance, educational noble, conducted in the right spirit programming and financial for the community. There are a Today that rhyme is continually unevenness resulting in reduced host of additional lessons learned present in our lives as evidenced audiences. as documented in ‘Pondering in business cycles, fashion, news, Change,’ found on our website. politics and much more. For those The group recommended merging working in certain industries; to overcome these issues and save Most importantly, through benchmarks, milestones and best back office operations, improve the rhyme of our mergers the practices are likely tied to past efficiencies, increase members and most common and powerful performance. In fashion one need expand fundraising. thread remains connecting our only look at the resurgence of community with the incredibly styles to gauge historical influence. In 1998 an IMLS (Institute of rich, deep and vibrant history And in politics, there are plenty of Museum and Library Services) that is York County. After all, our references to previous periods and study of the Agricultural and shared history is YOUR history, perhaps what appear to be similar Industrial Museum (AIM) reviewed and it starts here. That rhyme will circumstances. the museum's conditions – always continue. physical structures, artifact Providing a past point, or conditions, programmatic President & CEO points, of reference allows us to offerings, staffing and financial Joan Mummert benchmark our progress, or at a position. This assessment, too, [email protected] minimum, glean understanding. noted significant needs and CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2 3

cont'd from page 2 shown that audiences respond to our archival collections, and more positively to fascinating allow for new uses of historic stories, told in a more interactive objects in exhibits. It is an fashion. opportunity to re-activate a historic space, and create a new Thematic exhibits can more ac- community resource, that can be curately focus on the big picture realized through, you guessed it, of what was happening during a time period and help the visitor change. make connections between the past, present and future. What is YOUR vision for the new York County History Center? The future exhibits of the York Vice President of Interpretation County History Center are Dan Roe beginning to take shape. Exciting COMMUNITY INPUT meetings are taking place among MEETINGS [email protected] our staff, community stake- holders and the PRD Group, our As we begin to develop the themes exhibit design firm, to create the and exhibits for the new most enjoyable and informative History Center it is important that it represents your history; after all COLLECTIONS experience possible for our new #YourHistoryStartsHere. Please exhibits. ARE YOU LISTENING? consider attending one of the following community meetings to These exhibits must engage our help us develop the museum and “History repeats itself because audiences in new and exciting library experience. At these gatherings you can provide informa- no one was listening the first ways. We are the York County tion to ensure that the new museum time.” Anonymous History Center and our number represents a broad spectrum of York one goal is to tell the stories of County History. Each meeting is Everything must evolve eventual- all York Countians. approximately two hours in length ly or disappear into oblivion. and light refreshments will be available. Please help us plan with an Museum exhibits are no Our team is working hard to RSVP to Kate Redshaw, different. Gone are the days create a welcoming visitor (717) 848-1587 or when visitors came to a museum experience that invites the [email protected]. expecting to see a static display exploration of York County’s of objects with tiny labels stating diverse history. what the objects are and their May 4, 6-8 p.m. approximate age. Today’s Director of Collections Maple Shade Barn, museums strive for immersive, Meegan Carr 35 Greenbrier Lane, Dillsburg interactive experiences that help the visitor make sense of the [email protected] May 11, 6-8 p.m. seeming chaos of history. Hanover Area Historical Society, 305 Baltimore St., Hanover When we think about history EXPLORING GREECE May 18, 6-8 p.m. the first question that springs to Glen Rock Mill Inn, mind is usually when something & ITS ISLANDS 50 Water St., Glen Rock occurred. Therefore, the “old” Spaces still remain for the way of designing exhibits was to Friends' trip to Greece in April, display the objects from earliest 2018! Contact Lynn Pentecost, to latest. Museum studies have (717) 881-7859. 4 CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2

WHAT OUR NEW ICONS MEAN! CALENDAR OF $ EVENTS Adults One- Admission program Family charged time event Visit www.yorkhistorycenter.org for more information! MAY COMMUNITY INPUT MOTHER'S DAY ALLVETS MEETING May 4, 6-8 p.m. May 14 May 24, 7 p.m. Maple Shade Barn Colonial Court House, Historical Society Museum, Dillsburg Golden Plough Tavern and Library & Archives See page 4 for more details! Gates House Ronald G. Herman, a veteran of SOUTH CENTRAL PA. Celebrate French Alliance Day the U.S. Army unit who served GENEALOGICAL at the Colonial Court House 22 years, with two tours in SOCIETY and enjoy a first floor tour of Vietnam, shares his story. Gates & Plough. Noon - 4 p.m. May 7, 2:15 p.m. JUNE Historical Society Museum, SOUTH CENTRAL PA. Library & Archives GENEALOGICAL Jan Barnhart: Dating old SOCIETY photographs COMMUNITY INPUT Historical Society Museum, MEETING Library & Archives Stop in during the Olde York Street Fair on Mother's Day noon - 5 p.m. for ice cream sundaes, root beer floats, brownies and beverages! June 4, 2:15 p.m. Historical Society Museum, YORK CIVIL WAR Library & Archives ROUND TABLE Richard Konkel: Jumping the May 17, 7 p.m. Pond 2.0-Take me back to the May 11, 6-8 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Fatherland Hanover Area Historical Library & Archives SECOND SATURDAY Society Daniel Vermilya: From See page 4 for more details! Battlefield to the White House - James Garfield SECOND SATURDAY May 13, 10:30 a.m. COMMUNITY INPUT Historical Society Museum, MEETING Library & Archives June 10, 10:30 a.m. May 18, 6-8 p.m. Join Jim Loyer and hear about Agricultural & Industrial Henry “Hinkey” Haines, who Glen Rock Mill Inn Museum played professional baseball Silas Chamberlin - On the Trail: a AND football in the 1920s and See page 4 for more details! History of Hiking in 30s. Pennsylvania. CENTER PIECE February 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2 5

ARCHEOLOGY WEEK ALLVETS PRESCHOOL GARDEN June 28, 7 p.m. WALK Historical Society Museum, July 12, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Library & Archives Colonial Complex Gary Phillips, who served two Enjoy a walk in the Complex's tours in Vietnam, shares his kitchen garden and activate your story. preschooler's sense of smell, REVOLUTION taste and touch! Members free; BASEBALL $6/child non-members. Rain or June 19-23, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. WEEKEND shine. Hanover Junction Station June 30 - July 2 Amazing hands-on experience PeoplesBank Stadium TEDDY BEAR PICNIC for kids, including the chance to Celebrate with at 3 games during participate in a real our Community Partnership July 15, 11 a.m. - noon archeological dig! For more Weekend, and learn more about Colonial Complex information, contact Dara Kane our Placing History at the Center You bring a blanket, picnic at [email protected]. Campaign. lunch, and plush pal. We'll provide games for the fam and YORK CIVIL WAR JULY a selfie station with colonial cos- ROUND TABLE tumes. If weather is rainy, picnic June 21, 7 p.m. CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY will be moved inside. Members Historical Society Museum, July 4 free; non-members $6/child ages Library & Archives STROLLER TOUR 4 & up. D. Scott Hartwig - Gettysburg: July 5, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 Sorting Fiction from Fact YORK CIVIL WAR Colonial Complex ROUND TABLE Bring your stroller and discover KICKOFF WEEKEND the history of York's downtown. July 19, 7 p.m. Travel Through Time Join us for fresh air, history, and Historical Society Museum, to Power Our Future! an atmosphere where babies are Library & Archives allowed to be babies! Free for members; $6/adult for Tom Huntington - Searching for non-members. George Gordon Meade: The Forgotten Victor of Gettysburg SECOND SATURDAY AUGUST June 24, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. YORK CIVIL WAR Colonial Complex ROUND TABLE August 16, 7 p.m. Bring the whole family as we July 8, 10:30 a.m. celebrate the kick off of the Historical Society Museum, History Center's Capital Historical Society Museum, Linda Clark - Wounded Houses, Campaign, with free and fun Library & Archives Shattered Lives: What Was it Like hands-on activities at the Dr. Patrick Spero - Frontier for the Gettysburg Citizens of Colonial Complex. Later, enjoy a Country: the War Between 1863? WeCo Creekfire from 7-10 p.m.! Pennsylvania and Maryland 6 CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2

DEVELOPMENT TRAVEL THROUGH TIME TO POWER OUR FUTURE! BUILDING EXCITEMENT FOR A NEW VISITOR EXPERIENCE We are the storytellers, giving perspective on the Power Up with Us! past and insights into the future. As collections caretakers, we protect the artifacts of our shared Journey through York’s past and be part history. of the excitement as we kick off our capital campaign for the future York In our new Museum, Library and Archives, we will enhance economic development, bringing new dollars County History Center! Learn to swing to York City and adding quality of life to York County. dance. Snap a selfie with a roving 19th This vibrant downtown hub will be a third space, century magician. Barter like Pennsylva- where conversations, collaborations, and inclusive nia’s earliest settlers did. Check out the gatherings can thrive. colonial farmer’s 18th century chickens (yes, they are different). Find out how History is relevant…YOUR history is relevant. As we York County’s civilians and soldiers embark on a capital campaign to build the new York contributed to the wars fought by County History Center, we hope you will support our Pennsylvanians, from the French and vision for the future. We are “Placing History at the Indian War through WWII. Be part of the Center” and want YOU to be a part of it! excitement. Be part of history! Director of Development Terri Altland SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, June 24 [email protected] 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Colonial Complex 157 W. Market Street CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2 7

EDUCATION be a revelation for how our world SCHOOL TOURS to make a farmer’s job easier. is shaped by the past, a spark The docent directs my classmates OF THE FUTURE to a touchscreen monitor, and for a love of learning and local history, and a springboard for she tells us we are going to be further exploration and critical curators. We will choose a theme thinking. and take turns creating a digital exhibit from pictures of 3D We cannot wait to make the objects and archival assets. envisioned trip a reality we can share with you! Our next stop is a historic house, where someone is cooking dinner in the summer kitchen. The Director of Education class is invited to measure out ingredients for a recipe. When Parthena Bowman we return to school, my teacher [email protected] accesses the class’s digital exhibit, and we make it personal by uploading pictures of our family and community. As we add more ideas, we log on to the History Center’s collections PARKING NEWS database for more pictures. May means school tour season Starting Thursday, April 27th, for the education department. At home, I have my family pull all parking for the History As part of planning for the up our class-curated exhibit on Center will be in the lots future History Center, we are their tablet and tell them about bordered by Mason Alley, Pine envisioning what our field trips my visit. They post the exhibit Street and King Street east could be in 2020. How can we on social media, which is shared of the back of the Historical make it meaningful for today’s by my proud grandparents. I Society building. more experience-focused want to show them all the things audiences? I learned, so we go back as a We request all History Center family. I teach them all the ways employees, members, guests, We take on the role of a visiting our lives today are shaped by and volunteers use this student and let our imaginations stories told at the History Center. parking instead of behind or go to work. I enter a lobby, and Years later, I will still smile as I along the church or behind the Baker Building. breathe out, “Whoa!” when I see remember this trip. Reddy Kilowatt light up with We will have signs indicating the push of a button. Following Our goal is to offer experiences the allowed parking for special a guide into a gallery, I become similar to this at the new History events and programs. a detective as she asks us Center. A visit would have Please direct any questions to questions that help us connect immersive elements, interactive Susan Smith, 848-1587, Ext. our lives to what we see. I hear components, and unique, 215. the stories of people who worked personal connections. in factories, and I get to clock in at a time clock and do their job. Of course, a school visit should generate a meaningful, My classmates and I become memorable experience that inventors, designing a machine extends class learning. But it can 8 CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2

LIBRARY & ARCHIVES GENEALOGY GOES DIGITAL Technology has played an ancestor's health concerns have important role in the changes and the potential to inform decisions growth of interest in genealogy. for today. Finding the answers to How many recall reading Alex these questions is one reason why Haley’s best seller Roots in 1976 – the challenge of genealogy has be- followed by watching the block- come so popular and engaging. buster television miniseries which helped inspire the genealogy Ongoing digitization of the History craze? Center holdings provides easier access and reduces the handling of Today most first steps with these treasures, properly housed genealogy are taken on the in acid free folders and boxes for internet with Google, while in the future generations. past, genealogy research began with a visit to a local historical Most importantly, the future of the society. library & archives is the perfect mix of technology and research In 2014 ABC News noted that expertise. We're here to help! genealogy was the second most popular hobby in the U.S. after Director of Library & Archives gardening, and it was the second Lila Fourhman-Shaull most visited category of websites. Today it is a billion dollar industry [email protected] with a growing demand for resources. DANCE-OFF GenealogyInTime magazine lists the top 100 genealogy websites. COMPETITION Findagrave and FamilySearch are When You Work at a free sites, while the rest, including Museum Harriet Johnson, c. 1880. Johnson's Ancestry.com (#1), are pay sites. The History Center staff has family Bible is part of the History Center collection. Ancestry.com, Fold3 and entered the 4th Annual Newspapers.com are available to Museum Dance-Off Competi- researchers in the History tion, sponsored by When You CENTERPIECE DIGITAL! Center’s Library & Archives, Work At a Museum! As of this providing access to thousands of writing, there are no results original documents. to report, but suffice it to say that the staff had a blast jivin' Genealogy has grown from mere names and dates, connecting one around our sites to the music generation to the next. We want of REM's \"Stand.\" The video is more; what church did they attend, available for preview on is it still standing and is there an YouTube.com (search for York old photograph of it? Where were County History Center). Have you signed up yet for the they employed and just what did CenterPiece digital edition? Scan it mean when my grandmother Check it out, and get ready to this QR code and get a preview to was listed in the city directory as a vote for us (for just 24 hours) see what you're missing! stripper? on April 25th! All of the details Then sign up by will be at facebook.com/york- emailing David Corman at Other questions revolve around countyhistorycenter. [email protected]. medical history. Details about an CENTER PIECE May 2017 Volume 2, Issue 2 9

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 34 York, PA 250 East Market St. York, PA 17403 yorkhistorycenter.org 717-848-1587 EVOKE PRIDE May 2017 Volume 2 Issue 2 IN YORK COUNTY’S HISTORY FOLLOW US ON #PlacingHistoryAtTheCenter Kicking Off June 23-24, 2017 Learn more at www.yorkhistorycenter.org