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Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 2:04 AM
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York, PA: Downtown

York is centered around Continental Square, which has Market Street running east and west and George Street running north and south. Most of York's businesses formed on Market Street, as it was the road that headed east to Lancaster and Philadelphia. Market Street continued west towards Gettysburg, and this route through the borough was designated the Lincoln Highway in 1913. Today, Market Street is one-way heading east, with Philadelphia Street to the north going westbound to compliment Market Street.

Continental Square, originally called Central Square, was the site of the York County Courthouse. It was at this courthouse in the middle of the intersection that Congress met from September 30, 1777, to June 27, 1778, and was the nation's capital. The Articles of Confederation were ratified here in York.


The York County Colonial Courthouse, on Market Street. The courthouse was built in 1976 to celebrate the nation's bicentennial. The courthouse is a replica of the original colonial courthouse, built in 1756 and demolished in 1841.



The Barnett-Bobb House, on Pershing Avenue. The log house was built in 1812, and was moved to this site from Pershing & College Avenues in 1968.



The Golden Plough Tavern, on the left, and the Joseph Chambers House, on the right, both on Market Street. The tavern was built in 1741 by a German native who used building techniques from his native Karlsruhe. The Chambers House was built in 1751. General Hortatio Gates, fresh from his victory at Saratoga, lived in this house afterwards. The clash of German and English cultures that is ubiquitous in the area is evident in how this German-style building is next to an English-style building.



An old house on Market Street.



The old Bon-Ton Department Store, at Beaver & Market Streets. The store was built in 1912 and was the flagship store of the company. Bon-Ton is still headquartered in the York area.



The National House, on Market Street at Beaver Street. The hotel was built in 1828 as the White Hall Hotel, and was renamed during the Civil War.



A Romanesque building on Market Street.



The Trinity United Church of Christ, on Market Street. The church was built in 1866, and the architecture displays the congregation's German roots.



Buildings on Market Street. The Fluhrer Building, on the left, was built in 1911 as a jewelry store. The yellow brick Rosenmiller Building, on the right, was built in 1909.



The Rupp Building, on George Street. The structure was built in 1892.



Christ Lutheran Church, on George Street. The church was built in 1814 and is similar in style to the Zion Lutheran Church in Philadelphia.



The First National Bank Building, on George Street. The bank, built in 1924, is at the northeast corner of Continental Square.



The York County Judicial Center, on George Street. The structure was built in 2003 and houses much of the county's offices.



The old Golden Swan Tavern, on Market Street. The tavern was built in 1807 and later served as a dry goods store. It is now a bank branch.



The York County Courthouse, on Market Street. The courthouse was built in 1898.



Domes designed by John Dempwolf light the interior and showcase much of the detail of the courthouse.



Buildings on Market Street. The York Trust Company Building, built in 1910, is on the right.



The Rex & Laurel Fire House, on Duke Street. The Laurel Fire Company was founded in 1772, and was one of the first fire companies in the United States. The fire station was built in 1878.



The Yorktowne Hotel, on Market Street at Duke Street.



The Yorktowne Hotel was built in 1925 to fulfill the need for a modern hotel in the mid-sized city.



Buildings on Market Street. On the right is the Art Deco building that housed the White Rose Motor Club. It was built in 1949 and is a rare instance of modern architecture in Downtown York.



Buildings on Market Street. The York Water Company, built in 1929, is on the right.



Buildings on Market Street.



The First Presbyterian Church, on Market Street. The church was built in 1860.



The Charles Billmeyer House, on Market Street. The house was built in 1863 for Billmeyer, a railroad car manufacturer.



Houses on Queen Street.



Houses on Philadelphia Street.



Rowhouses on Philadelphia Street.



The Goodridge-Dempwolf House, on Philadelphia Street. The house was built in the mid-1800s and was modified in 1897 a Colonial Revival style with Victorian touches. The house was once the home of an ex-slave who ran a stop on the Underground Railroad.



A house on Duke Street.



A house on Duke Street.



Buildings on Philadelphia Street. On the left is the York Dispatch Building, with a cast-iron facade. The structure was built in 1887.



Buildings on George Street.



The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, on George Street. The performing arts center is actually two separate buildings, with the Capitol Theatre of 1917 on the right and the smaller Strand Theatre of 1925 on the left. The theaters were combined into one venue in 1980 after both places closed in 1977.



The Valencia Ballroom, on George Street. The venue was built in 1911 and was originally the Coliseum Ballroom. The Art Deco facade was added in the early 1930s. The ballroom hosted performers such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Frank Sinatra.



Buildings on Philadelphia Street. On the left is the old York Post Office, built in 1895 and used as a post office until 1912. On the right is the Heidelberg United Church of Christ, built in 1901.



The Central Market House, on Philadelpia Street. The market house was built in 1888, replacing the original markets that abutted the Center Square courthouse.



The Market House also has an entrance on Beaver Street, and surrounds a building at the southeast corner of Beaver & Philadelphia Streets.



The White Rose Bar & Grill, on Beaver Street.



Houses on Philadelphia Street. The Garber-Rudisell House, built in 1780, is on the right.



The Friends Meeting House, on Philadelphia Street. The meetinghouse was built in 1766 and an addition was added to the left in 1783.



A former Metropolitan Edison steam plant, on Philadelphia Street.

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  #2  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 2:07 AM
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This thread is the first in "A dozen states in a dozen threads" series. Up next, the state that was the home of maybe the world's most infamous assassin.
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  #3  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 4:39 AM
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Cool pics, xzmattzx! I have such a soft spot in my heart for York, as some of my friends went to York College and we had many fun nights at their place! I remember cruising "The Circuit", and keeping a close eye on the crack dealers across the street and the druggies who liked to try to crash their parties LOL

York is a really rough place in many spots however, it seems to be coming back around these days! For craft beer loves, York is quickly becoming a hot spot and just in the last year or so Mudhook Brewing Co. and Good Dog Taproom opened...I think the scene will only continue to grow with the college population, and the continued growth in York County.
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Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 6:14 AM
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York is a gem.
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  #5  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 3:26 PM
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I was just there!
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  #6  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 8:12 PM
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A history lesson with every tour. Good stuff.
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  #7  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2012, 10:30 PM
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^ Too true, Matt has the best info in his threads - good stuff. Tht Ruff building is one impressive structure, and I love the firehouse. So many wonderful old buildings in York, but there is quite a bit of rough around the edges areas in the city too. Thanks for the tour.
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  #8  
Old Posted Feb 21, 2012, 12:15 AM
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Fantastic pictures. Surprised and pleased by the art deco auto club building. A rare beauty. York is filled with beauties.
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  #9  
Old Posted Feb 21, 2012, 1:46 AM
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Damn. Solid looking town. The National House is weird as hell looking!
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  #10  
Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 8:39 AM
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Could York be the most intact historic city? It does not seem to have suffered the architectural losses that other historic cities did during the urban renewal era.
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Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 6:04 PM
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What a treat!!!
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  #12  
Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 7:07 PM
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Time for a York visit, no doubt about it!

Aaron (Glowrock)
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Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 8:48 PM
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Excellent tour; thanks for sharing the photos.

A few years ago en route to Lancaster, I passed through the gritty edge of York and didn't have time to check out the downtown. Ever since, a return visit has been on my wish list.
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Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 9:20 PM
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great tour matt, as usual. i forwarded this to my buddy who's from york (and actually living there again in between jobs) and he approves too.

the only missing thing is the york county fair.
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Old Posted Feb 22, 2012, 10:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by giovanni sasso View Post

the only missing thing is the york county fair.

And a pic of the Harley factory.
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Old Posted Feb 23, 2012, 11:15 PM
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I like the look of the town. It definitely has a "Mid-Atlantic" feel to it, at least from my impression. Thanks!
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Old Posted Feb 24, 2012, 1:08 AM
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These pictures were as refreshing as a peppermint patty.
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  #18  
Old Posted Feb 27, 2012, 6:18 AM
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Thanks for the comments! I knew that everyone would like this York thread, and it looks like York has been "discovered" by SSC members now!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey View Post
I was just there!
Is a thread on the way? I knew you couldn't be too far behind me. I actually put together my pictures knowing in the back of my head that it was a matter of time before you put pictures up.

Quote:
Originally Posted by beyondtheforest View Post
Could York be the most intact historic city? It does not seem to have suffered the architectural losses that other historic cities did during the urban renewal era.
Maybe. Lancaster is just as preserved, which is fitting considering the rivalry between the two. York developed as the industrial of the two rivals, while Lancaster remained the agriculturally-oriented city.
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Old Posted Feb 27, 2012, 10:17 AM
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Cool thread. I really like the National House. It seems like most of the commercial architecture from the first half of the 19th century is long gone now.
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Old Posted Feb 27, 2012, 8:09 PM
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Nice. Seems like I should stop and smell the roses the next time I'm in the area.
This is actually what I've always imagined colonial-era Philadelphia would have looked like.
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