Two hundred years ago, in November 1824, Captain Ephraim Beach completed his survey and map of the Conestoga River for the purpose of making the river navigable from Lancaster City to Safe Harbor. Captain Beach was the principal engineer for the Schuylkill Canal which opened in 1827....
This is the fifth and final article in the series covering a brief history of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. The second article covered the conditions of the Conestoga prior to European settlement. The third installment covered...
This is the fourth article in the series in which we are taking a journey through time on the historic waters of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. The second article covered the conditions of the Conestoga prior...
This is the third article in the series in which we are taking a journey through time on the historic waters of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. In the second article, I covered the conditions of the...
This is the second article in a series of five which are taken from my book, “The Conestoga River: A History”. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. This article deals with the long period of time that preceded the settlement of...
The Conestoga River meanders for sixty miles through the fertile farmlands of Lancaster County. From early Native American inhabitants to the European settlers who made the Conestoga Valley their home, the river has provided sustenance and transportation for generations. Victorian era resorts and hotels were built along...
Out on the eastern border of Lancaster County, spanning the Octoraro Creek between Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County and West Fallowfield Township, Chester County lies the Mercer’s Mills Covered Bridge. Thomas Kipphorn calls this “Captain John Mercer’s Mill Bridge”. Who was Captain John and where were the mills?
On February 3, 1899, a new piano teacher hung his shingle at 214 North Mulberry Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The teacher was Dr. William A. Wolf, and the date was the 90th anniversary of the birthday of German composer, Felix Mendelssohn. On this day, Dr. Wolf and...
Many of the covered bridges in Lancaster County utilize an architectural style called the “Burr Truss” or “Burr Arch-Truss”. It’s easy to see the arch, but what is the “Burr”? Does it refer to the rough edges of the woodwork? Or maybe it’s the sound that your...
Another mill has been found to still exist! When I published my book Mills of Lancaster County, I listed the Chickies Valley mill as a mill site. But a reader of my book, Greg Lintner, pointed out that the mill building is still standing and has been...
