Transcript THE HISTORY OF STEWARTSTOWN By Lindsey China & Brittany Wolf The Early Years • The term “The Barrens” originated from the time when Native.

THE HISTORY OF
STEWARTSTOWN
By Lindsey China & Brittany Wolf
The Early Years
• The term “The Barrens” originated from the time when
Native Americans, who first lived here, had cleared the land
by burning it, and as a result the land was left barren.
• There were settlers in Stewartstown as early as 1720.
• The boundary disagreement between Pennsylvania and
Maryland was solved with the survey and establishment of
the Mason Dixon Line in 1767.
More Early History!!
• In 1774, James Savage was given 100
acres of land in Hopewell Township by
John Penn, (which is the land upon which
is now where Stewartstown stands.)
• The “Ridge Road” was well established by
1777 as a route from York to Baltimore.
Along its path would be the future “Main
Street” of our town.
Even More Early History!!
• Savage knew that farming alone could
never make a settlement grow and
develop, so he set about attracting
craftsmen, artisans, and workman to this
settlement.
• On April 15th, 1822 Anthony Stewart
purchased Stewartstown from Shadrach
Corbin, who first owned it.
• Benedict Meads opened a tavern on the
East side of South Main Street, now the
site of the Main Street Mall.
• The shop became the meeting place for
many important events in the village.
• Stewartstown was referred to as
“Meadstown.” By the year of 1828, the
village was large enough to warrant the
establishment of a post office.
• Most of the local people wanted the name of
the post office to be called “Mechanicsburg,”
which appeared on maps at that time.
• The Post Office Department chose the name
“Guilford.” Anthony Stewart became the first
postmaster, and he didn’t like that name.
• Through the combined efforts of Judge
Adam Ebaugh, then a member of the
legislature, and Anthony, the post office
name was changed to Stewartstown on
March 24th, 1832.
• On the amount of land now occupied
by Country Home Real Estate at 17
North Main Street, Anthony built
himself a house with lean-to behind
it.
• He used the lean-to for his workshop
in which he made furniture and
spinning wheels, Some of which
continue to exist today.
Eureka Fire Company
• The first village fire engine was purchased in 1889
for $400. It was a hand pumper operated by eight
men. It required a bucket brigade to supply its
natural water source. After the water system was
established in 1904, the Eureka Fire company was
organized.
• In 1949, a ladies auxiliary for the Eureka Fire
company of Stewartstown was organized.
• On January 1,1983, the building across from
Stewartstown Elementary School was completed.
The cost of the new facility was $730,000.
About Anthony Stewart
• Anthony Stewart was an ingenious
mechanic. He was an intelligent, diligent
student of science and made a special
study of astronomy. He was an albino and
died in 1866 at the age of 78. Anthony
Stewart’s gravesite is marked by a neat
marble monument in the Stewartstown
Presbyterian Cemetery.
Early Schools
• Jimmy McCandless, a farm owner from New
Park, was described as a poet, fiddler, justice
and tutor. His classes were held wherever the
opportunity and a hot meal coincided. Jimmy
could spin a story., compose a poem, fiddle for a
reel, and even teach spelling and reading. It
appears that hundreds of farms in the region
played host to him.
• Several schools were built over the years to
meet the need of the growing population. In
1818, there appeared to be a well-established
school in Mechanicsburg, now known as
Stewartstown. The first school was located
southwest of town on the farm of Anthony
Bowman.
Religious History
The first known place of worship was
in a village schoolhouse, around 1820.
In 1839 a union church was formed. It
included the Methodist Church, the
Presbyterian Church, the Baptist
Church, the Reformed Church and the
Lutheran Church.
In 1843, The Union Associate
Church of Mechanicsburg
(Stewartstown) was built and used
by every denomination until they
each built their own sanctuary.
Many of the early settlers of Stewartstown
were buried in the Union Church graveyard.
When the church building was removed,
however, those remains that could be located
were moved to new resting places in the
present Stewartstown Cemetery.
Modern Era Schools
• In 1951, Stewartstown High School, Delta High School
and Fawn High School joined together in a new building
named “Kennard Dale High School.”
• Stewartstown Elementary School was being built, too.
Stewartstown Elementary School was ready for children
to enter in the winter of 1952. In 1974, the South
Eastern Middle School was built. In 1992, renovations to
our current school were finished to make way for the
ever-growing population of students.
The Academy
• The academy, known as the Stewartstown English and
Classical Institute was founded in 1851. In today’s time it
would be located where the Hartenstein Funeral Home is
near Barrens Road South.
• Subjects listed were: Geography, Physical Geography,
Grammar, Mental and Written Arithmetic, Algebra,
Geometry, Trigonometry, History, Botany, Astronomy,
School Economy and Methods of Instruction, Mental and
Moral Philosophy, Latin and Greek.
Here comes the Railroad!
• Probably the most significant occurrence in the
growth of Stewartstown was the construction of
its railroad. The railroad mainly served the
agricultural community. Later small industries
depended on the railroad.
• Hurricane Agnes on June 23, 1972, hit York
County. Major bridges spanning the Cordorus
Creek at Reynolds Mill and Hanover Junction
were totally destroyed by flood waters.
Fascinating Businesses
• Early in the town’s growth there were
businesses that provided employment for
the local citizens. It is believed that
Christian Leib built a store in the early
1840’s.
• Mr. Fulton built a hotel on the northeast
corner of Center Square prior to the
opening of the railroad.
• Mr. Trout pursued the ice cream
manufacturing business.
• Several drugstores were in the borough.
More Businesses
• J.N. Folckemmer was a harness-maker and
saddler, doing an extensive business in
blankets, whips, robes, fly-nets, collars, saddles,
soap and grease.
• In 1873, James Griffith established a barber
shop. He also manufactured ice cream
• William Mumma was a dealer of furniture and an
undertaker. He established his buisness on the
corner of Mill Street and Main Street.
• Jacob Johnson had his blacksmith shop built in
the summer of 1884.
• Robert Richey operated a lumberyard in
Stewartstown around 1885.
Times Have Changed!
• The second half of the 20th Century brought a
gradual end to the small town way of life and a
slow decline in our local business enterprises.
This can be attributed to the opening of
Interstate 83 in1958.
• In time, because of its location so close to the
Mason Dixon border, Stewartstown has grown in
its residential development. The north end of
town has grown with Messina’s Plaza and
Sauble’s Shurfine Market.
Conclusion
• Stewartstown has seen many changes
over the past 250 years. What started as
an agricultural community has evolved into
a small town community in the 21st
Century.
• The information for these notes was taken
directly from the Stewartstown
Sesquicentennial Souvenir Program.
Photo
Gallery