Red Lion Area High School - Lion Yearbook (Red Lion, PA)

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Mill LIDN Centennial 1880 1980 gi lil. 1 W PoREwoRD Readers of this book will find a variety of writing because it was written and edited by a rather large group are better than one , we proceeded with that idea, an believe that the idea was sound. d styles as they go through its pages, of people. Believing that two heads now that the book is complete we We have attempted to bring to Red Lion's present ari town during its first one hundred years. We've tried to be hope that any errors we may have made are minimal in d future generations a history of our both accurate and objective, and we effect. There is an abundance of Red Lion history that could ot be printed in this book due to the economics of size. If everything that was found by resear h and given to us were put into this book, it would have become unwieldly in both size and co t. Those interested in additional Red Lion history should refer to the excellently-prepared Gol , Gibson and Prowell histories of York County, and the his ories of individual organizations and businesses in the borough. en and Diamond Jubilee books the We would like to thank the many individuals and tho businesses in Red Lion - a group of people far too nu erous to mention - for their vital assistance . e from the various organizations and RED LION CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE Karen Shellenberger, Darrell Billett, Una Miller, Phyllis Seated, I. to r.: Robert Fruitiger, Richard Ritz, C. Mervin Kaltreider. Middle, l. to r.: Frey, Norma Vasellas, D. Miriam Smith. Back, l. to r.: Thomas Shellenberger, ifffrey Fix, Bradley Kline, Henry Herrman, Robert Craley, Violet Fauth, Richard Zarfos, Ralph Berry. Missing from photo, Marilyn Brown a d Rev. Louis Barth. COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS Chairman - Richard Ritz Editors, Public Services - Violet Fauth tCom. Co-Secretaryl, Vice Chairman - Robert Frutiger Phvllis Frey Editor' 1-D0 you Rememberv- - C. Mervin Kaltreider Editors, Non-Manufacturing Businesses - Una Miller, Bradley Editors, Civic, Fraternal and Patriotic - Robert Craley, Norma Kline Vasellas QCom. Co-Secretaryj, Darrell Billett Editor, Ports ' Jeffrey Fix Editors, Manufacturing - Henry Herrman, Richard Zarfos Edltoff' gwols and Fhflfches ' C' Mervin Kaltreldef' Editor, Wars 8: Civic Celebrations - Karen Shellenberger dmarjly lzownkand om: Eanh R I h S B Editor, Local Government, Utilities and Communications - E nor' oo Ma e'Up an timing - a P ' env Thomas Shenenbe,-ge, General ssistant - D. Miriam Smith The First One Hundred Years 6

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1' ,asc-1980 DEDICATION RED LION is a genuinely good town. How can we, its inhabitants, be other than proud of it? Of course, we have been fortunate. We've not had to go through very many of the unfor- tunate things that others have - serious economic depression, floods, drought, urban decay, and others. But just how much of Red Lion's success has been luck? Red Lioners are now, and always have been, economically, socially and spiritually independent . . . our history bears this out. We've worked hard, we've planned, and we've accomplished. I believe that Red Lion, through its 100 years, has closely represented the kind of America our country's fathers had in mind when they founded this great nation. Accordingly, I believe that this 100-year anniversary book should be dedicated to the Red Lion pioneers and those of us who have followed them through the years. We have established our town, its institutions and its proud way of life. We haven't been without fault, but let us challenge future generations to better our record. Richard E. Ritz Editor The First One Hundred Years 5

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RED LIUN Centennial Q- n O E HUNDRED S... . . . not a long time for a community in the eastern part of our country to have been incorporated. We are youngsters when compared to York, our county seat, as well as many other communities in the area. Yet, we have made our presence felt in our county, our state, and our country. Probably the reason Red Lion did not develop sooner is its topography and soil. Our land was not well suited for farming. The very early settlers of York County must have just about ignored it. Only in the small valleys on the outskirts of town can there be found evidence of settlement in the earliest days of the county. There were only a few usquatters' in York County prior to 1736. It was not until that year that settling in York County was permitted by agreement between the Penn family and the Indians. On October 11, 1736, a deed was executed between chiefs of the Onondagas, Senecas, Cayugas, Oneidas and Tuscaroroes and John, Thomas and Richard Penn, conveying to the said Pro- prietaries of Pennsylvania all the said river Susque- hanna, with the lands lying on both sides thereof, to ex- tend eastwardly as far as the head of the branches or springs which run unto the said Susquehanna and all lands lying on the west side of the said river to the setting of the sun . The early settlers - English Quakers, Germans, Swiss and Scotch-lrish - moved quickly into the newly- opened land. Areas such as Kreutz Creek and Cono- jeohla Valley developed rapidly. By 1741 the city of York was laid out, and by 1749 the new area won a petition to become separated from its parent county, Lancaster. The new county was named after Yorkshire, England. In that year there were already about 6,000 people living in the county. York Township was formed in 1753, and reduced in size by the formation of Windsor Township in 1759, and Spring Garden in 1822. According to a census ordered by the County Commissioners in 1783, there were 128 houses and a population of 893 people in York Township. Windsor Township had 1,118 inhabitants and 184 houses at that time. It is doubtful that there were more than a handful of people in our area in the early days of the county. It isn't, until the 1760's that evidence indicates settlement in the immediate area of Red Lion. Most likely the very first settlers located in the better farm lands in the valleys around the high land of Red Lion. Early land surveys on record at the York County Historic Society and other places show some of these early land owners. Due to the efforts of the late Gerald Smeltzer, formerly of Windsor, and Carl Reichard, of Seven Valleys, we can see the lands owned by these early inhabitants of our area lpage 101. EARLY WAGON ROADS On the ground where Red Lion's square is located today, the early McCall's Ferry to York Road that ran from Peach Bottom to Longstown, and the Baltimore to Wrightsville Road united and ran over present North Main Street until they parted again at what is now the Prospect StreetfNorth Main Street intersection. These early wagon roads were first Indian trails, later traders' routes, then highways. There were taverns at these intersections. A map of York County in 1816 shows a Crosby's Ta. at the northern junction of these roads, and a Baker's Ta. at the southern intersection. The only earlier bit of informa- tion is the name Hunter's shown on 1759 and 1770 maps of the county. According to the hills and streams indicated on the maps, this tavern fit most likely was a tavernl was located near the northern end of Red Lion. In 1833, confirmation of a road leading from Shen- berger's Tavern to Fisher's Road was handed down by the January Session of Court at York. Shenberger tHenryl owned the tavern located at Red Lion's square, now occupied by Amspacher 8: Mellinger Amoco Ser- vice. This later became the Caslow lnn, and the first Wallick House. Fisher Road is now Pleasant Avenue in Dallastown. The road, of course, is now West Broadway, or part of present-day Route 74. RED LION TAVERN The most complete early history of any one part of Red Lion is that of the land of the Red Lion Tavern from which the town was named. This is made possible for the most part because descendants of the early tavern owners maintained an ongoing story about their family, passed down through the generations. In addition, the land of the tavern is one of the very few parcels in town that can be traced back through recorded deeds, tax records and maps. The First One Hundred Years