Ye Olde Sulphur Spa Historical Society

Wednesday Wanderings in the Archives: John E. George, owner of the Cross Keys Diner, opened the Twin Keys Diner in Gettysburg at York & Fifth Streets in October 1939. In July of 1940, George purchased the house and lot of Charles Griest and moved the diner to York Springs along Route 15 (State Street). The diner was repainted as well as the kitchen and rest rooms were rebuilt and the diner reopened in late July. The Twin Keys Diner operated 24 hours. George sold the diner in June 1945 to Roy Sheller of Mechanicsburg who planned to move it to Carlisle.

Wednesday Wanderings in the Archives: In October 1861, Company K, 1st PA Reserves, had settled in for the winter at Camp Pierpont near Langley VA. As noted by Captain Minnigh in his history of Company K, "here we tried to be comfortable, but the severe exposure with constant camp and picket duty, wrought upon the men who never knew else than to live under the sheltering roofs of comfortable homes "up in the north-land"." George Washington Myers, a carpenter from York Springs, enlisted in Company K, 1st PA Reserves in June1861. While the company was encamped for the winter at Camp Pierpont, Myers became ill and died in early December. His body was sent home to York Springs and buried at the Chestnut Grove Lutheran Cemetery. He was 21.

As today is Giving Tuesday, we would like to take this time to remind our followers that Ye Olde Sulphur Spa Historical Society is a non-profit and an entirely volunteer-run organization dependent upon donations. In this season of giving, if you are so inclined to donate to help us in our efforts to preserve the history and culture of York Springs and Huntington, Latimore and Tyrone Townships in Northeast Adams County, you can do so by mailing donations to YOSSHS, Box 161, York Springs, PA 17372 or go to our website, www.yosshs.org and click on the Donate button to use PayPal or your credit card. As we are a 501(c)(3) charity, your donation is tax deductible. Thank-you!

During the 1930's Norman King, of Latimore Township, was known as "Adams County Turkey King" as he raised and sold the most turkeys for several years. The "East Berlin News" reported in 1930 that King had raised over 500 turkeys the previous holiday season and was "one of those farmers helping to revolutionize the farming industry." J. Harvey Neely in a November 1931 "Along the Way" column wrote "Adams County turkeys will soon be as well known as its apples. Norman J. King, ...York Springs R.D. 2, Adams county's largest grower of Thanksgiving Day centerpieces this season raised 950 turkeys. Starting several years ago with a small flock, Norman has learned how to successfully rear the birds and where to market them to the best advantage. Many were shipped to the cities during the past week to fill private individual order for Thanksgiving Day." King wasn't the only one raising turkeys in 1931, Neely reported that Eugene Lerew has raised more than 300 turkeys and Spencer Snyder, 250. Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday Wanderings in the Archives: This week we share a post from 2016 as we remember Martha E. (Martin) Klinger who joined the Church Triumphant this past Saturday. Originally written to observe the seventy-fifth anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and our nation's entry into World War II, we share her memory of that December day from the perspective of a young girl fighting another kind of war. Adams County resident Martha Martin was twelve years old and fighting ...polio. December of 1941 found her in Warm Springs, GA, where she had been sent to aid in her recovery. As Martha remembers: "During my stay, President Roosevelt visited his Little White House. It was December, and we were told that he was also planning to visit some of the patients at the hospital. FDR had to cut his visit short and return to Washington without visiting the patients. We later learned that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, and that we were at war. The atmosphere among the children at the hospital was one of real fear. Most of us were there without family, many miles from home, and invalids of one sort or another. Many children were scared to sleep at night for fear of being bombed. I remember my roommate being especially frightened. The nurses did their best to reassure and comfort us through those uncertain first days of war. It had been FDR's practice to send gifts to Warm Springs from time to time to be given to the patients. He would have given them out himself this time if it had not been for the attack on Pearl Harbor. I was lucky to receive one of those gifts...President Roosevelt never returned to Warm Springs while I was there. I have always regretted having missed the opportunity to meet this great man, but the gold watch is a very special memento of my stay at the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation." Martha Martin returned to Adams County in February 1942. She graduated from Gettysburg High School, Shippensburg State Teachers College, married Charles Klinger, raised a family, became a 4-H leader in the county and taught first grade for many years in the Bermudian Springs School District. Always smiling, Martha was an inspiration to all who knew her. She helped many along the way, always willing to take in a stranger. Even at 92, she was still making new friends and advocating for others.

Wednesday Wanderings in the Archives: Happy Veteran's Day! We salute all the men and women who have served our nation in wartime and in peacetime. Harold C. "Bud" Miller of York Springs answered the country's call during WWII as he served in New Guinea as a First Sergeant in an ordnance supply and maintenance company. First Sergeant Miller earned the American Defense Ribbon, Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Ribbon with one bronze star for the New Guinea campaign, the Motor Vehicle Mec...hanics badge, Motor Vehicle Drivers Badge and the Good Conduct Medal. Lewis A. Williams enlisted on August 27, 1918. Initially assigned to Co.K, 162nd Infantry, 41st Division, then to 114th Co., Prisoner of War Escort Co. Williams crossed the Atlantic on board the King Italian from Newport News, VA, to Brest, France in October 1918. He returned from Brest in October 1919 on the Northern Pacific and was discharged soon after from Camp Dix, NJ. Twenty-seven-year-old Gettysburg resident, Harry Plank, enlisted on April 30, 1918 and was assigned to Company M, 445th Infantry, 37th Division. Plank would fight on the Baccarat Sector, St. Mihiel offensive, Meuse-Argonne, and on the Flanders front. He would be discharged from military service on April 12, 1919 at Fort Dix, NJ.