York, known as the White Rose City (after the Wars of the Roses), is a city located in South Central Pennsylvania. The population was 40,862 at the 2000 census. York is the county seat of York County, and is located at .
History
York was founded in 1741 by settlers from the Philadelphia region, and named for the English city of the same name. It was incorporated as a borough on September 24, 1787, and as a city on January 11, 1887. During the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), York served as the temporary capital of the Continental Congress. The Articles of Confederation were drafted and ratified in York. The Conway Cabal, a political intrigue against General George Washington, had its origins in the Golden Plough tavern in York.
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), York became the largest Northern town to be occupied by the Confederate army when the division of Major General Jubal Anderson Early spent June 28–30, 1863, in and around the town while the brigade of John B. Gordon marched to the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville and back. Early laid York under tribute and collected food, supplies, clothing, shoes, and $28,000 in cash from citizens and merchants before departing westward obeying the revised orders of Robert E. Lee. The sprawling York U.S. Army General Hospital on Penn Commons served thousands of Union soldiers wounded at the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg.
In the Postbellum era (1865–1877), York remained a regional center for local agriculture, but increasingly became an important industrial center, with such industries as steam engines, railroad manufacturing, and papermaking coming to the forefront. York also features some unique architecture ranging from colonial era buildings to large gothic churches.
In 2001, York mayor Charlie Robertson was arrested for his part in the 1969 race riot murder of Lillie Belle Allen, a young black woman.
Today
York is a center for manufacturing of barbells and other equipment for weight training and bodybuilding, and is the home of the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame. A large Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory, which employs roughly half of Harley's production workforce, is located in York.
York is home to two major manufacturers of modern hydro-power water turbines, Voith Siemens Hydro and American Hydro, both of which manufacture enormous parts in their plants.
York is headquarters to York International, a Johnson Controls Company and one of the largest suppliers of HVAC systems in the United States.
On February 2, 1998, a massive explosion occurred at the York International plant. A spark had set off a leak in the nearby propane storage house. The blast was felt up to 25 miles away, and blew out windows nearby as well as knocking down doors. About 20 people were injured in the blast but only one person was killed, as the explosion fortunately occurred during a shift change.
A major regional department store company, The Bon-Ton, is another corporation headquartered in York, as is the large Kinsley Construction company. York is home to one of only four Starbucks roasting facilities in the world. The alternative rock band, Live, is from the city of York.
Geography
York is located at (39.962692, -76.728043).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.6 km² (5.3 mi²). 13.5 km² (5.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.14%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,862 people, 16,137 households, and 9,246 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,034.0/km² (7,852.2/mi²). There were 18,534 housing units at an average density of 1,376.2/km² (3,561.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.75% White, 25.13% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 9.40% from other races, and 3.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.19% of the population.
There were 16,137 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.0% were married couples living together, 20.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,475, and the median income for a family was $30,762. Males had a median income of $26,792 versus $20,612 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,439. About 20.0% of families and 23.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.8% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
York is home to the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, which brings many nationally acclaimed acts to the York area. Recent performers have included Kenny G, Bill Cosby, BB King, Béla Fleck, and George Carlin. The historic Capitol Theatre also features many independent and foreign films, making it the only venue in York (and sometimes the entire Susquehanna Valley) to feature some rare, yet critically acclaimed films. The Strand Studio has also branched out from the recently Renovated Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center. The Studio offers live music, usually jazz & acoustic, for the community.
It is also home to York College of Pennsylvania, which was originally founded in 1787, Penn State York and Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts.
The historic York Fair, which claims to be the country's oldest traces its roots to 1765. It runs every year in September for 10 days, encompassing an entire week and two weekends. In addition to typical fair attractions, such as rides, games and contests, it also wins regional recognition for hosting many (usually country) musical artists, such as Alabama, Gretchen Wilson, Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The York County Heritage Trust (YCHT) is a not-for-profit educational institution that preserves and uses its collections, historic sites and museums to inspire people to explore the history and culture of York County, Pennsylvania. YCHT maintains eight historical sites that preserve and present 300 years of York County's rich and diverse history. The YCHT was founded in 1999 after a merger of the Historical Society of York County and the Agricultural and Industrial Museum of York County (AIM). Currently, the YCHT historical sites include the Worker's House (c. 1875), Golden Plough Tavern (c.1741), the Barnett Bobb Log House (1812), the Bonham House (c.1885) and old Eastern Market House (c.1886). In 1992, AIM acquired an industrial complex consisting of six buildings (c.1874 to 1955); three of the buildings were renovated and now house the industrial portion of the collection. The YCHT also hosts a variety of events throughout the year.
York City Recreation and Parks helps sponsor the Olde York Street Fair each year on Mothers Day, the second Sunday of May — a tradition since the early 1980s. In recent years more than 150 art, craft and food vendors have lined Market and George streets. About 60,000 people visited the fair in 2006 according to city officials.
Education
York City School District
Sports
Baseball
The city of York has two new professional sports teams, the York Revolution and the York MAHL team. After 36 years without professional baseball, the Revolution arrived to fill the void left by the departed York White Roses. The York Revolution are named after the city's colonial past, when the Continental Congress met in York and passed the Articles of Confederation during the Revolutionary War. The Revolution will continue the old baseball rivalry between York and the nearby city of Lancaster, when the York Revolution start their inaugural season in 2007. The Revolution will play at Sovereign Bank Stadium, currently under construction in York's Arch Street neighborhood. The stadium will feature a plaza and statue in honor of MLB Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, a one-time member of the aforementioned White Roses, with whom he made his professional baseball debut in 1955. Robinson currently serves as a special assistant and advisor to Opening Day Partners, the group largely responsible for bringing professional baseball back to York.
Sovereign Bank Stadium has the distinction of having the tallest wall in baseball. At 37 feet, 8 inches, the left field wall of York's new ballpark will surpass the height of the Green Monster at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox.
Other sports
York is home to the "Plywood Hoods", a group of BMX freestylers, including Kevin Jones, who gained broad acclaim in the 1980s and 1990s.
York is also the home of the York Silver Bullets semiprofessional football team (Colonial Football Alliance). In their inaugural season they had a record of 5 and 5, gaining a playoff berth only to lose in the first round.
Media
The York area is part of the Susquehanna Valley (Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York) media market. Of the major television network affiliates in this media market only one, the Fox affiliate WPMT has its base of operations in York. Other stations in the market include NBC Affiliate WGAL, from Lancaster, ABC affiliate WHTM-TV, CBS Affiliate WHP-TV,and CW Affiliate WLYH all from Harrisburg. It is also not uncommon for York residents to receive some stations from the Baltimore, Maryland media market, due to its proximity to the south of York.
York has a community-access television station called WRCT (White Rose Community Television) which used to be YCAT (York Community Access Television).
The pop music radio station, WSBA AM 910, achieved high ratings in not only York, but also in nearby Harrisburg and Lancaster, during the 1960s and 1970s. WSBA, now a news-talk station, was well-known for being the flagship station of Susquehanna Broadcasting, which had its corporate offices in York, as well.
York is also unusual in that it supports two daily newspapers, despite its relatively small size. The York Daily Record/Sunday News is published mornings, seven days a week, and The York Dispatch is published Monday through Friday afternoons. The Daily Record/Sunday News currently has the lead in terms of circulations of the daily newspapers.
Twinned cities
York is officially twinned
with:
Transportation
York is served, through public transportation, by Rabbit Transit which operates multiple bus routes in the city and the surrounding suburbs. In 2006 a rabbitEXPRESS bus route was established to transport commuters to Harrisburg and back, making six round trips weekdays. Rabbit Transit has faced similar obstacles to profitability as other public transportation companies in the country have, although it has taken advantage of the recent high gas prices and an active advertising campaign to attract new riders. .
In addition to Rabbit Transit the city has a Greyhound/Trailways bus depot where service through Harrisburg to Syracuse, or to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. is provided by Greyhound Lines. Service through Lancaster to Philadelphia and New York City is provided by Capitol Trailways.
A Rabbit Transit bus line, which would link York with Hunt Valley, Maryland, has been proposed. A fare of $5 could take passengers each way and cover 80% of the operating cost according to planners. Rail enthusiasts have suggested commuter rail service could be started between York and Maryland with much of the necessary infrastructure already in place, though transportation planners say this is too expensive, with bus and van services more feasible.
York does not have any commercial airports, although many residents use Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), due to its proximity, when flying in and out of the region. Harrisburg International Airport has become increasingly popular, and is a closer alternative than BWI. Lancaster, 24 miles to the east, has frequent Amtrak train service to Philadelphia.
Trivia
In a twisted Hatfield-and-McCoy transplant from the Old World, the people of York (the White Rose City) and their counterparts in nearby Lancaster (the Red Rose City) are often the butt of each other's jokes. See Wars of the Roses for full explanation of the irony.
The War of the Roses All-Star Game is played in York every year over the weekend of Thanksgiving. The game pits the best high school football players in their senior seasons from the York-Adams League against a similar team from the Lancaster-Lebanon League. As the game only involves seniors and occurs during the first weekend of the PIAA District 3 football playoffs (players on teams which qualify for the playoffs do not participate), it is the final high school football game for each of the participants. Ironically, since the host field of the game is rotated and no York-Adams teams have home fields within the city limits, it doesn't ever occur within the city of York, despite gaining its moniker from the city's nickname.
Though now produced by The Hershey Company, the York Peppermint Patty was created in York in 1940.
The New York Wire Company is located in York, which holds the world record for the loudest music without amplification from a non-musical instrument. Every Christmas Eve the company uses a boiler to create pressure then releases it through a series of tubes using a device much like a slide whistle. The music is 140 dB loud and can be heard 12 to 14 miles away with proper weather conditions. Various Christmas music is played for a short time around midnight. It is thought that the tradition was started around 1925.
The Stauffer Biscuit Company of York is a growing producer of animal crackers distributed by major discount retailers.
The Live song "Shit Towne," from their album Throwing Copper is about York.
See also
External links
