Starting today, Windows Into York will begin a series about the evolution of Continental Square, or Centre Square, from the laying out of York to the Square of today. The “Square,” as most residents call it, has always been the center of York. Businesses cluster around the Square. The courthouse once stood in the square. Market sheds drew residents to the Square. The Second Continental Congress met in the Square. The Confederate Army “captured” the Square. York County’s Sesquicentennial was celebrated in the Square. Comfort Stations were built in the Square. Events continually take place in the Square… Well, you get the picture. If the City of York is a living organism, than the Square is the heart.
In 1741, York County didn’t even exist. All of present day York County, as well as present day Adams County, was part of Lancaster County.
The Penn family – John, Thomas, and Richard, sons of William Penn – directed Thomas Cookson to lay out a new town. Cookson was deputy surveyor for Lancaster County. He was instructed “to survey and lay off in lots a tract of land on the Codorus where the Monocacy Road crosses the stream.”
The Monocacy Road, established in 1739, was actually an old Indian trail.
In his plan, Cookson included instructions for a town square:
“The square to be 480 feet wide, 520 feet long; the lots 230×65 feet; alleys 20 feet wide; two streets 80 feet wide to cross each other, and 65 feet square to be cut off the corner of each lot to make a square for any public building or market of 110 feet each side; the lots to be let at 7 shillings sterling: the square to be laid out the length of two squares to the eastward of Codorus when any number such as twenty houses are built.”
In November 1741, applications for 23 lots were submitted. The best-known of those applicants is Martin Eichelberger, who constructed the Golden Plough Tavern, which is recognized today as the City of York’s oldest building. Another name you may recognize is Baltzer Spengler (or Spangler), who is credited with constructing the Black Horse Tavern. A historic marker stands today on the northwest quadrant of Continental Square, noting the location of the tavern. Spengler did operate a tavern, though it might have been his son, also named Baltzer, who actually operated the “Sign of the Black Horse” on an adjacent lot.
Spengler was given the land in exchange for his services to help lay out the town of York, and his tavern and public inn was used as the voting place for all of York County. In 1750, one year after York County was formed, a fight erupted between the Germans from Hanover and Scots-Irish from Gettysburg (then part of York County). Each group was in town to support their favored candidate to serve as York County sheriff. The Scots-Irish began preventing the Germans from casting their votes, and one particular German took offense at being deprived of his rights. Soon fists and sticks were flying. Blood was shed, but no one was killed. Voting was suspended by, of all people, the Scots-Irish candidate, who was overseeing the elections process.
