20th Annual Preservation Award Winners   The Dritt Mansion The Hahn Home White Rose Motor Company Howard Tunnel The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center     The Dritt Mansion John and Kathryn Zimmerman   This formal Georgian styled stone house overlooking the Susquehanna River is located 3 and ½ miles south of Wrightsville along Long Level Road. The building was constructed in 1758, although archaeological evidence suggests an even earlier date of construction. The Meyer family may have constructed it as early as the 1730s as it retains many German influences. The residence served as home to Captain Jacob Dritt from 1783 until his unfortunate drowning death in 1817. Dritt was an officer of the 5th Division of the Pennsylvania Militia and he operated a ferry across the Susquehanna in his later life. He was an astute businessman who transported wine and liquor across the river and was instrumental in the development of Washington Boro in Lancaster County. After his death, his family retained ownership of the house and surrounding land until 1851. The family must have made some improvements to the house including the removal of the pent roofs, construction of a late 19th century front porch and the demolition of a rear kitchen ell. Many of its original features were retained including several mantels and a vaulted basement. The house was used primarily as a rental property and summerhouse through the twentieth century, which in some way helped, preserved its integrity. John and Kathryn Zimmerman purchased the house in 1998 and began rehabilitating it for their own summer retreat as well as for office space.   Extensive archaeological survey was completed to ascertain the appearance of the front stoop as well as the size and dimension of the kitchen ell and beehive oven. Luckily, physical evidence on the building helped with the appearance of the plaster cove cornice and pent roofs. Much of the interior floor plan was left intact as were the majority of the interior trim. The house featured four fireplaces and plate stoves, which had long been removed, heated the other four rooms. The mantels were preserved and reproduction stoves installed. The building now serves as the offices of the Lancaster-York Heritage Region, a very appropriate use for one of York’s earliest high-style buildings.   Return to the top of this page     The Hahn Home   In 1913, Anna L. Gardner died leaving her estate in trust to accumulate for 15 years. At that time, a home was to be established for worthy women of good character and habits, over 50 years of age, who were unmarried Pennsylvania residents. In 1917-18, Robert Emerton, Sr. built a home at 863 S. George Street for his family. It was designed by John Dempwolf and was named Crepler House derived from the first initials of the Emerton parents and children’s names. The family experienced monetary problems and the large house was divided into apartments in 1921. In 1928, Anna Gardner’s wish came to fruition with the establishment of the Hahn Home organization. The name Hahn was used in honor and memory of Miss Gardner’s mother’s family. The Hahn Home purchased the Crepler Apartments with the hope of converting into the Hahn Home. From 1928 to 1955, the house was operated as Crepler Apartments. In 1955, renovations began to remodel Crepler Apartments and the court granted the Hahn Home Board the permission to open their home for ladies. In 1958, the first ladies moved into the home.   The house operated in this manner until February 10, 2003 when a devastating fire broke out in the front parlor from spontaneous combustion of oily rags. Fortunately, all of the residents were safely evacuated. Damage to the building was extensive. On the first floor, much of the decorative paneling was charred, plaster walls and ceilings blackened, and the decorative cove ceiling in the living room almost unrecognizable. There was tremendous smoke and water damage throughout the rest of the building.   At the time of the fire, the Board of Directors was considering the future of the Hahn Home organization and the building at 863 South George Street. Since many more opportunities exist now for long term care of the elderly than in Anna Gardner’s time, it seemed that continuing to operate the facility in its current manner might not be the best for the future. The fire forced the board to examine the issue quickly and it was decided that while selling the building and using the association’s resources to better serve the intentions of Anna Gardner’s estate made sense, liquidating the building in its fire damaged condition would not ensure that its architectural detailing would be restored. So the Board of Directors decided to undertake the restoration of the building first before marketing it for sale.   We are pleased to present an initiative award to the Hahn Home Board of Directors for undertaking the restoration of one of York’s finest buildings. We commend the Board for making this decision and moving forward to ensure the building’s history was preserved before dealing with the future of the organization. The Board has recently began discussions with a new buyer for the building but with their dedication to the building and to the community, the Hahn Home has ensured that future generations can appreciate the significance and beauty of the building at 863 S. George Street. Although the project was completed within the 2004 year, the Board of the Hahn Home is being recognized this evening for continuing to ensure that this building is preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.   Return to the top of this page     White Rose Motor Company Wagman Construction, Inc.   In 1937, Charles Heiges began construction on a fashionable Streamline Moderne styled building his Heiges Motors along busy West King Street in York City. He organized the White Rose Auto Dealership the following year and business changed to the new name. The dealership sold and serviced Oldsmobile and Cadillac models exclusively. A fashionable showroom was located in this southeast corner, so passing motorists could see the dealership's newest automobile in the showroom window (King Street was still a two-way street). The front facade was covered with a dark Carrara glass. Other prominent features of the building's style included metal hopper windows, stainless steel and aluminum for hardware and other details as well as a tall vertical neon sign. Like many of its contemporary dealerships, the front stylized portion housed the main showroom and sales offices. The back utilitarian brick section housed the service bay for both new and used automobiles.   The building remained a prosperous dealership through the 1960s as Moore Cadillac, York's franchised Cadillac dealer. In the 1970s, the dealership was sold and a new facility constructed along South Queen Street in York Township. Over the years, the Carrara glass was removed and replaced with stucco and much of the neon was removed. York Technical Institute moved into the building in 1981 and the show room and service bays were divided into new classroom space. The technical trade school moved from the facility in 1992.   When Wagman Construction began looking at the building in 2002, its condition had worsened. Many of the steel sash windows of the service bay were badly deteriorated and the whole building had sustained water damage from roof leaks. After the roof was repaired, the stucco of the front of the building was repaired so the building was watertight. The brick pylon was also repaired to maintain the shape of the original façade. The remaining stainless steel canopy was repaired and a more appropriate storefront door installed. Wagman decided to separate the building as it was historically and found a new tenant for the rear service bays. The old classroom walls were demolished and the bays opened to one large space. The YMCA of York and York County’s gymnastic program has filled the rear of the building with a new entrance constructed off West Mason Avenue. Inside, the gym is well lighted and perfect for the new use. The few new partition walls were carefully planned to not impact the window openings. The front showroom space will be leased shortly and completed. Wagman’s commitment to city buildings is commendable, especially for one building from an era often overlooked.   Return to the top of this page     Howard Tunnel York County Parks and Recreation   The Howard Tunnel is located seven miles south of York in North Codorus Township along the Northern Central Railway. As a result of the route chosen for the line, a tunnel was cut through more than 300 feet of solid rock. The tunnel was completed in 1840; two years after the line began operation although the tunnel was functional during those first two years of operation. The tunnel is 253 feet long and 24 feet wide. The entrances are made up of rough-faced, coursed ashlar stones. Slightly projecting over the top of the entrance walls is a course of rusticated coping, and above the crowns of the two arches are limestone date stones. The date stone at the south end reads 1840, while the north end stone reads 1868, the date of the tunnel's rehabilitation. The interior of the tunnel is lined with brick.   The Howard Tunnel was constructed as part of the York and Maryland Line Railroad. The rail line was constructed between the years of 1828 to 1838. Maryland first approved a charter for a railroad in February of 1828 for construction of a line between Baltimore and the Pennsylvania State line. Named the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad Company, the line entered Pennsylvania south of New Freedom Borough. The rail line was extended into Pennsylvania under the name, York and Maryland Line Railroad. Grading of the line began but quickly became hampered by the hilly topography of the area and labor difficulties. In August of 1838, the York and Maryland Line Railroad Company opened for business. In conjunction with the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad, it provided a through route from York to Baltimore.   The Northern Central Railway enjoyed great prosperity through the rest of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. By the 1930s, the routes of the railroads within York County, suffered from the advancement of the trucking systems that made movement of freight by train seem obsolete. In 1976, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation purchased the property associated with the Northern Central Railway and later the deed was transferred to the County of York for one dollar. The York County Heritage Rail/Trail was constructed along side the tracks of the railroad from the Pennsylvania State line to the City of York. After years of rail traffic through the tunnel, the interior bricks were covered with soot and dirt. Deteriorated mortar inside the tunnel and along the head walls created a dangerous situation for users of the Rail Trail: falling bricks and stone. The York County Department of Parks and Recreation received TEA –21 enhancement grant as well as a Keystone Historic Preservation Grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The project included cleaning the bricks, repairing deteriorated brick and mortar and re-laying fallen coping stones. Weep holes were installed through the tunnel walls to allow for water run-off. The tunnel is again open for users of the York County Heritage Rail Trail. Its restoration allows for the continued safe use of the trail by visitors to and citizens of York.   Return to the top of this page     The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center   The Strand-Capitol Theatres have been a fixture on North George Street throughout the twentieth century. The Capitol had opened originally as the Jackson as early as 1908. The Strand Theatre opened in 1925 as a vaudeville and silent film house. Both theatres were highly ornate with graceful archways and ornate decorative details that included 1,800 pounds of gold leaf, 100 pounds of bronze and 4,000 pounds of ribbon gold in pilaster moldings. The Strand and Capitol theaters prospered during the early to mid-twentieth century as a place for Yorkers to enjoy films. As businesses suffered downtown, so did the Strand and the Capitol. In February of 1976, the Strand closed. The Capitol soon followed, closing in 1977.   The theatres reopened in 1980 after a consortium of York business leaders and professionals evaluated the feasibility of establishing a performing arts center in downtown York. Since re-opening, the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center has presented over 2,700 performances, including classic and contemporary movies, and live stage performances.   The center underwent a $15.7 million renovation and expansion in 2001. Evergreen Painting from New York City was hired to restore much of the beautiful decoration of both theatres and the arches. As the work began with the Capitol, the original proscenium arch was found within the stage wall. The discovery was a surprise but it was quickly incorporated into the design. As part of the renovation within the Strand Theatre, a necklace balcony was constructed and great care was taken to replicate the spaces other decorative elements in its design. When the acoustical panels were removed, the original stencil design and paint colors were incorporated along the walls. Even the murals near the ceiling were cleaned and restored. A chandelier from the State Theatre in Hanover was installed within the theatre in the center medallion. The lobby was expanded and it too became a showpiece. The rehab project increases its capability to bring high quality programs to York. Although such extensive art restoration was not part of the original plan, the Strand Capitol organization knew that its preservation was extremely important and would be a gift to the York Community.     Return to the top of this page