Of nostalgia and old homesteads

The following entry on my hometown of  New Oxford, Pa. appeared on my defunct "Kilroy Was Here" website. New Oxford is a Pennsylvania borough of about 1,600 people. 

Their school mascot is the Colonial and an early 20th century baseball player for the Brooklyn Superbas, Bull Durham (born Louis Rapheal Staub) was born there.

There is not much about the town on the web - which is why I'm re-posting this piece here. This time I promise I'll try not to editorialize about the trees in the center square -at least not too much.

What’s a New Oxford and why is somebody writing a soliloquy on it? New Oxford, Pa. was my hometown for the first eleven years of my life and quite frankly is the epitome of small-town America. Presently the town has several churches, is half of the Conawago Valley school system, and is one of south central Pennsylvania’s havens for the antique business.

One of New Oxford’s claims to fame is its circular park in the center square of the town. The town square sits in the middle of the intersection of the Lincolnway (Route 30) and Carlisle Street. In that respect there is no real intersection -just a lot of driving around in circles. The historic town of Gettysburg has a similar set up for its town square, but Gettysburg’s square is much more difficult to drive around. 

Interestingly enough, years ago it the idea of tearing out the square and making it an four way intersection was proposed. Now imagine all the cars and semis barreling through this tiny place if they were granted an intersection. Traffic is already enough of an issue, but at least there's a pretty obstacle to slow folks down. Tearing out the square didn't get too far. During the bicentennial, the square was divided up and sold to the residents. So, yes, that square is actually private property -with multiple owners.

Several year’s back, New Oxford’s square was much more attractive than Gettysburg’s treeless lot. The tree-lined square of New Oxford was home of the town’s annual antique market and a victim of Halloween decorating (according to local lore, the kids of the town would decorate the square with any piece of junk they could find).

Unfortunately a harsh storm in the early 1990s tore many of the trees out of the center square. Following that occurrence, it was later decided that the park should have a fountain in the center of it. Subsequently more, more, and more trees were removed from the square. 

History

According to local lore and history, the town of New Oxford acquired it’s moniker from an ox-head that adorned an inn located in one the area’s popular (although not populous) thoroughfares. "Oxford-Town" was laid out in 1792 by one Henry Kuhn and became a borough on Aug. 20, 1874. 

The word "New" was added to Oxford so that the town was not mistaken for another similarly named Pennsylvania town. The word ford, in New Oxford, refers to the fact that the Ox-headed inn was located by a creek ford. 

The New Oxford College and Medical Institute was founded in 1864 by Dr. M.G.D. Pfeiffer. The town was the bastion of medical learning until after the Civil War ended. 

Interestingly enough, New Oxford is positioned between two of south central Pennsylvania’s most famous Civil War battle locations: Gettysburg and Hanover. Presently New Oxford has tried to replicate that era by restoring many local 18th and 19th century homes as historical landmarks.

Scenes from the town

George Washington slept here! 

Yes, George Washington did sleep in the patriotically decorated building with the wraparound porch. 

I'm not sure, but I believe the place was some sort of tavern at that time. 

This shows how old of a town New Oxford is. 

Well that looks like fun, driving in circles. This picture attempts to illustrate the traffic navigating the square (or rather circle). Check out the semi heading down Lincolnway (U.S. 30) West. Those are only two-lane roads. 

As mentioned earlier, Gettysburg has a round-about as does Abbottstown, another town east of New Oxford along U.S. 30. I think these things drove my husband nuts on our vacation there.

At right is the Park Hotel. I believe the rooms above are rented. The bottom part is a bar. I don't really know too much about the place. 

Once when I was a kid I remember seeing bikers coming to the place in droves.


My father apparently frequented the place in his youth. He claims it had a dance floor.

Another shot of the Park Hotel at left. The shop at the bottom of the red brick building on the right was once upon a time known to kids far and wide as "George's." 

It's real name for quite a while was The New Oxford Variety. It was a five and dime that sold just about anything. 

There was nothing like a Saturday afternoon walk to Georges... The shop was the primary candy source for the youth in town.  Other critical items we bought were trendy pens and pencils and embroidery floss for making friendship bracelets.   

The stones of the church at left, St Paul's U.C.C., were laid by my grandfather, Solomon John Haverstick. Now, I'd continue with the cemetery story... but I might get in trouble for that ;-)

Postcards of New Oxford

Here are two views of Emory United Methodist Church. This church has a fine clock tower and makes a lovely bonging on the hour and half hour. It really is a lovely church. On the inside, two large staircases lead to the upstairs sanctuary. This is actually quite fun because when sitting in this particular sanctuary the structure is such that everyone leans to the side. 

 

Above and at left are some examples of New Oxford's brick sidewalks.

 These side walks are along Route 30 and my father has informed me that water used to squirt up from under the bricks when it rained. 

 I guess that would be more amusing than jumping in puddles. 

This postcard is of New Oxford's one and only train station. 

Formerly the Western Maryland Railroad Station, this station is now a railroad museum. 

The station opened in 1892 and its last running was on December 31, 1942.