OF LANCASTER COUNTY, 3^9 



and Columbia R. R. Nortli; and by the branch lino of the Nortlioni Central R. R. 

 from Wrightsville on the opposite bank of the Sus(|nehanna, Soutli. Tlie sjilendid 

 bridge which spans the river, is more tlian a mile and a <iuarter long, was bunit 

 during the Rebellion, but has been rebuilt and is ready for traffic at tlic present 

 time (December 18G8.) The principal trade of the borough is in lundter from tlie upper 

 parts of the Sus(iuehanna; mucli capital is invested in tliis trade. One of tlie most 

 prolific deposits of iron ore occurs in the neighborhood of Columbia, and supplies the 

 numerous furnaces here and in the vicinity. The coal-trade of Columbia is also con- 

 siderable. It has 9 churches, and its fine High Scliool building is deservedly admired. 



Lampeter, East.— Bounded N. by Manheim, N. E. by Upper Leacock, Y.. by Lcac<x-k, 

 S. E. by Paradise, S. by Strasburg, S. W. by "West Lampeter, AV. by Lancaster township. 

 Area, 13, 791 acres. Population in 1800, 2,305; Taxables, 047; value of Real and Personal 

 Property, $1,370,598. Itcontains5 Grist and 2 Saw Mills, 7IIotels, 4 Stores and 10 Com- 

 mon Schools. The Conestoga creek bounds the townshii) N. AV., the Pecpiea S. E. and Mill 

 creek traverses it centrally, the course of all three being S. W. The Pennsylvania Rail 

 Road crosses the township centrally with a station at Bird-in-hand, or Enterprise. The 

 former name is said to have originated in the sign of an inn, displaying a man with a 

 bird in his hand and pointing to two other birds on a tree, and pictorially illustrating 

 the proverb that "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."' P. O. at Enterprise, 

 Fertility, Greenland and Soudevsburg. 



Lampeter, AVest. — Bounded N. and AV. by Lancaster, E. by East Lampeter, S. E, 

 by Strasburg, S. by Providence and S. AV. by Pcijuea. Area, 11,437 acres; Population 

 in 1800, 1,771; Taxables, 440; Value of Real and Personal Property, 4:1,104,391. It 

 contains 5 Grist and 3 Saw ^lills; Hotels, 2 Stores and 8 Common Schools. The 

 Pequea is the S. E. boundary and the Conestoga the X. AV. receiving at the AV'esteni- 

 most extremity of the township Mill creek, which crosses the Northern section. P. 

 O. at Lampeter, AVheatland Mills at the Eastern extremity of the townsliip on the 

 Pe«iuea, and AVillow Street. 



Lancaster. — Bounded N. by JIanhehn and Lancaster city, E. by E. and AV. Lam- 

 peter, S. by Pequea, and AV. by 3Ianor. Surface, hilly; soil, limestcme. The Conesto- 

 ga Creek Hows in a very serpentine course along its Southeastern boundary. Area, 

 4,045 acres; popul. in 1800, 924; taxables, 170; value of Real and Personal Projx'rty, 

 .$558,104. It contains 3 Grist and 2 Saw Mill«, 1 Distillery, 2 Hotels, and 3 Common 

 Schools. 



Lancaster, City. — Area, 2,500 acres; Popidation in isiio. 17,003; Taxables 4,000; 

 value of Real and Personal Property, |3, 044,231. 



Lancaster was laid out by Governor Hamilton as a Town in 1730, after the annexed 

 plan, which I found among some loose papers in a closet in the office of the Secretai-y 

 of the Commonwealth at Harrisburg. 



At that time George Gibson kept a tavern here, with the sign of the hickory tree, on 

 the public road, by the side of a fine spring. "A swami^ lay in front of Gibson's, and 

 another of some extent lay to the North." Near the spring there once stowl a high 

 hickory tree, which tradition says was the centre of a small handet of a tribe called tho 

 Hickory Indians. The swamp North of Gibson's is supposed to have extended from the 

 centre of the square bounded by Duke, Queen, Chestnut and Orange streets, to tlic 

 swamp along the run, now AVater Street. Gibson's pasture, afterwards Sanderson's 

 pasture, was leased at an early period by IVIr. Hannlton to Adam Reigart. .Vn okl letter 

 mentions "the log-cabin of the widow Buchanan," who was probably only a tenant, a.s 

 her name is not among the purchasers. Gibson's original tavern is said to have occu- 

 pied the site of Slaymaker's hotel, the spring nearly opposite. At that time it con- 

 tained about 200 inhal)itants. "This year Stephen Atkinson built a fulling mill at great 

 expense; biit the inhabitants of the upper part of the creek assend)led and pulled down 

 the dam on the Conestoga, as it prevented them from rafting an»l getting their usual 

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