Welcome to Spring Grove Area Historical Preservation Society
We resolve to provide a historical legacy for this and future generations of Spring Grove Area residents.
Watch our Presentation from September 17, 2024
Funeral Traditions in Spring Grove, PA
Did you know?
In 1984, the Spring Grove Historical District was created. This registration was concurrent with the 100th Anniversary of the Borough. The nomination packet is viewable by clicking the button below. To find out more about NPS's National Registry, click here.
America's 250th Birthday is quickly approaching!
About SGAHPS
The Spring Grove Area Historical Preservation Society was founded in 1986, inspired by the Borough of Spring Grove’s 100th Anniversary Celebration a few years earlier. The late Mayor Richard Thieret invited several people involved in that observance to reunite. The purpose of that meeting was to discuss the feasibility of organizing a local historical society. Eleven people attended that meeting. Mayor Thieret presided over the meeting and Sandra Sterner acted as recording secretary. That was on May 19, 1986.
At a second meeting on June 17, Mayor Thieret appointed nominating, membership and by-laws committees. Two subsequent meetings were held involving more discussion and planning. The new historical society was incorporated on March 31, 1987. Harry P. Schrum, who was the Spring Grove Borough Secretary at the time, became our organization’s first president. There were 183 charter memberships: 48 Life; 59 Family; 67 Individual; and 9 Patron.
Donations of artifacts grew at a steady rate. First, donated artifacts were stored in a cabinet at the Spring Grove Borough building. Display cases were built by several volunteers in 1992, and placed at Glatfelter Memorial Library. An artifacts room was eventually opened in 1997 at the Spring Grove Area School District Educational Service Center. The artifacts were moved again in 2000 to the Spring Grove Area Community Center. This building was sold in December 2020. As a result of this sale, we moved our office to 100 Glenview Road in Spring Grove and our collection to storage. Here, our collection is limited by space and rotated to highlight different artifacts.
We are particularly proud that our extensive collection has well over 10,000 artifacts included in it. In addition, we have a unique collection of local photographs.
Our success is attributed to the interest and generosity of the community since 1986.
Our future looks bright. We have hired a full time Executive Director, whose mission is to help secure the Society a permanent home for our collections and a research archives. As always, we look forward to continue our mission of providing a historical legacy for this and future generations of the Spring Grove area residents. Through increased community participation and collaborations with other organizations, we work to become a strong community partner.
Our History
Some of the memorable events in the last 275 years (but not all, look for more entries to be added often).
King Charles II granted the Penn Family land west and south of New Jersey to form the Colony of Pennsylvania
1681
Paradise Township laid out by Joseph Pidgeon, a surveyor for the Penn Family (Spring Grove was initially part of Paradise Township)
1747
York County established from Lancaster County.
1749
P. Dicks built the first iron bloomery west of the Susquehanna, in the present limits of Spring Grove
1755
Dicks bloomery becomes known as "Spring Forge"
1770
Revolutionary War
1775 - 1783
Spring Forge owned by D. Shireman, wagon loads of iron bar were sent to aid the Colonial Army
1778
T. Coleman sells to J. Hauer and he changes the business from iron forge to paper mill.
1851 - 1863
Jackson Twp incorporated
1858
American Civil War
1861-1865
P. H. Glatfelter purchases the paper mill.
December 23, 1863
St. Paul Lutheran Church built
1880
Spring Grove Borough incorporated
1882
Electric Lights on Main Street
1896
The Ripplet became a widely published family newspaper journal.
1897
Spring Grove Public School building built
1898
The 1st National Bank of Spring Grove organized
1902
Telephone lines and sewers installed
1902
P.H. Glatfelter dies.
1907
First Ordinance regulating automobile speed on Main Street.
1907
Post Office officially changed from Spring Forge to Spring Grove
1911
First House numbering system put into place.
1915
First World War
1914-1918
First "Barker" published
March 1920
Fire Department purchases a fire truck for $4,500
1922
Cemetery Street renamed Constitution Avenue for 150th anniversary of the Constitution of the US
1938
World War 2
1939-1945
Korean War
1950-1953
Spring Grove Joint High School built on Hanover Road. (now middle school)
1953
Vietnam Conflict
1964-1975
Annexed the Spring Forge Tract to increase the Borough to current size.
1966
Cable TV franchise granted.
1971
Thank you to PHMC
Our collection management software has been provided by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.
Thank You to the Cultural Alliance of York for our GLY Arts Match Stretch Pool!
2.7.23 Press Release - Hoke House
The Spring Grove Area Historical Preservation Society and its Board of Directors respectfully ask that the demolition of the Hoke House be reconsidered and that other options including preservation, removal to another location or incorporation into Rutters new planned construction for the site be explored. If preservation is not an option, we would then like to be included in any discussions concerning further documenting and artifact gathering of the structure and grounds. It is well documented that this property belongs on the National Registry of Historic Places. During its lifetime, The Hoke House has stood as a silent witness to progress over the last 275 years and to lose this building would be a loss to the community.