Continental Square - York, PA
N 39° 57.747 W 076° 43.662
18S E 352439 N 4425018
The Lincoln Hwy. plays host to this town square, the heart of York. The Revolutionary War & Civil War rolled through the square & the events have been recorded through historical markers & interpretives displayed at the 4 corners of the square.
Waymark Code: WM9AKA
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/22/2010
Views: 6
Continental Square is a spacious intersection, at Market and George Sts., marking the Site of the Colonial Courthouse in which the Continental Congress met from September 30, 1777, to June 27, 1778. That body here heard of Burgoyne's surrender, drafted the Articles of Confederation, received news from Franklin in Paris the France would aid the American cause, received Von Steuben and Lafayette and commissioned the major generals, and issued the first National Thanksgiving Proclomation. --- Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Keystone State, 1940; page 348
York's most important piece of real estate grew along old Lincoln Highway and they have the road signs to prove it. The town center as it is also sometimes called has five official PHMP blue markers, two civil war interpretives, a 250th york anniversary sculpture/pillar. A reminder of York's past was placed also back in Continental Square recently. The conductors kiosk, a dome-topped building used when a trolley service ran through the city, was returned to the northeast corner of the square with its 1880s appearance restored. You can see it in the picture gallery. There is also a beautiful World War II monument/memorial and statue undergoing renovations.
I learned that event and celebrations like New Years, Fourth of July, Anniversaries of important historical events are celebrated here in this square. This truly is the heart of York. The Lincoln Highway in this part of the world is called Market Street. The posted coordinates are in the middle of the intersection of N. Broad Street & Market Street.