Mills and Manufacturing Fueling the Cause - York, PA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

In York, along W. Princess Street and near the bridge over the creek, is this sign about Confederate occupation of York just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg.

The sign is located on the south side of W. Princess Street, just west of the railroad intersection and east of a bridge over the creek. The sign is right by the road and is within view of an old factory that now houses the York Agricultural and Industrial Museum.

The sign has the following text:

"Mills and Manufacturing Fueling the Cause

[Logo of Pennsylvania Civil War Trails]
The Confederate Army occupied York by choice, not by chance. Cavalry raiding parties destroyed railroad bridges and disrupted communications throughout York County, but the community of York did not witness similar destruction. Rather, upon the arrival of General Early's Division on July 28, 1863, two brigades were dispatched to guard several flour mills north of town. Railcar manufacturing shops and mills were inspected and threatened, but not burned. York's agriculture and its manufacturing infrastructure made it attractive to the invading army, and were well known in the South, as well as many local companies, such as P.A. & S. Small and Pennsylvania Agricultural Works, both of which had an association with agriculture and extensive business dealings south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The Billmeyer & Small Co., manufacturer of railcars, held contracts with the federal government, and York's industry was nationally well known.

By the time of the Confederate occupation, York's population was around 9,100, including 1,500 skilled craftsmen. As one York resident wrote, "Now we know why we were spared; they told themselves they expected to make this their headquarters. The battle was to be here and that was the reason they guarded our warehouses and mills so well.""

There are two pictures with captions. One shows rows of factory buildings with this caption: "Pennsylvania Agricultural Works had extensive business dealing south of the Mason-Dixon Line - Courtesy of the York County Heritage Trust"

The small center picture is of David Small, partner in the Billmeyer & Small Co.

Group that erected the marker: Pennsylvania Civil War Trails URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: W. Princess Street York, PA United States of America 17403

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