Another in a series of occasional stories about interesting towns in the region ... .
Shrewsbury, that small York County borough along a major road just above the Mason-Dixon Line, has seen great change over the years.
Johnson Controls, maker of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, just built a major plant nearby.
It has all kinds of history for a town its size and has been home to national figures.
Amanda Berry Smith, whose family operated a stop on the underground railroad, lives nearby. She later became a widely known Christian evangelist.
The borough was home to humanitarianSpurgeon Keeny, one of four known Rhodes Scholars from York County (Eugene Ludwig, Gregory Lippiatt and Bruce McClellan later joined him).
Hebecame UNICEF's regional director for Asia in 1948, and his work contributed to UNICEFwinning the Nobel Prize in 1965.
Hollywood actor Cameron Mitchell grew up thereandbecame arguablyYork County's most accomplished actor. He starred in scores of movies and played Uncle Buckin the hit western TVseries "The High Chaparral."
The town's most visibleattribute today is its tidy downtown, a walkable place where you can shop particularly for antiques, eat dinner and enjoy coffee and ice cream. And leave the car parked.
This wonderful strip of downtown - it's officially a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places -has perseveredat a time when main streets in many Central Pennsylvania boroughs are fighting vacancies and blight.
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It's the walkability that makes the town fun. In addition to those antiques shops on and around Main Street, Shrewsbury's central business district has side-by-side destinations - andThe Village Coffee & Cream.
So if you arrive in Shrewsbury to spend some time soaking in small-town York County, you can go to The Village for coffee and enjoy plenty of space to work the laptop. If you need a break, you can browsethree floors of antiques in that Victorian-era house that gives the placethe name:The Shops At16 North Main.
You can then go next door to J&B's for a great meal, nicely presented.
Then you can go back to The Village for homemade ice cream, made on the premises.
At least, that's what my wife and I did on a recent Saturday.
An afternoon and evening well spent.
So if you visit Shrewsbury, here aresome facts that might help you better enjoythis specialtown:
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Incorporated: 1834
First stop north, last stop south: Shrewsbury is one of York County's oldest boroughs, among the first tier to be chartered.
The settlement grew up around the turnpike between York and Baltimore, the first stop north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Roadways continue to define the town. It is the first exit off of Interstate 83, the newest road between the cities, and theMaryland Migrationhas defined it in theyears since the interstate opened in 1959.
Marylanders continue toheadnorth for the less expensive land and lower taxes afforded north of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Historian George Prowell in 1907: "Shrewsbury is situated near the eastern borders of Shrewsbury Township on the Baltimore Turnpike, and about one mile east of the Northern Central Railroad."
Rail lines: One could say that Shrewsbury hadtwo railroad stations: Railroad borough on the old Northern Central Railway, early oncalled Shrewsbury Station. And Hungerford, south of town, on the old Stewartstown Railroad. So transportation has defined Shrewsbury - originallyStrasburg- from its earliest years.
Current population: 3,823.
Famous visitors:As a turnpike town, any luminary traveling between York and Baltimore would have passed through town. Let's pick just one. Gen. Andrew Jackson passed through and got what he considered araw deal in obtaining a sleighnear there.
Interesting fact:As we've seen, Shrewsbury is a town with a lot of history. But as far as is known, it has no historical society. Manytowns around York County havesuch a group.
Churches: Like many York County towns, Shrewsbury's early churches included Methodist, Evangelical (today merged with Methodist), Lutheran, and German Reformed (Cameron Mitchell's father's denomination.)
Memorable moment: In 1840, a cyclone passed through, destroying much property, according to Prowell. It took the life of a member of the B. Shewell family.
Sources: Other York Town Squareposts, George Prowell's 'History of York County, Pennsylvania,' 'Gazetteer of York and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.'
David Small, York's Civil War burgess
I will present to the York Civil War Roundtable on a topic based on my master's research:"Who was Chief Burgess David Small, at York's helm when the Confederates came to town in 1863?" It's set for 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 20, at the York County History Center.
More:6 benefits of a York Daily Record digital subscription
