News
- Published on: 4/11/2019
York County officials are hoping to find a new home for an old building, the Strickler Family Farmhouse, which sits on the same property as the York County Prison on Concord Road in Springettsbury Township.
The farmhouse, built in the 1700s with additions built in the 1800s, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It could be relocated by a historic or preservation group, something the county hopes to see.
The county is willing to offer the building to a historic group or establish an easement to allow for their maintenance and care of the property that, as it stands now, is not in condition to be used by the county.
(Photo credit: Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects)
If it cannot be relocated or maintained by another entity, the county will have to demolish it, but not before preserving its historical significance through recordation. This two-part endeavor would cost approximately $14,000. It would consist of thorough archiving as well as an interpretive panel to sit on the site of the building for people to learn about the property’s history.
The building, which faces Concord Road, would be documented with pictures. A comprehensive review would include a narrative and sketch of the property, detailing its significance. This would allow for comments by the county, Springettsbury Township and the county’s engineer, C.S. Davidson. A hard copy on archival paper would be submitted for York County Archives as well as copies on non-archival paper for distribution to the York County History Center and other interested libraries.
The interpretive panel, would serve as a marker for the site, so as to preserve the building in memoriam.
The Strickler Family Farmhouse has been considered for office space for the county coroner or additional work space for the prison’s offices, but such endeavors would cost in excess of $400,000. Private efforts have been made to solicit donations for the needed repairs, but have resulted in roughly $11,000.
Regardless of the building’s fate, the county needs to minimize its financial obligations for an historic but non-functional building.