The "Adventures on the Lincoln Highway: Part III" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Heading into Lancaster on the Lincoln Highway from the west end of the city.  Have driven this stretch of highway many times in the past 50 odd years and many of the original buildings that lined this historic stretch 100 years ago still reside here.  It was in 1913 that Carl G. Fisher had the idea of a coast-to-coast rock highway from New York to San Francisco.  If only he could see what has become of his dream!  When the Lincoln Highway came through the south-eastern part of Pennsylvania, it followed an already made road in the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike.  This is my second story of multiple posts where I will share with you some of the historic sites within a short travel distance of my hometown of Lancaster that are located on the Lincoln Highway.  My last story took me from mid-York, PA to where I started my journey today.  Today I will travel to center city on the old Lincoln Highway, now known as State Route 462, to the other end of the city near the city line.  

Hamilton Watch Company

My first stop takes me to the Hamilton Watch Company on the outskirts of the city.  The Hamilton Watch Company was established in 1892, after Keystone Standard Watch Company was purchased from bankruptcy.  The new company was named after James Hamilton who was granted a large tract of land from William Penn which included the property where the watch company was built.  

The watch company was housed on a 13-acre plot and was one of the major employers in the city of Lancaster.  In 1957 Hamilton introduced the world's first electric watch and when I graduated from high school in 1962 my parents gave me one of the electric watches for a graduation gift.  Still have it even though it no longer functions.  Hamilton Watch Company eventually left Lancaster and the large facility along the Lincoln Highway was turned into apartments.  

301 W. King Street.  Former home of Meiskey's
wholesale jewelry store.

My next stop along Rt. 462 is at 301 W. King Street.  Throughout the city, Rt. 462 is better known as King Street.  301 W. King is where my dad worked as manager of Meiskey's Jewelry Store for what seemed like forever to a young boy.  It was primarily a wholesale venture and I spent  many an hour watching my dad work on summer evenings when he went back in to the store to take care of orders that hadn't been filled during the day. Eventually I met my wife Carol through Meiskey's since her mom was hired by my dad and the two of them set up a blind date in 1966 for Carol and me and the rest is history, as they say.  

Old postcard showing the Lancaster
Umbrella Works.

The building that  housed Meiskey's was the Henry Krauskopf Store which was the oldest surviving structure for the manufacturing and marketing of cigar boxes and tobacco related products.  It was built in 1874 and is on the National Register of the United States Department of the Interior.  It was an important part of the landscape of the Lincoln Highway as it passed through Lancaster.  Today it houses a barber shop.  

Current photo of Umbrella Works

Across the street at the corner of West King and Mulberry street is the Umbrella Factory.  This five-story brick structure built around 1892 

 as the Follmer, Clogg and Company Umbrella Factory, was one of the world's largest manufacturers of umbrellas by 1910. The factory building was taken over in 1944 by the J.B. Van Sciver furniture store. Vacated in 1982, the building sat empty until being converted into apartments in 1986.

Its rehabilitation included the reconstruction of the corner tower, which serves as a focal point on this corner property.  I never knew it as an umbrella factory, but as Van Sciver's store.  Carol and I made a few purchases for our home at the store. 

Old postcard showing the Stevens
House along the Lincoln Highway
 in Lancaster City

As I continued my travels east on King St. (Lincoln Highway) I reached the Stevens House which was at one time a beautiful Hotel that featured a fantastic restaurant.  The historic English dining room has not only excellent food but also many interesting pictures and mementos on the walls.

Recommended by Duncan Hines for both rooms and food.  

Interior of the restaurant
in Stevens House

Today it has lost much of it's charm.  The square in Lancaster features many historic sites such as Watt and Shand and Lancaster Central Market which I have written about before.  

My final stop of the day is on the eastern outskirts of Lancaster along the Lincoln Highway.  The Lancaster Prison was built in the 1850s to resemble England's Lancaster Castle.  Directly in front of it appears a marker on which is inscribed: 62 M. to P. by the Turnpike (62 miles to Philadelphia by the Turnpike).  The majestic prison remains in excellent shape, though it is extremely overcrowded.  My trip will end today, but you will be able to catch another story as I finish my travels toward the eastern border of Lancaster County on another day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Current view of the Stevens House.

The 1850 Lancaster County Prison along the Lincoln Highway.

Road Marker showing distance to Philadelphia along the Philadelphia-Lancaster Turnpike

Old postcard showing the Monument in the center of Lancaster along the Lincoln  Highway.