The "A Place Known As Roseville" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just left my home in an area known as Foxshire and headed with a carload of lawn waste towards the Manheim Township landfill area which is maybe two miles away on the Oregon Pike.  To get there I need to drive east on Roseville Road for a few blocks until I get to the Oregon Pike.  I have lived most of my life in the area of Lancaster County known as Manheim Township.  The township is filled with a variety of areas that carry names such as Grandview Heights, Belair, Bent Creek, Bloomingdale, Deer Ford, Glen Moore, Landis Valley, Mondamin Farms, etc., etc, and the list goes on and on. 

Old Map showing the area known as Roseville.  Click to enlarge.

At one time there was even an area in the township that was known as Roseville which was a little community whose residents grew many beautiful roses in their gardens.  Eventually the area grew large enough to deserve a name.  Happened to be a traveler who passed through the area many times who was always impressed with the large flower beds of roses that he suggested naming the area Roseville.  Roseville actually began its growth in the early 1830s when a Mr. John Michael, Sr. who happened to be born in the area, built and operated a tavern on the site known as Roseville.  He later became the owner of the historical Grape Hotel in downtown Lancaster.  In 1836 Roseville was comprised of a tavern and one house, but grew in size with a few more houses that had rosebush after rosebush.  Seemed they all had "green thumbs."  Roseville had it's own post office for a short time, but it eventually was moved to Landis Valley in 1872.  In 1883 the Roseville Hotel was operated by Mr. C.B. Grube.  The small village also had a school as well as a blacksmith's shop.  All of this was located along the Oregon Pike near the intersection of...yep, you guessed it...Roseville Road.  Today the area still has its tavern-restaurant, that is until the place is sold and demolished for more parking.  The blacksmith shop disappeared shortly after the automobile arrived.  

The original tavern which became a restaurant and today is for sale.
Won't be long before it is sold, demolished and made into a parking lot.

Close to Roseville is now a few developments as well as a Township Municipal Building and Community Park.  One thing that still remains constant is the name Roseville.  If you travel west on Roseville Road for about a quarter of a mile, you will come to Harrington Drive.  Turn right on Harrington and within a minute you will come to the home of the person who is typing this story.  Always loved the name Roseville and never realized how it got its name until a few days ago when I came across a story in the Lancaster Newspaper titled "An Affinity For Flowers Gave Roseville Its Name."  Now, after all these years, I finally know how the street, a few hundred yards from my home, got it's name.  Neat story, so it is!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.