The "When East Petersburg Was Known as Petersburg" Story

It was an ordinary day.  On my way home from Root's Sale which is a farmer's market in Lancaster County that sits about a quarter-mile off of Rt. 72.  To the South sits the large city known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania and to the north sits the small town known as Manheim.   For many years after the Revolutionary War, the area I am writing about today was mostly farmland dotted along the way with an occasional grist mill or lime kiln.  In the late 1700s a fellow named Peter Gotshall gained possession of 50 acres which he had inherited from his father.  Mr. Gotshall divided the 50 acres into five pieces and about two years later had sold all of his inheritance.  One buyer was a fellow known as John Wolfe who sold the acres he had bought to his brother, Daniel Wolfe.  During the next six years Daniel acquired more land and finally had accumulated 30 acres.  

Then in 1810 he built what is said to be the oldest brick building in the nearby town known as East Petersburg which sits along Rt. 72 at the corner of State and Lemon Streets.  At one time the building was a dry goods store, tavern, school, hotel, post office, butcher shop, residence and most recently the home of the East Petersburg Historical Society.  Then in 1812 Mr. Wolfe divided 14 acres of his remaining land into 79 building lots.  These lots were positioned in a grid-like pattern with four streets that met in the center of the grid.  It was the start of a new town.  On December 12, 1812 Mr. Wolfe sold all the lots for $150 each.  Even though the War of 1812 was taking place, the building lots sold quickly.

Daniel Wolf House

Mr. Wolfe decided to name this town "Petersburg" in honor of the property owner who sold the land to him.  Before that time the land had been known as "Heckel Stettle" which were German words for hemp and settlement.  

What the house looks like today.

Two years later Mr. Wolfe moved to Ohio!  Then the postal service decided to become more efficient and found that there were two towns known as Petersburg so they called the Petersburg located in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania Petersburg and the town in Lancaster County East Petersburg since it was east of the other Petersburg.  So, that's how East Petersburg got it's name and why "Heckel Stettle" was not a town, but an area.  Still a thriving town with beautiful architecture.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

East Petersburg a few years ago.