Uncharted Lancaster

Uncharted Lancaster Discovering history through adventure.

Local History Nugget: In 1902, the 'Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal' cited the 'Safety Buggy Company' of Lancaster, P...
10/08/2025

Local History Nugget: In 1902, the 'Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal' cited the 'Safety Buggy Company' of Lancaster, PA, as the first company in America to build an automobile. However, they primarily manufactured wooden bodies for other car producers such as Autocar and Imperial of Pennsylvania. Production continued until 1907, when the firm failed because it needed more money to transition its plant to the manufacture of wood-framed metal coachwork.

The first image shows workers in the Smith department at the Safety Buggy Company. Among the men pictured are Horace Zecher, Charles E. Zecher, Leon Dodge (manager of Safety Buggy Company), and his brother Arthur Dodge.

The Safety Buggy Company factory located between Elizabeth Avenue and North Plum Street is highlighted in the second image. 📷: LancasterHistory

👻🪦The Sinking Graveyard of Hinkletown's Pike Meeting House. ⛪ In the dead of winter 1889, something strange happened nea...
10/07/2025

👻🪦The Sinking Graveyard of Hinkletown's Pike Meeting House. ⛪ In the dead of winter 1889, something strange happened near Hinkletown, PA. As gravediggers prepared a plot beside the Pike Meeting House for Samuel B. Sensenig, a well-known local mill owner, they noticed the earth was unusually hollow. Nearby lay the remains of his infant son Isaac, buried more than 20 years earlier.

Fearing instability, they moved the child’s grave. A wise decision as days later, the cemetery floor gave way. A ten-foot square section of the graveyard collapsed into the earth, sinking 15 feet and leaving behind a gaping hole in the sacred soil.

Some said it was just a sinkhole—Lancaster County’s limestone-rich ground is notorious for them. But others weren’t so sure.

Soon, reports began to circulate of a ghostly figure dressed in white, wearing a gleaming helmet surrounded by a halo of red and green light. In his arms, he cradled a fair-haired child. Witnesses described muffled voices rising from the pit after midnight. Was it Samuel Sensenig searching for his son? A warning from the past? Or a haunting born of grief and fractured faith?

The original Pike Meeting House may be gone, but the graveyard—and the legend—remain. Click the link to read the full ghost story behind the sinking graveyard of Pike Mennonite Cemetery. https://unchartedlancaster.com/the-sinking-graveyard/

🔥 Woman becomes pillar of fire. 🔥 That was the unforgettable headline splashed across Lancaster’s newspapers on May 11, ...
10/07/2025

🔥 Woman becomes pillar of fire. 🔥 That was the unforgettable headline splashed across Lancaster’s newspapers on May 11, 1921. The story beneath was even more chilling.

The night before, 40-year-old Elsie M. Gable stood at the top of the basement steps inside her family’s home at 420 West Walnut Street in Lancaster. Her sister, returning from the cellar with a candle, met her on the stairs. In a terrible instant, Elsie’s dress brushed the flame. Her clothing ignited—and in seconds, she became what the paper called “a pillar of fire.”

Her screams echoed through the house as the flames consumed her from shoulders to feet. Her brother-in-law, hearing the cries, rushed from the bedroom. He threw a covering over her and rolled her on the floor, finally extinguishing the fire. But the damage was done.

Elsie, already an invalid for over a decade, had suffered severe burns. She lingered in critical condition for nearly two weeks before succumbing to her injuries on May 22, 1921.

The tragedy happened inside a house that still stands today—a stunning 1880s Chestnut Hill home that now boasts marble floors, Viking appliances, and modern elegance. But behind the updated beauty lies a haunting reminder of the past. Beneath the chef’s kitchen and beneath the grand staircase—where flames once climbed skyward—lingers the memory of a woman lost to a forgotten household danger.

Today, 420 West Walnut is filled with light and life. But its walls still whisper the tale of Elsie Gable—a reminder that even the most beautiful homes hold tragic stories within. Click the link to read more tales of the macabre. https://unchartedlancaster.com/tales-of-the-macabre-lancaster-woman-becomes-pillar-of-fire/

🏛️ Peace, history, and charm—Lancaster has it all! According to the website thetravel.com, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was ...
10/07/2025

🏛️ Peace, history, and charm—Lancaster has it all! According to the website thetravel.com, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was named the most peaceful place in the state. From cobblestone streets and 18th-century architecture to scenic countryside views and friendly faces, Lancaster blends old-world beauty with a modern calm that’s hard to find anywhere else. 🌿

Where do you go in Lancaster County when you need a little peace and quiet?

Local History Nugget: Lancaster served as the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812. State offices were housed in th...
10/07/2025

Local History Nugget: Lancaster served as the capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812. State offices were housed in the old City Hall that today serves as the Lancaster City Welcome Center. 📷: Hometown Property Management Services

Local History Highlight: Lancaster’s Union Fire Company, established in 1742, was inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s innova...
10/07/2025

Local History Highlight: Lancaster’s Union Fire Company, established in 1742, was inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s innovative ideas. As the nation’s first volunteer fire company, it laid the groundwork for community fire protection.

Remarkably, the organization remains active today. Members continue to meet monthly, focusing on fundraising efforts to provide scholarships and grants for aspiring professional firefighters. It holds the distinction of being the oldest volunteer fire company still in operation in the United States.

📷: LancasterHistory. Pictured here is the Sun Fire Company hand pumper from around 1865.

With tomorrow's full moon, here is a spooky story to pass the time as you wait in the pale moonlight. One night, two col...
10/06/2025

With tomorrow's full moon, here is a spooky story to pass the time as you wait in the pale moonlight. One night, two college students went to Shenks Ferry to see the ghost of a woman who is rumored to haunt the ominous tunnel there. Instead, they spotted a Gollum-looking creature (as in 'The Lord of the Rings').

What they did not know is that less than a mile away are 1,000-year-old Native American petroglyphs warning of a man-eating monster known as a wendigo that roams the river hills. Click the link to read the full haunted tale. https://unchartedlancaster.com/haunted-lancaster-the-ancient-man-eating-monster-of-grubb-hollow/

What looks like a simple roadside marker along Route 441 in Washington Boro once marked one of the most dangerous fault ...
10/06/2025

What looks like a simple roadside marker along Route 441 in Washington Boro once marked one of the most dangerous fault lines in colonial America. In the 1700s, the 40th parallel ignited Cresap’s War—an eight-year conflict that pitted Pennsylvania against Maryland, unleashed militias, and nearly plunged two colonies into civil war.

The dispute began with overlapping charters from the English crown. Maryland’s grant in 1632 set its northern border at the 40th parallel—placing Philadelphia inside Maryland. Penn’s 1681 charter claimed otherwise, creating a 28-mile strip of contested land.

On the frontier, this wasn’t solved with maps but with muskets. Enter Thomas Cresap, a fiery Maryland frontiersman who ferried settlers across the Susquehanna and enforced Lord Baltimore’s claim with intimidation and violence. His enemies called him the Maryland Monster.

When Pennsylvania finally captured Cresap in 1736 after a bloody standoff, they paraded him through Philadelphia in irons. Defiant even in defeat, he sneered “Damn it, this is one of the prettiest towns in Maryland!”

The border war dragged on until King George II imposed a ceasefire in 1738. The final resolution came decades later, when Mason and Dixon fixed the line where it stands today—39° 43′ north, fifteen miles south of Philadelphia.

What was once a phantom line in the wilderness is now a roadside marker in Lancaster County, but standing there, you can still imagine how close Pennsylvania came to losing its capital. Click the link to read more. https://unchartedlancaster.com/the-40th-parallel-an-invisible-line-that-sparked-a-war/

Adventure awaits along the banks of the Susquehanna!Join Uncharted Lancaster on Saturday, October 25, beginning at 10 am...
10/06/2025

Adventure awaits along the banks of the Susquehanna!
Join Uncharted Lancaster on Saturday, October 25, beginning at 10 am, for two different immersive walking tours that uncover Marietta’s iron furnaces, lumber barons, and centuries of history.

🏭 Marietta Industry History Hike

Step back in time with David Haneman, President of Rivertownes PA, USA and longtime Marietta resident, for a guided hike through the town’s industrial past. Explore the “Pittsburgh of the East”—where lumber and iron once fueled the American Industrial Revolution.

✨ Highlights:
• Step inside the historic Musselman/Vesta Iron Furnace Office
• Discover the sites of Marietta’s furnaces and lumber mills along the Northwest River Trail
• See artifacts unearthed by local archaeology digs

🚶‍♂️ Space is limited to just 15 participants!
👉 Reserve your spot: unchartedlancaster.com/product/october-25-marietta-industry-history-hike-ticket

🏘️ Marietta History Hike

You could also join Jeffrey Hudson, retired history teacher and lifelong Marietta resident, for a 2-mile guided tour through the borough’s storied streets.

Over 90 minutes to two hours, Hudson will bring Marietta’s past to life with tales of its river and railroad boom, Civil War connections, a presidential visit, and Underground Railroad activity. Hear stories of Lancaster County’s oldest tavern, meet curious local characters, and discover surprising ties to early vaccine development in America.

✨ Special Highlight:
Enjoy exclusive first-floor access to Marietta’s 1848 Old Town Hall and its museum, courtesy of the Marietta Restoration Association.

🎟️ Space is limited to 20 participants.
👉 Don’t wait—reserve your spot today: unchartedlancaster.com/product/october-25-marietta-history-hike-ticket

⚓️ Step into history. Explore the industries. Experience Marietta like never before.

Did you know that the "Pennsylvania barn" is a distinct architectural style? It has two specific features.1. It possesse...
10/06/2025

Did you know that the "Pennsylvania barn" is a distinct architectural style? It has two specific features.
1. It possesses a "forebay" overhang, which shields the front stable wall while providing extra space on the barn's second level.
2. It has an exterior banked ramp to its upper story, allowing access for farm equipment and harvested crops.
Learn more about PA's agricultural history and impact in this interesting article when you click the link. https://www.lancasterfarming.com/country-life/antiques-and-history/barns-as-bearers-of-history-what-makes-pennsylvania-barns-so-unique/article_10698e1a-6664-5b0f-b4e5-29dc4e6ee96f.html

With tomorrow's full moon, here's a unique Lancaster County ghost story. A 1906 poem by John L. Shroy explains how the b...
10/05/2025

With tomorrow's full moon, here's a unique Lancaster County ghost story. A 1906 poem by John L. Shroy explains how the bridge crossing the Pequea Creek outside of Lampeter is haunted. The story involves a man who attempted to evade repayment after selling his soul to the devil for great wealth. His eternal punishment has turned him into the "Spook of the Turniptown Bridge," where he tickles the ears of passersby with his dangling toes or kicks off their hats. Click the link to read this cautionary tale of buying on credit and Shroy's original poem.
https://unchartedlancaster.com/the-spook-of-turniptown-bridge/

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About Uncharted Lancaster

Hi, my name is Adam. Growing up in the 80s I enjoyed watching movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Goonies. Later it was National Treasure and Ready Player One as well as the epic video game series Uncharted. When I wasn't watching one of these movies, I was cosplaying it. An old bicycle wrench was my Copper Bones. A surplus WWII gas mask bag became my Indiana Jones side bag.

I've always wanted to experience an adventure similar to one of my heroes, and that got me thinking. Why not? Why couldn't I have an adventure like one of my favorite characters, learn some local history, and maybe even find an artifact or some treasure along the way?

Maybe I couldn't, but I could definitely create them for other people. From this, the idea for Uncharted Lancaster was born. The elevator pitch sounds like this: National Treasure meets letterboxing meets Lancaster County history.

Armed with a basement full of maker space equipment, volumes of Lancaster County history, classic movie prop replicas, and a bunch of smart friends, I began constructing various adventures for Uncharted Lancaster.