MtWolf 1850-1910

      "The Borough of Mount Wolf was carved from the township of East Manchester, which had been established in 1887 from Manchester Township...(Read how they set the boundaries.) Upon petition to the Commonwealth of share of monies in the treasurer amounted to $111.17. The sum included the value of a horse drawn road scraper, which the town fathers accepted without comment. The first meeting was held October 11, 1810, in the school building on Center Street." See that meeting notes.

     "On a cold night in February 1912, the town awoke to the shrill cry of "FIRE". The fire started with a terrific explosion that blow out the front wall of the KGE building and immediately set fire to practically everything in the store. The hand pumper from Manchester Fire Company was put into operation as a bucket brigade sprang into action. With the addition of the pumper, which had a two-inch hose and a pump operated by six men, the fire was brought under control… The house next to the hall, however, was gutted. During the height of the blaze, it seemed certain that the frame houses and furniture store on the east side of Main Street would be engulfed. A call for help had been made to York and with some persuasion the Vigilant Fire Company rushed its pumper to the freight yard and placed it on a flat car, but as the yard engine coupled up, word was received that the fire was under control...The building was rebuilt and was the home for the Knights of the Golden Eagle, Mount Wolf Band, Mount Wolf Community Chorus, and then the Odd Fellows Lodge"...Later several youth organizations and church functions used the hall.

     "With the realization that an uncontrollable fire could destroy the whole town, a series of meetings was called to lay plans for the founding of a volunteer fire company. On February 13, 1913, Eagle Fire Company No.1 was formally organized...Made to be hand drawn, the fire engine was equipped with a reel and fifty feet of rope. A horse toque was also furnished with the apparatus, but was us only in parades. Drawn by a pair of fine black horses borrowed from A. H. Deihl, the funeral director." (This engine was lent to a local museum but it is now missing. ) At their October 15th 1921 meeting, they authorized the purchase of a Waterous triple combination pumper for $3,500 on a Ford chassis. The pumper was delivered on November 10th. On December 1st representatives from Paradise and Leaman Place Fire Companies in Lancaster County visited Mount Wolf to look at their new apparatus. Both companies vowed to buy similar apparatus for their fire companies."

     "The history of baseball in Mount Wolf dates back to 1889...The team had a make shift diamond laid out in Henry Hoff's Field and then between the wire cloth plant and Wolf's lumber yard... When the American Wire Fabrics plant expanded in 1914, the ball field was moved to its present location, which was then an upgraded farm field."...It is now known as the Rock Benner Memorial Field. Throughout the years the Mount Wolf Wolves have generally been among the more consistent winners in York County sandlot baseball. Some who played on the field are now in major leagues. The Mount Wolf Community Welfare and Recreation Association was incorporated in 1924.

Before churches were established in the area, there were several religious gatherings. Starting in 1851, a religious camp meeting was held on Henry Hoff’s land in Mount Wolf and continued for several years. Then Emig’s United Brethren Campground was created about a mile from the train station. However, it burn down in 1896. On another sad note, there was a serious reported fight at a church festival in 1913.

"The Otterbein (United Methodist) Church dedicated their present church building in 1926. Their first structure was built in 1877 but was torn down and relocated to New Cumberland in 1925. St John's Lutheran Church was built one block away in 1916. Both churches continued to grow in attendance and property size. They both provided a strong spiritual and social influence to the community even today."

   In 1915, there was a discussion about building an automobile factory in Mount Wolf to build a convertible body car. It would be called Mount Wolf Motor Car Company. The company would be incorporated at $50,000 to be increase to $150,000 starting with 50 workers. The new design would have a detachable body that could make a touring car into a car for commercial use. After the bankruptcy of the Pullman Car Company in York, the Mt Wolf company never got the ground to build.

   "In 1929, Reuben Willman, age 22, was given a one-way ticket from Pittsburgh to Mount Wolf and the key to a new building which had been built next to the railroad tracks. He was told 'Get off the train, walk south about a block, and try the key. Set up a box factory in that place.' Robert Warren had been selling boxes for Superior Paper Products to the cigar makers in York County... from Pittsburgh since 1925... The box factory has provided employment and opportunity for area residents for almost (ninety) years... St. Regis Paper bought Superior in 1953 ... Georgia Pacific acquired the factory from St. Regis in 1984."

     "Throughout even the worst years of the 1930's Depression, the prosperity of the community of Mount Wolf was not greatly affected. In fact, rather than experiencing shut downs of local factories, the town saw the founding of another prosperous industry."