Sally Wiker and John Rineer share memories of the former Witmer's Store at the intersection of Lampeter and Village roads, where a Turkey Hill story now stands.
A clever Sunday School teacher in Lampeter created an optical illusion to make himself appear at each end of the class in the same image. The photo was taken in the 1920s where Lampeter Fire Company currently stands, according to Ken Garber, whose father B. Snavely Garber appears as a child among the classmates.
Ken and Thelma Garber of Eshelman Mill Road look at photos of West Lampeter Township, including the former Rocky Springs amusement park.
These artifacts were given to the township several years ago.
History's mystery: At Saturday's history fair, committee members tried to determine if the house in the top photo is the same as the one depicted below, with some alterations.
West Lampeter Township opened its doors to memories Saturday at a history fair.
About 10 people turned out at the municipal building to share stories, photos and objects that will be used to compile a history of the township.
Ken Garber of Eshelman Mill Road brought his father's 1920s Sunday school class photo, which includes his dad, H. Snavely Garber, as a child.
Included in the photo are two men who look alike, one with a serious look and the second with a smile, at either end of the group.
The photographer told the class to hold very still as he scanned the large group from left to right, Garber recalled his father saying. As soon as the photographer began moving the camera, the Sunday school teacher ran behind the camera to the other side of the group to have his image captured a second time.
Garber and his wife, Thelma, reminisced about other old images of the township, including the former Rocky Springs amusement park's boat ride.
John Rineer brought photos of the Lampeter square in earlier decades. He remembered getting 5-cent popsicles from Witmer's Store, which once stood where a Turkey Hill store stands today. Rineer said his father, H.C. Rineer, delivered gasoline to old-time pumps shown in one of the photos.
Sarah Haines, a member of the township's historical committee, recalled the former Willow Street Pool, where midnight swims were held. She recalled the same movie, "The Birds," was always shown, but she and her friends had fun just the same in the early 1980s.
Also on display were Native American artifacts given to the township several years ago.
Township residents who could not attend Saturday's history fair can schedule an appointment at another time by calling the township office at 464-3731.
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