Lancaster Square aerial 1970

This aerial photo from November 1970 shows the progress of the Lancaster Square urban renewal project. The numbers on the photo indicate: (1) The square itself; (2) The newly completed Hilton hotel; (3) The new Duke Street parking garage; (4) Hess's department store, set to open in 1971; (5) The Prince Street parking garage, under construction.
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Excerpts and summaries of news stories from the former Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster New Era and Sunday News that focus on the events in the county’s past that are noteworthy, newsworthy or just strange. 

In 1995, Nov. 8 was the day after Election Day. And while it wasn't a presidential election year, there was big news on the local election front: A near-sweep of local offices by the GOP.

Republicans picked up three of four contested city council seats, controlled two of three county commissioner spots, re-endorsed two county judges and carried the vast majority of school board seats and smaller municipal offices as well - even in traditionally Democratic strongholds such as Columbia.

Voter turnout was 32 percent of the registered electorate. At the time, Republicans outnumbered Democrats in the county by a 5-2 margin.

In the headlines:

Phila. mayor re-elected in landslide

Powell not going to run, sources say

Duck migration closes three airports

Check out the Nov 8, 1995, Lancaster New Era here.

In the fall of 1970, the massive urban renewal project that led to the creation of Lancaster Square was well under way. The Sunday News ran a front-page aerial photo of the square, helpfully annotated with numbers indicating various aspects of the project.

Clearly shown were not only the square itself, with its walkways, shopping areas and large fountain, but surrounding features such as the recently completed Hilton hotel at the corner of Queen and Chestnut streets, the new Duke Street parking garage and the Hess's department store, scheduled to open in 1971. 

Also under construction at the time was the Prince Street parking garage and the paving of the 100 block of Queen Street with octagonal brick tiles.

In the headlines:

Krushchev in poor health

Apollo 14 rocket will go to pad

Sex crimes drop despite porno laxity

Check out the Nov. 8, 1970, Sunday News here.

As American soldiers continued to return home after World War II, the local newspapers kept up with the rosters of troops on their way home.

On Nov. 8, 1945, more than 9,000 veterans of the European theater were expected to arrive in the ports of New York City, Boston and Newport News, Virginia.

Lists of returning soldiers from Lancaster County and which ships they were expected to arrive on were a regular feature in the daily papers, as the Nov. 8 Intelligencer Journal shows.

In the headlines:

U.S. to take Marines from China

Truman trying to finish work for coming parley

75 killed in bloody anti-Jewish rioting throughout Tripolitania

Check out the Nov. 8, 1945, Intelligencer Journal here.

Every year in the early days of the 20th Century, the teachers of Lancaster County flocked to downtown Lancaster for an event known as the Lancaster County Teachers Institute.

A weeklong slate of lectures, presentations and seminars drew more than 700 teachers to the YMCA, and while the "intense rivalry" among teachers to be the first to register when the Institute opened had apparently died down in 1920, the Lancaster Intelligencer made sure to report the names of the first man and woman to sign up.

The first man was Henry M. Gingrich of Martic Township, and the first woman was Mary E. Boos of Manheim Township.

In the headlines:

50,000 Germans aiding Lithuanians is report

France will send Jusserand to U.S. with League views

Check out the Nov. 8, 1920, Lancaster Intelligencer here.

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