New creekside park land, mill with Civil War history acquired in Manchester Township

Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record
·2 min read

A new Manchester Township park purchase was announced by township manager Tim James during the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. The park area will have water frontage on the Codorus Creek and features an historic mill building.

The township closed on the more than eight-acre property at 545 Locust Lane last week. The property acquisition includes a four-story brick mill building and pavilions, but not the restored stone house residence next to it. The York County Heritage Rail Trail runs though the property, and the property is connected to Crist Fields, which is privately owned and not part of the township park system. An existing parking area nearby off of Locust Lane already serves the rail trail and playing field.

The York County Heritage Rail curves around over eight acres of property that was acquired by Manchester Township to be used as park land. The Codorus Creek and an historic mill border the property.
The York County Heritage Rail curves around over eight acres of property that was acquired by Manchester Township to be used as park land. The Codorus Creek and an historic mill border the property.

Locust Lane Mill, also known as Mundis Mill or Myers’ Mill, was built by Samuel Myers in 1841. It replaced a 1799 mill on the site, according to local historian Scott Mingus published in yorkblog.com

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According to Mingus, who adds an account during the Civil War, “In late June 1863, this peaceful setting was the site of a break-in and robbery. The perpetrators were infantrymen from the famed (and much feared) Louisiana Tigers.”

According to an account by Dianne Bowders, the group of Confederates stole corn meal from the mill and horses and mules from neighboring houses. She goes on to say that the mill remained in operation until 1977.

More Manchester Township history: Crumbling historic limestone kiln recently demolished

Also near the mill building, a covered bridge once crossed the Codorus Creek when Locust Lane crossed the Codorus Creek before the current crossing on Emig Road. Maps included in a York Daily Record story by Stephen H. Smith show the covered bridge was removed in 1955, and there was also once a boat navigation lock on the Codorus nearby.

More mill history: Collector sells York antiques to 'American Pickers' (2018)

The purchase of the land is part of a plan to update a complicated intersection at Greenbriar and Church roads, also in the township, with a proposed rotary, James said. As part of that project, the township is required to add park land that will be needed to take away from Cousler Park to construct the rotary, which could be shaped like a dog bone.

More on new park land: A traffic rotary shaped like a dog bone? The first in PA could be built in Manchester Twp.

No name has been chosen for the new park or plans given about how the new acquisition will be used, but James said a name was likely.

I have captured life through the lens since 1983, and am currently a visual journalist with the USA Today Network. You can reach me at pkuehnel@ydr.com.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: New park in Manchester Township at Mundis Mill