The Gettysburg Times from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • Page 14

HMJRTKKN THE GKTTYSBURG TIMKS A FEBRUARY 4. 1981 Antique Shop Is Planned John Abbott House Set For Completion By JKF BARBKR Times Staff Writer ABBOTTSTOWN The Abbott House a 230 old log and clapboard stru tur on Kast King Street i the borough is almost ready to enter the 20th cen I ury thanks to th efforts of a Hanover area woman Pun hased in Man of 1977 bv Hayes ol I I mov( 3 the houst vUiir vrved as thi original homi of the settler and foun di nl present day Ab bottstoun was in what Mrs I l.iyes termed a sad state of disrepair i plasti i a i i a i a rotting i a floor boards marred the interior i tin exterior of the house plagiK by i i a i lions mi ludmg loose mortar loists and missing gutters and downspouts In ldt 1478 Mrs Hayes ommissioned a Uarnsburg an hitectural lirrn to assess the present condition ol tht house and to hart a course of ac lion for the planned renovation Iess than one year later work on the old home began Today the former norm and one of the area lirst taverns has taken on a new look Workers the I lanover (instruction firm of Kdward Nace have per formed something of a mira i i the retaining what they could of the past supplying what was missing and in some in stances re rcating fixtures a had probably existi i arlier or both Mrs Hayes and th workmen th past has in many ways determined the future of the house An hitec tural studies of the home in a a a of hanges were mack by the long Itst of previous owners c.nd murder to re tily that situation entire walls have be moved stairways re built and features such as a bee hive bake oven have been added Though such modern features as indoor plumbing and electrical service to the wt- ond floor have also been added the appearance of the structure still belies any in- of more modern ages Part of the reason Mrs Hayes has been so strict in adhering to the dictatesof the past stems from the listing of the structure on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States De partment of the Interior honor, which was a arded to the house in April of last year came after his- toru al research revealed the importance of the structure in the early development of the area A ordmg to a spokesman from the Pennsylvania Historic al and Museum Commission in lldrnsburg John Abbott who may have set- ion during the 18th and 19th centuries The importance of the house has not been lost on either Mrs Hayes or the architects that planned its renovation In a nomination form for the National ter that was prepared by the two. both believe that with out John Abbott's settlement in the area and his commer- nal activities Abbottstown might not exist today The house has what one might term a double past Although the history of the house that is most easily traceable through past re cords and deeds is important it is the second ana somewhat hidden past that lends the structure mut of its per smality Workers who have been swarming over the outside and inside of the house for more than a year have their own stones to tell One old-time borough resi dent observing the ongoing work paused long enough to tell the workers of one owner who more than 50 years ago kept hogs inside the rear half of the house adjacent to where he housed his wife and children The hogs the man said were enormous in and finally slaughtered, yielded hams weighing over 500 pounds apiece The favorite story of both the workers and Mrs Hayes however is somewhat less i i a A i to a story by another old-time re- sidertt who was apparently pId to nave been injan jjvmg in the house in the early 1900's hanged himself in one of the second story bedrooms After hanging from the rafters for a lengthy though un- spe ified time a neighbor discovered the body and cut it down only to have it fall on top of him pinning him to the floor i fact or fancy however the history of the house-- both documented and rumored -stands as a unique testimony to the early of Adams County and as an interesting chapter to Abbottstown past Mrs Hayes who has to- tdlly funded the renovation work plans to use the house as an antique store where she can display her vast collection of furniture and other items dating from the 18th century Mrs Hayes said she plans to open her shop sometime this spring, and while it will be an antique shop first it will also serve as a kind of where each room of the house i be furnished with period pieces much like those that John Abbott must have had EASTERN COUNTY NEWS Covering the Ncu Oxford, East Berlin, Abhottstown, and McSherrystown Areas Eastern County Events Celebrity Auction Benefits Youth The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Youth Groups have announced that they will hold a celebrity auctioit at the Capital City Mall. Camp Hill, on Saturday at 11 3 0 a Proceeds benefit the Immaculate Heart of Mary Junior and Senior Youth Groups in Abbottstown. 'according to church officials.

The members have written to TV radio, sports, and political personalities to oo- tain a personal item from them including Bob Hope Paul Newman The Commo- John Travolta Debby Boone Brooks Robinson Staubuch. Betty Ford Ted Kennedy Guild Schedules Photo Exhibit HANOVER The Hanover Area Arts Guild will be holding its second annual Photography exhibit and sale February 7th through Feb- Two Youths Charged With Horse Theft NUKARS t'OMPLETION-The John Abbott House, on East King St. in is in the final stages of a rennovation project that began more loan a year ago The 230-year-old log and clapboard structure, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and will be turned into an antique shop by the owner. Yvonne Hayes of Hanover (Times Photo) tied in the area originally cal led Berwicktown as early as 173!) is known to have kept a tavern on the property and it is assumed, he said, that the tavern would have been well patronized because of its location on the roads which then led to York and Balti more In addition to being a tavern keeper. Abbott also held such public positions as tax collector York County assessor, and township highways supervisor Although the structure's place in local history could have been assured by the fame of its first owner alone, the house itself also stands as a prime example of architectural development in the reg- Two female juveniles from the Bonneauville borough face a preliminary hearing today on charges that the youths stole a horse from the farm of Therese A Smith ol Ml Pleasant Township according to records in the oi- fice of District Eugene Long Ms Smith charged the two girls with the theft of her i Arabian, quarter horse gelding with an ap proximate value of more than $1.000 The youths charged with theft, have been released into the custody of their parents and may face possible court action A McSherrystown man is a a i i arraignment in Addms County Court on charges of indecent contact with a 9-year-old girl According to charges filed in Long office by McSherrystown police officer James Sporny, Donald Hoover of Third Street in McSherrystown was charged on Dec 29 with the incident A preliminary hearing at Long office Jast month left Hoover bound for court with SoOO bail set ('lair Slagle, formerly of Lmcolnway East New Oxford is confined due to illness at the, home of his daughter.

327 Linden Street Hanover SPELLING SPECIALISTS-Tbree sixth-grade students at the New Oxford Elementary School were named the top spellers in their class during competition last month. Thirteen-year-old James Miller of New Oxford, will go on in competition this March against students from the Central Pennsylvania Region. The contest in sponsored by the Harrisburg Patriot-News. Eric Reitzel. right, is the first runner-up, and Thomas Laughmaa, on left, won third place honors.

(Times Photo) ruary 28th The exhibit is open to all area photographers and does not mc lude a registration fee Student amateur and professional photographers are invited to participate Photos must be framed or mounted and both black and white and color photographs will be accepted Hanover YMCA Schedules Trip HANOVER -The YMCA here has scheduled a trip to Hershey to see the Hershey Bears defending Calder Cup Champions play New Haven on Saturday Feb 14 Tickets for the games are on sale at $9 for adults and $6 75 for children under 13 The bus will leave the Value City parking lot (left side of the Carlisle Street entrance i at 5 45 Those interested must contact the YMCA bv Friday New Oxford News Notes The banns of marriage were announced for the first time Sunday in Sacred Heart Basilica. Conewago Chapel between Michael Joseph Hockensmith Annumcation parish McSherrystown and Demse Mane Becker of Sacred Heart Dasilica parish Mrs. Dale Sponseller. ol the New Oxford area is a pa tfent in the Hanover Hospital Mr. and Mrs.

Wayne W. Klunk, Bragg Street Hanover, entertained at a dinner Sunday in honor of their twin daughters Knsti Lynn and Kern Lynn who observed their first birthday Among those present were Mrs Fred Klunk New Oxford, paternal grandmother and Mrs Marguerite Lough Hanover maternal grand mother of the tw ms FRANCIS E. KLUNK Etectricil Service All Types Of ELECTRICAL WIRING 421 Main St. McShwryMown Phone 632-3270 FUNERAL HOME Fted Feeef and Clafk Feiset Lmcolnwav West Phone 624 7261 New Oxlorrt Pa (IIKCKINC THK PLANS-A workman for Ike Edward H. Nat-c Building Co.

in Hanover checks over the puun for the interior n-nnovatton of the IMh century Abbott Home AbbotLstown. A historic landmark, eoMtracUon on the house is expected to be completed MoHtaw this spring. (Times ITmtot. 'AGWAYI Attract more birds Hcq 3Lbi S3 60 SAVE ON Feathered Friend Niger Seed 1 f4iv X-S Mortal 1 I i I 1 1 i i i af will i 1 1 II 1 itlutf. Or More 99 NOW BUYING Class Rings Jewelry Wedding Bands Unmarked Gold Coins Pre 1964 Sterling Pure Silver-Dollars Pre 1935 Kennedy Halves (1965-69) DIAMONDS RARE COINS FOREIGN COINS PROOF SETS ANTIQUES COLLECTIBLES PAYING CASH! AGWAY, INC.

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