April 3, 2022 - The Challenges Facing the Continental Congress in Yorktown, Pennsylvania
Presented by Tom Gibson, Volunteer, York County History Center.

***Note: Held at the York History Center Colonial Courthouse at 205 West Market Street in York, at 2:30 p.m.***

It was a difficult time for our German-speaking ancestors in York when the congressional representatives and their families crowded into our small town, resulting in insufficient housing and a shortage of basic necessities. While George Washington and his Army were at Valley Forge, the Congress in York completed the drafting of the Articles of Confederation, our nation's first Constitution.

Please bring the kids to this family friendly, interactive program at the Colonial Court House. Leave your inhibitions behind and join Tom as we travel back in time to the year 1777, when the Continental Congress was meeting in our community.

​For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

Tom Gibson is a retired educator and thoroughly enjoys volunteering at the History Center.  With significant colonial ancestry, he is a longtime member and officer of the Continental Congress Chapter of the United States Sons of the American Revolution.   Tom is a Vietnam veteran, thirty year Scout leader, bicycle enthusiast, and radio engineer.

March 6, 2022 - Eighteenth-Century Gunsmithing in Eastern Pennsylvania
presented by Brad Emig, Owner & Craftsman, Cabin Creek Muzzleloading

This program will present and share information pertaining to the gunsmith trade as practiced during the colonial period in eastern Pennsylvania.  Topics of discussion will include technology, materials, tools, and the tangible effects of diverse cultural influences on material products.  Tools and other objects will be on display.

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html
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February 6, 2022 - Pennsylvania’s Celtic Language Heritage
Presented by Charles "Chip" Kauffman.

The richness of Pennsylvania history is seasoned uniquely by language contributions of immigrants to America from Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. This presentation briefly covers the early history of Celtic languages and concentrates mainly on Pennsylvania’s Celtic language heritage in expressions, names, and place names as derived from Welsh, Irish, and Scottish immigrants.

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

January 2, 2022 - The Architecture of the Dempwolfs
Presented by Mark Shermeyer, President, SAA Architects.

A history of the genealogy, education, and careers of the Dempwolf architects of York County, from approximately 1874 to 1930, and their contributions to the architectural heritage of the region.

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

November 7, 2021 - The Churches and Chaplains of York County During the Civil War
Presented by Scott Mingus, Cannonball Blog.

Join multiple award-winning author and longtime blogger Scott Mingus as he presents a PowerPoint slide talk on several churches and chaplains with local ties.

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html​

October 3, 2021 - Genealogical Resources of the York County History Center’s Library and Archives

Nicole Smith, Director of the Library and Archives, will give a presentation on useful resources in York County genealogy research available through the History Center. 

For details and free registration, visit ​https://www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

How to Navigate the Pennsylvania State Archives’ Online Resources
Presented by Aaron McWilliams, Pennsylvania State Archives.

Our program on August 29, 2021 provides a detailed overview of the Archives’ finding aids, research guides, and online records. It covers how to use the new finding aids and research guides to explore the collections and find specific records, as well as the Archives’ digital collection and how to navigate them.  
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For details and free registration, visit ​www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

Our program on June 13, 2021 is The History of the Henry James Young Award.
Because of the pandemic, this year the program will focus on the backgrounds of Henry James Young and the recipients of the award over the years. 
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For details and free registration, visit ​www.scpgs.org/meetings.html

A new agreement between FamilySearch and the Library & Archives of the York County History Center allows members and visitors to the library greater access to genealogy resources on the FamilySearch.org website. Many of FamilySearch’s digital genealogical collections that are accessible only through a FamilySearch family history center are now available at the York County History Center library. Currently, there are about 400 million original records available in a digital format that affiliate libraries can access.
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Publication #85   
1862 DRAFT ENROLLMENT LISTS, YORK CO, PA, VOLUME 1:  YORK BOROUGH   

In the summer of 1862, the U.S. War Department ordered a draft to fill the ranks of the Union Army through the mobilization of the states' militias.  Free, white males between the ages of 18 and 45 were subject to this draft.  Enrollment of men in York County liable for conscription occurred during the last week of August 1862.  The resulting enrollment books now reside in the York County Archives.  These records have never been microfilmed or published in any way, and for the first time, a complete transcription with a surname index has been made available by the South Central Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. 

Presented in a table format, all information from the original books appears in this publication, including the name of the man subject to the draft, his age, occupation, ward or street of residence, remarks regarding military service, and remarks about disabilities or reasons for exemption from the draft.  Military service data provided may include date of mustering in, rank, company and regiment of service, name of commanding officer, notes about type of service, and remarks about wounds, discharge or death.  Other remarks may describe physical or mental disabilities, note naturalization status, report dates of birth or questionable ages, note places of residence outside the municipality, or record other curiosities. 

​Few white men escaped notice of the enrolling officials, so these lists serve almost as a census substitute for the period between the 1860 and 1870 U.S. population census schedules.  This first volume covers the five wards of York Borough.  The SCPGS plans to publish seven additional volumes for the remainder of York County.  

SCPGS members automatically receive a copy of Special Publications.  Non-members may order copies here: Special Publications