BRIEF YMCA OF YORK AND YORK COUNTY HISTORY
The first Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) was established in London, England in 1844 as a sanctuary for young men. Seven years later, the YMCA movement traversed the Atlantic Ocean and made its way to American cities such as Boston and Washington, D.C. In 1855, the York YMCA was founded with the goal of providing spiritual, educational, and physical support for the community in the form of a library and reading room in which Christian principles could be studied.
The Weiser Building on Centre Square was home to the first York Y, but several denominational Y’s soon sprang up at churches around the city. However, with membership declining because of the Civil War, the various factions realized that the YMCA would better serve the community as one cohesive organization. In May of 1869, a unification meeting was held at the United Brethren Church on Newberry and Philadelphia Streets, and David Small was elected president of the newly reunited organization.
After moving to and from various locations around the city for the next three decades, the York YMCA was finally given a permanent home at 122 West Market Street in 1884. The move to a fixed location allowed the YMCA to grow and to flourish. Classes such as bookkeeping and penmanship were offered, and athletic activities became popular through the addition of a gymnasium and an indoor swimming pool and the creation of baseball and football playing fields on land near Richland Avenue. However, YMCA membership numbers continued to increase and more space became necessary to accommodate the Y’s growing community. A fundraising campaign was held in 1918 in order to raise money for the creation of a new facility. An unprecedented $592,619 was raised and used in the construction of a building on Newberry and Philadelphia streets.
Continual growth and expansion marked the decades that followed, and in 1964, the York YMCA became the YMCA of York and York County in order to reflect the geographic area served by the organization. Also worth noting is that, despite its location near the heart of the racial turmoil that rocked York during the 1960s, the Y was considered “neutral territory” because of the relationships it had established with both the White and African-American communities of the city. The Y’s status as a safe haven during the 1960s demonstrates the organization’s devotion to serving and uniting the community while stressing the values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
In order to continue to adequately serve the community, the York County YMCA has greatly expanded in the last three decades and has formed a network of four facilities across the county. In 1985, the generosity of York Barbell Company founder and philanthropist Bob Hoffman facilitated the construction of the YMCA’s first branch facility in nearby Dover. Additionally, the residential growth in the southern portion of York County spurred the construction of another branch facility in Shrewsbury in 1991. This branch opened in 1995, and a swimming pool was added in 1998. Finally, in 2002, programming at the latest addition to the York County Y family—the Eastern Branch—began in a building along Route 462, near Kreutz Creek.
As the York County Y continues its 150-year-old pattern of growth, we look toward the future. Ahead of us is the ambitious goal of providing York County with a state-of-the-art aquatics facility through the creation of an aquatics center at Farquhar Park, the YMCA Graham Aquatic Center. Not only would this facility serve as a popular recreational retreat within our own community, but it would also allow York City to become a destination for thousands of visitors a year to participate in competitions and events at the facility. We are truly excited to witness the positive impact that this facility will have on the community.
Affordable Housing
When the York YMCA moved to its new facility on Philadelphia and Newberry streets in the 1920s, a residence to provide housing for men was included in the new building. Recently, the YMCA completed renovations to its Men’s Residence—the 120 single occupancy rooms are now fully furnished, and each floor includes amenities such as a laundry room and a kitchenette. A Case Manager and a Drug and Alcohol Counselor are available on site to assist any resident who requests support.
In step with its goal of building strong kids, strong families, and strong communities, the YMCA has restored buildings in the community and offered them as affordable housing for men, women, and families. The Historic Fairmont Apartments in North Beaver Street are the Y’s most recent venture, but the YMCA also owns several properties on West Market Street and West King Street. These properties, which offer spacious apartments for rent, were named SMB in order to convey the Y’s focus on promoting health of the Spirit, Mind, and Body.
