The Hoke House

236 year ago today, June 9, 1790 this Job offer appeared in the paper "The Pennsylvania Herold and York General Advertiser " looking for a "Finer" to take up work at Spring Forge!

From 1755 - 1851 Iron was hammer out at what is present day Spring Grove. It was the First Bloomary in the Iron Industry west of the Susquehanna river and as late as 1849 - 190 tons of bar Iron was made here with 40 workmen employed. During the Revolutionary War it produced bar Iron for the war effort and its also thought that cannon ball and grape shot were produced here as some relics were found during the Building of one of Glatfelters paper mill buildings in 1955.

- The 1790 add can be found in the book "Early American Ironware" by Henry J. Kauffman page 36 plate # 26

-History from Prowell's History of York Co 1906

Wayne's men leave Menges Mills..

At Daybreak On May 27, 1781 General Wayne ordered the drums to beat and the men mustered up and moved forward !
One can only imagine the sounds in this valley 245 years ago this morning as 1,000 troops mustered up and formed a line to march forward. Sounds of officer's and men shouting orders, horses, the clanking of muskets and Canteens, the wagons and cannon hitching up and the smells of campfires.
The valley below Hershey hill (Menges Mills) was a busy place that morning, It had seen Larger and longer encampments before this during the Revolutionary War, but this one was more important. These men, unknowingly at the time , Would become part of the body of troops that would win victory at Yorktown Virginia in October 1781 winning the Revolution for the new county!

245 years ago today.......

May 26, 1781 - around 1,000 Patriots march past Wilson's Tavern ( Hoke House)

Letter to General Anthony Wayne at York Pennsylvania from General Washington, May 1781 ....
"The critical condition of our sothern affairs, and the reinforcements sent by the enemy to quarter, urge the necessity of moving as large a proportion of the Pennsylvania Line as possible, without a moment's loss of time . Indeed I hope before this , by the measures you have taken, all the impediments to a movement will have been obviated. I am persuaded your utmost and unremitting exertion will not be wanting on this and every occasion of serving your country so essentially, that they may be ever crowned with success, that nothing but propitious events may attend you on the march."
- Gen. George Washington

On the 26th of May 1781, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne and a body of Troops with men from York Co, numbering about 1,000 and a battery of cannon, marched southward from York along the Monocacy Rd ,from the area known as Penn Park to head for Virginia and bring aid to Washington and his troops in the southern campaign of the Revolutionary War.
In the later part of the day the troops would march by the Wilson Tavern ( Hoke House) and would make camp for the night along the hillside in Heidelberg Township near the Hershey Mill today know as Menges Mills. At day light on the 27th the General, order the drums to beat and the men mustered up and moved forward.
This body of men would help make the difference. Along with Lafayette and Green's Forces, and the men of York co., under the command of Wayne , Washington's army would number over 16,000.
Pushing British General Lord Cornwallis back to Yorktown VA and surrounding him, as well as the French Fleet cutting off the British escape to the sea , these men brought about the surrender of the British Army on Oct. 19, 1781 and a victory for the New Country!

Note- most of the above information can be found in Vol 1 of Prowell's History of York Co 1906.

- Shawn D Carbaugh

The Hoke House has stood for more than 250 years, witnessing the growth of the community from its earliest days to the present. Originally known as Wilson’s Tavern, the building served travelers along the historic Monocacy Road before later becoming a family farm, a public library, and one of the last remaining physical connections to Spring Grove’s early history.

Today, the house faces a very real threat of demolition. While time has been granted, it is not indefinite. Without the funding to relocate and preserve it, this historic structure could be lost permanently.

There is a complete relocation plan in place. The house would be moved approximately 1.8 miles to donated land along Old Hanover Road, keeping it tied to the same historic corridor where it has stood for centuries. Once relocated, the building will be restored and repurposed into a Veterans Center, creating a place for connection, support, outreach, and community.

The relocation portion of the project is estimated at around $1 million, with the full project expected to total approximately $1.5 million. To date, over $500,000 has already been raised through donations, grants, pledges, and in-kind support. Significant progress has been made, but there is still more work to do.

This project is about more than preserving an old building. It is about protecting a piece of local history while creating something meaningful for today. The Hoke House has served the community for generations, and with enough support, it can continue serving for generations to come.

If you would like to help move this project forward, visit HokeHouse.com and click the Donation tab. Every contribution helps bring the Hoke House one step closer to its next chapter.

The relocation project is not just about preserving an old structure. The long term goal is for the Hoke House to become a Veterans Center serving the local community.

Once relocated, the historic tavern portion of the house will be restored while the remaining sections will be renovated into functional community space. The vision is to create a place where veterans can gather, connect, and access support close to home.

The center is intended to complement existing organizations, not replace them. It would provide additional space for outreach programs, meetings, community connection, and potentially future services.

This project combines preservation with purpose. It protects a historic landmark while creating something that serves people today in a meaningful way.

Congratulations to the two winners of the $500 The Graham Group Humble Beginnings Prize, York/Adams County MHIDD & The Hoke House !🎉

One of the most common questions about the Hoke House is whether a structure this old can actually be moved safely. The answer is yes, and buildings much older and larger than this have been successfully relocated before.

Professional structural movers have evaluated the house, the route, and the logistics involved in the relocation process. The building will be braced from the inside and outside to support it during the move and help protect the structure throughout the process.

The house is built with thick stone walls and has been confirmed to be structurally solid. While repairs and restoration are still needed, the building itself remains strong enough to be relocated safely.

The plan is not hypothetical. It has been studied, reviewed, and prepared in detail. What remains is making sure the funding is there to move it forward.

The Hoke House Relocation Team will be holding the food Stand at this Auction tomorrow! Stop by for and EGG sandwich, cheeseburger , or a piece of homemade Pie!
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Give Local York is here, and this is one of the most important moments for the Hoke House Wilson Tavern Relocation Project. Without enough funding, the house faces demolition and will be replaced with a parking lot—but that outcome is not set in stone.

With your support, we can relocate the Hoke House and preserve it as a Veterans Center for our community. Every donation helps move this project forward. If you’ve been considering giving, now is the time.

Support Hoke House Wilson Tavern Inc on Give Local York The Hoke House Relocation Project exists to preserve the structure which has been part of Pennsylvania history before the 1750s. The Hoke House sits along the roundabout on Route 116 in Spring Grove. It made Preservation Pennsylvania’s 2017 list of most endangered historic...