The Watt & Shand Collection contains materials related to the Watt & Shand Department Store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Series 1 includes employee handbooks, job description, beauty salon price list, bridal registry information, a history of the store, a Christmas catalog, a Historic Preservation Trust calendar, and children's books.
Series 2 is a record of the property at the downtown location and at Park City Mall beginning in 1880 with deeds, legal agreements, a building inspector's permit, and insurance policies.
Admin/Biographical History
On 22 February 1878, Peter Watt, James Shand and Gilbert Thompson advertised the opening of a new store, The New York Store, featuring new lines of foreign and domestic dry goods as well as fancy goods and notions. The New York Store opened on 9 March 1878 and was an immediate success focusing on customer service. The owners had an unwritten policy stating that they remained open until the last customer left. During that first year, partner Gilbert Thompson died. Watt and Shand purchased a building located at 8-10 East King Street and changed their name from The New York Store to Watt, Shand and Company. Then during 1885, the store name was shortened to Watt & Shand even though the business was expanding to acquire 6 East King Street. The Ladies' Ready-To-Wear Department was added in 1889 which included coats, suits, dresses, and underwear. The owners proceeded to expand the business over several decades and procured Appel & Weber jewelry store and Hager's Department Store during the 1950s and 1960s. The branch store opened in 1970 at Park City Mall. The Bon-Ton Stores purchased Watt & Shand in 1992 and the store officially closed in March of 1995
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), Series #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Folder 2 contains restricted items. With the exception of Folder 2, the items in this collection may be used by researchers--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit or request at Reference Desk.
Copyright
Collection items may be photographed. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-237
Classification
MG0237
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Scrapbook cataloged by CB, 2008. Series 2, Folder 1-48 cataloged by ML, Summer 2014. Added to database 13 January 2022.
The Watt & Shand Department Store scrapbook was cataloged and preserved with funding from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. ME60112.
The Charles Kessler Papers contain some personal and professional correspondence, research for articles and books, and manuscripts for published and unpublished works. Kessler authored several pamphlets and books on local history including Lancaster in the Revolution in 1975 and President Buchanan: Trapped in a Whirlwind in 2003.
Admin/Biographical History
Charles H. Kessler, a World War II veteran, began his career as a reporter for the Reading Eagle Times, and later worked for the Lancaster New Era until his retirement in 1984.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Charles Kessler Papers (MG0432), Box #, Folder #, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the folder or item level.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-432
Classification
MG0432
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
The collection has not been fully cataloged. Added to database 22 February 2022.
The work of Eleanor Fulton, a professional researcher. Contains information on the Presbyterian Church in Lancaster County, including First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Donegal Presbyterian Church. Also, genealogy notes for local families and St. James Episcopal Church.
Modern "revivalist" fraktur created by Professor H. J. Kauffman's caretaker/nurse, Arlene Harnish. Mounted in handmade wood frame with corner blocks.
Marriage and birth certificate done on tinted laid paper with various colors. Within a border are three panels, the larger central panel has the text: "Henry Ka/uffman/Son of David and Anna/Kauffman was born on/November 14, 1908 in Yo/ork County, Pa. Married/ Elizabeth Zoe Tomer/July 20, 1938." Signed at the bottom "A Harnish" The two side panels are nearly symmetrical, featuring flowering plants growing out of a colorful pitcher resting on a stepped pedestal. A large colorful bird is perched in each of the plants.
Frame was made by HJK in earlier years.
1704 Millersville Pike, Lancaster
Provenance
Made by Arlene Harnish (b. 13 March 1946), caretaker of Henry J. Kauffman. She stated on 30 May 2000, that she learned to make fraktur by taking a class at Landis Valley Museum taught by Jere Kickerman. This piece was only the second fraktur she made, the first being the project for the class, done for her granddaughter.
Harnish made this fraktur for HJK during working hours at his residence when another was pressing. She copied motifs from a book. When completed, HJK told her to look for a frame in the basement. The one she found turned out to be one made by Kauffman himself. Harnish expressed shock and embarrassment upon learning that Kauffman had donated her fraktur to a museum. Arlene is Mrs. R. Edwin Harnish, 1586 Georgetown Rd. Christiana, PA phone: 5292712.
Modern fraktur and frame in excellent condition. The handmade from has small crack in top left corner block where nailed. Wood stain shows brush marks. Brown paper backing.
Object ID
G.96.37.9
Notes
This fraktur is featured in Irwin Richman's book "Pa. German Arts," 2001, page 14.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Usage
Kauffman's home
Credit
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Description
Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Description
Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Photograph- Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
Description
Statue of James Buchanan at Buchanan Park being restored. Originally dedicated in 1926. Restored and rededicated by Lodge 43 F & M Masons, 1998.
