Old Town Mount Joy
1. Union National Bank: The bank first started in the building in which the Fashion Finish Boutique is now located. In 1910, the bank moved to its present location which is 101 East Main Street. In 2011, the name was changed to Union Community Bank.
2. Florin Bank: This bank is located on the corner of West Main Street and North Market Avenue. This bank had a short life, functioning from the middle of the 1920's to the 1930's. The bank then became a restaurant and a post office. The buidling returned to being a bank with different names until the 1990's and is now a watch making manufacturing firm.
3. Exchange Hotel: The Hotel is located at the corner of North Barbara Street and East Main Street. This building is one of Mount Joy's oldest. In 1923, it was razed to make way for the Newcomer Hardware Store which then became Hostetter's Hardware Store. This building today is unoccupied.
4. View of East Main Street: Around turn of century about 1890's-1900's, this view of East Main Street was taken from the corner of South Barbara Street looking West. One may imagine that it could be Saturday because in the olden days, most shopping took place on Saturday's.
5. First Railroad Station: The first railroad station after using the Exchange Hotel, built in 1876, was used until the new station was built on Delta Street. Since the main line no longer went through North Market Street, there had to be a new one built in 1896. The old station was used for many purposes and the two-story end of the building was turned into a home. Eventually, the entire structure was removed.
6. View of trolley on West Donegal Street: The trolley was used from 1904 to 1932, not even 30 years. The trolley entered the town at South Barbara Street, continued up Columbia Avenue to Delta Street to West Donegal Street to Wood Street and then on to Rheems and Elizabethtown. Bus's replaced the trolleys here and all over the county starting in 1932.
7. The Joy Theater: This theater was considered by many, to be the most beautiful in the county which was built in 1938 and located on East Main Street. It continued to offer entertainment to the people of Mount Joy and surrounding areas until the 1950's. Television ruined the life of the local theater and the fact that there was no parking except along the streets.
8. The Gabrial Bear's Flour Mill and The Mansion House: The mill was constructed as a stone structure in 1857. Bear sold out to John Brandt, which then became Spangler's Flour Mill, makers of fine soft wheat flour since 1900. Bear's Mansion House was also removed and a silo was built in its place.
Now that you learned eight facts about Old Town Mount Joy, click here to learn how "Mount Joy" got its name.
