You are crossing the most famous border in American history, and it was drawn to settle an argument between two rich families. In the 1600s, the Calvert family held the charter for Maryland and the Penn family held Pennsylvania. The problem was that Maryland's 1632 charter granted territory up to the 40th parallel, but Pennsylvania's 1681 charter described its southern border using the same language differently. If Maryland's claim held, Philadelphia would have fallen inside Maryland. After eighty years of legal warfare and armed skirmishes between settlers, both families hired Charles Mason, an English astronomer, and Jeremiah Dixon, a surveyor, to settle it. Between 1763 and 1767, Mason and Dixon surveyed 244 miles at latitude 39 degrees 43 minutes north, defined as exactly fifteen miles south of the southernmost point in Philadelphia. They placed limestone crownstones shipped from England every five miles and smaller markers every mile. They stopped when their Iroquois guides refused to continue into Lenape territory. The line became famous for something Mason and Dixon never intended. After Pennsylvania abolished slavery in 1781, this east-west survey line became the de facto boundary between free states and slave states. During the Missouri Compromise debates of 1820, the Mason-Dixon Line entered the national vocabulary as the dividing line between North and South. It still is.

17.0 mi away

Three Mile Island

1979

Site of America's worst commercial nuclear accident on March 28, 1979, which caused a partial meltdown of reactor Unit 2.

13.2 mi away

Everything Near York

26 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

Golden Plough Tavern · 0.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over near the Golden Plough Tavern in York, because this unassuming building played a small but important role in the early days of the United States. During the Revolutionary War, from 1777 to 1778, York served as…
Farmers Market (York, Pennsylvania) · 0.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over! You're about to discover a place that's been feeding York for generations: the Farmers Market, also known as Penn Market. Back in 1876, this market was built to give local farmers a place to sell their goods.…
Cookes House · 0.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a second, because this unassuming stone house might have been a hotbed of revolutionary thought! Cookes House, built in 1761, is one of the oldest buildings in York. It's a classic example of early…
Ashley and Bailey Company Silk Mill · 1.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Believe it or not, you're near a place that once hummed with the delicate work of silk production right here in Pennsylvania. This is the former site of the Ashley and Bailey Company Silk Mill, established sometime…
Diamond Silk Mill · 1.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a time when York County was a hub for silk production! This impressive brick building, the Diamond Silk Mill, stands as a reminder of that era. Built around 1900, the Diamond Silk Mill, also known as York Silk…
Howard Tunnel · 5.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine being a Confederate soldier, tasked with crippling the Union's supply lines. This unassuming tunnel was a key piece of that puzzle. The Howard Tunnel, built between 1836 and 1837, is the second oldest active…
Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District · 7.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine the roar of a furnace and the clang of hammers – this quiet spot was once a bustling center of iron production! In the mid-1800s, Codorus Forge, also known as Hellem Forge, was a key player in Pennsylvania's…
Consumers Cigar Box Company · 7.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder where those old-timey cigar boxes came from? This factory in Red Lion, built in 1921, was a major producer. The Consumers Cigar Box Company, later known as Red Lion Woodcraft, expanded in 1925 and again…
Hanover Junction Railroad Station · 8.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine Abraham Lincoln standing right here, at the Hanover Junction Railroad Station! This unassuming spot played a surprisingly important role during the Civil War. During the Gettysburg Campaign in 1863, this…
York Iron Company Mine · 9.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Descend into the past at this 1854 iron mine, where miners toiled to extract the raw materials of industry. The York Iron Company Mine first opened in 1854. Additional openings were dug in 1876 and 1877 to expand the…
Columbia–Wrightsville Bridge · 12.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
You're about to cross the Susquehanna River on a bridge with a dramatic past. This vital link between Columbia and Wrightsville has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once. Before the current Veterans Memorial Bridge,…
Oscar Leibhart Site · 12.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine generations of people living right here, long before any of us. The Oscar Leibhart Site is an archaeological treasure trove revealing clues about prehistoric and protohistoric Native American settlements. Oscar…

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Byrd Leibhart Site · 12.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a fortified village bustling with life, right here in York County. The Byrd Leibhart Site, officially known as 36 YO 170, holds secrets from the late 17th century. Artifacts hinted at a settlement as early as…
Warrington Meetinghouse · 12.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a moment and reflect on this peaceful spot, where the ideals of religious freedom took root. Built in 1769, the Warrington Meetinghouse offered a haven for Quakers in York County. Quakers, also known as…
Cameron Estate · 12.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a minute. This is Cameron Estate, and it was once a hotbed of political activity. Simon Cameron, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War, called this place home. From 1872 to 1959, the Cameron family used…
Swigart's Mill · 13.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine the bustling activity at this 1794 grist mill, a vital part of the local economy for generations. This is Swigart's Mill, also known as Beaver Creek Mill. It was built in 1794 and is a 2 1/2-story stone…
Three Mile Island · 13.2 mi · Historical Marker
Site of America's worst commercial nuclear accident on March 28, 1979, which caused a partial meltdown of reactor Unit 2.
Frey-Haverstick Site · 13.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine walking where people have lived for over five thousand years! This unassuming spot in Lancaster County, known as the Frey-Haverstick Site, holds secrets from several different cultures and eras. Beginning as far…
Murry Site · 14.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a thriving village bustling right here centuries ago. This is the Murry Site, where archaeologists uncovered the remains of a large Shenks Ferry village. Excavations in 1967 revealed that the village was…
New Freedom station · 15.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This unassuming train station in New Freedom whispers tales of a time when railroads were the lifeblood of the nation. Built around 1870 by the Northern Central Railway, this station served as a crucial link connecting…
Central Hotel (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania) · 15.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time at this historic hotel and brewery complex – you can almost hear the echoes of laughter and clinking glasses from a bygone era. The Central Hotel and Bube's Brewery, stand as a testament to Mount Joy's…
The Mason-Dixon Line · 17.0 mi
You are crossing the most famous border in American history, and it was drawn to settle an argument between two rich families. In the 1600s, the Calvert family held the charter for Maryland and the Penn family held…
Risser's Mill Covered Bridge · 17.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
A piece of Lancaster County history went up in flames right here. The Risser's Mill Covered Bridge, also known as Horst's Mill Covered Bridge, once gracefully spanned Little Chickie's Creek. On 2002, tragedy struck. An…
Conestoga Town · 17.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a moment and imagine this peaceful landscape as the site of a tragic end. This is Conestoga Town, once home to the Susquehannock people, also known as the Conestoga. In 1763, a group of settlers, known as…
Calver Island · 17.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine generations of people living right here, on this island in the middle of the Susquehanna! Calver Island is more than just a patch of land; it's an archaeological site revealing the lives of some of…
Hummelstown Brownstone Company · 18.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever notice the reddish-brown buildings in older cities? There's a good chance the stone came from right here. From 1863 to 1929, the Hummelstown Brownstone Company operated quarries nearby. They extracted a distinctive…

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Three Mile Island

Everything Near York

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