The History..
The Park was first dedicated to the public on July 4, 1957. The Land for this Park was donated to the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania by Mr. and Mrs Paul D. Eshelman on January 2, 1956. Crystal Park was originally developed by the Department of Parks and Public Property of the City of Lancaster during the period from March to July of 1957. [1]
The Park property stands on the ruins of a famous Brewery from the late 1800's. In a stretch of time from 1881 to 1886, Lancaster was known for the beer it turned out. A citizen of Lancaster known as Frank A. Rieker, became Lancaster's most successful brewer. Where the Park stands today, once stood the F.A. Rieker Star Brewery, famous for making some of the first Pilsner Beers and known for his German beer brewing influence. [2]
The market of Brewing in Lancaster City (and everywhere at this time) was below desired quality, especially before 1840. Shortly after 1840; a new technique had arose to Brewers, “lagering”. Lagering is a matter of storing and bottom fermenting yeast. As Lancaster progressed forward in it's Brewing techniques, John Wittlinger followed the trend of better equipment, technique and deep cellar producing. He is credited by many as being the First Lager Brewer in 1842. He had a plant on West King Street in Lancaster, that eventually gave way to merge with Frank A. Rieker's large scale Rieker Brewery. [3]
In front of the Park, F.A. Rieker built a Victorian successful bar, known as the F.A. Rieker Western Market Salon & Hotel. The interior was built with Italian Floor tiles and intricate pressed metal ceilings, expensive wood working and custom boilers. Many of these original features are still standing in the building today. The Brewery itself is to have said taken on a very, “Romanesque-Late Renaissance structure” look. [4]
Originally the Brewery started by Stroebel & Senn & Klink in 1867-1870 at 604 West King Street. Then It become a co-trademark of Stroebel & Senn (Felix) from 1870-1874. By 1874, however, Rieker showed up on the scene; running the business with H. Stroebel & Co (Senn & Rieker) from 1874-1876. With the Business booming, by 1876-1907; Frank had established his name and Business as the Frank A. Rieker Star Brewery on 602-606 West King Street between. With Frank's death, it became known from 1907-1912 as the Frank A. Rieker Estate Star Brewery, and from 1912-1920 just as the F.A. Rieker Brewing Co. [5]
It is said the Brewery turned out way over 50,000 barrels of beer a year. [6]
By 1920, America had entered a new era in which is known as the National Prohibition. America had outlawed the making and sales of alcoholic products from 1920-1933. All Brewery's had their operations shut down by the government at this time, but just as many people were still brewing it undercover in their homes; many brewers didn't give up their favorite past time either.
The Frank A. Rieker was one of those Brewery's that just didn't quit. The Rieker Family, now in charge of the business, focused on their Real Estate Security Firm (they formed) and leased the control of the brewery in a shady deal with Mobsters reportedly from Reading, Pennsylvania. The Mobsters are said to have hired “sewer elves” (local midgets) to run rubber brewery tubing North (East) up King Street to above Orange Street to a Garage with a distribution point from the Brewery. Frank J. Rieker (Frank A. Rieker's son) followed in the steps of his father, as the manager of the Brewery. [7]
It is also said, that the local neighbors, all the way back into the neighborhood of Cabbage Hill, had transport ways (ice men, kids lunch boxes, etc) to get their small tin “Growlers” filled at the taps of the Brewery, for their enjoyment at their homes. Rieker's and other local brewers quickly earned Lancaster, the Nick name; “The Munich of the New World”.[8]
After the Prohibition ended, 1933-1938; it was known by the trademarks the Penn Star Brewery and the Penn-Star Brewery Co. The Brewery officially closed it's doors.[9]
By 1941, the Massive six floor buildings were demolished, so that the efforts to win World War II could be aided by salvaging any materials that could be used. Eventually the land would be passed on to the park and the Market Saloon & Hotel, would become the now the Historic Blue Star Inn, which kept most of the original building insides and characteristics intact. When the building was demolished they found that, there was a brewery inside the brewery; that allowed the workers to brew without drawing attention.[10]
When Frank A. Rieker died, he left behind a small fortune for his family (especially based on the economy of the era). According to the inventory (and appraisal) was taken taken after his death by Daniel Kachel, Registers Office of Lancaster; Frank A. Rieker's belongings were worth $75,300.41. The Inventory and Appraisal which can be viewed at the Lancaster Historical Society, lists his inventory as;
Cash on Hand........................................................................................ $6,898.91
Book Accounts, Mortgages, Judgments and other Obligations............... $48,409.57
Malt on Hand......................................................................................... $1,507.00
Hops...................................................................................................... $1,658.16
Cerealine................................................................................................ $603.31
Beer........................................................................................................ $10,380.00
Horses.................................................................................................... $2,900.00
Wagons.................................................................................................. $1,490.00
Harness.................................................................................................. $360.00
Feed, Hay, &c..........................................................................................$ 291.71
Coal........................................................................................................$268.75
Bungs, Chips, Oils, Brooms, Brushes, &c...............................................$470.00
The inventory was taken as of the date of August 5, 1907; it was Taken and Appraised on January 20th 1908. [11]
The Park (enriched in history as shared above) is still only a dot of the historical significance of the Neighborhood around the park. Little has changed in the streets from the start of this side of town. Fairfew Avenue was originally called "Love Lane" and Crystal Street was originally called "Brewery Street". The Neighborhood sits in the 10th Ward of Lancaster City; which encampments a lot of historic blocks and small communities, including what is known as 'Cabbage Hill'. Cabbage Hill was a neighborhood growth of a large scale of German immigrants coming into Lancaster. It was settled mostly after the 1840's by people who left Europe for freedom of practice of religion. A lot of Cabbage was grown here, because of the "Sauerkraut" they produced. This part of the city is a series of hills with steep and often narrow streets that run at southwest angles to the rest of the downtown. [12]
The neighborhood around the park is very diverse around the Park; racially, spiritually and economically diverse. The diversity also ranges in classes and ages of people. The neighborhood has somewhat become a refuge for low income households and lower middle class families. To match the diversity of the neighborhood; there are diverse types and levels of crime that dot the neighborhood. The Lancaster City Police have made their Police call logs available for each ward in the city; where the 10th Ward's crime reports are viewable. [13]
Lancaster City, PA is undergoing a city-wide revitalization; and has plans to revamp this whole side of town. The plans are available from the City of Lancaster and are known as the Southwest Connections. Under the Direction of Mayor Rick Gray, Crystal Park and the 10th Ward will be undergoing many promising and progressive improvements. [14]
On July 4th, 2007; the park officially turned Fifty years old.
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[1] Taken From the Park Dedication Sign at the Park Entrance
[2] Information was Influenced by Information gathered by Tom Z. Wolf on his well known Website on the “Cabbage Hill History”.
[3] This Information was influenced by the informed recorded on these Brewers in “The Heritage of Lancaster” by John Ward Willson Loose; on Page 70).
[4] Information was also influenced from the information taken from Christmas Tree Hill's history of this Brewery & Saloon; based on their Cat's Meow Village Collectible. Some information taken from Lancaster Brewing Company's history of Lancaster Brewers.
[5] Information taken from resources, including “Tavern Trove”; a online Worldwide resource for the history and collectibles Antique Breweries.
[6] Information was also influenced from the information taken from Christmas Tree Hill's history of this Brewery & Saloon; based on their Cat's Meow Village Collectible.
[7] ; [8] This Information was influenced from information taken from the book, The “Illustrated History of Lancaster County”; Some Information was also influenced from the information taken from Christmas Tree Hill's history of this Brewery & Saloon; based on their Cat's Meow Village Collectible. Other Information was Influenced by Information gathered by Tom Z. Wolf on his well known Website on the “Cabbage Hill History”. Some information taken from Lancaster Brewing Company's history of Lancaster Brewers.
[9] Information taken from resources, including “Tavern Trove”; a online Worldwide resource for the history and collectibles Antique Breweries. Some Information gathered from talking to people in the neighborhood.
[10] Some Information was also influenced from the information taken from Christmas Tree Hill's history of this Brewery & Saloon; based on their Cat's Meow Village Collectible. Other Information taken from Lancaster Brewing Company's history of Lancaster Brewers.
[11] This Information was supplied from the Inventory and Appraisal of Frank A. Rieker's Estate at the time of his Death, and is available at the Lancaster Historical Society for review.
[12] Information was Influenced by Information gathered by Tom Z. Wolf on his well known Website on the “Cabbage Hill History”.
[13] View crime logs at Lancaster Police 10th Ward online police Log; http://www.lancasterpolice.com/contact/police/parseincident.php?sector=10
[14] Gathered Information form the City of Lancaster Website; and Revitalization Plans and Blueprints available for PDF on their website.
Links to Resources.
Frank A. Rieker Brewery Information on Tavern Trove: http://www.taverntrove.com/breweries/1083.asp
Lancaster City Neighborhood Revitalization Plans (PDF); http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lancastercity/lib/lancastercity/sw_pdf_presentation.pdf
Tom Z. Wolf “Cabbage Hill” History Website: http://homepage.mac.com/tomzwolf/Tree/docsKarl/cabbage_hill_history.html
Christmas Tree Hill Store's Rieker Saloon Cat's Meow Collectible (and History): http://christmastreehill.stores.yahoo.net/1254128.html
Lancaster Police 10th Ward online police Log: http://www.lancasterpolice.com/contact/police/parseincident.php?sector=10 Lancaster Brewing Company's History of Lancaster Brewers: http://www.lancasterbrewing.com/history.html