In a Pickle, But Loving It

Pennsylvania is filled with interesting town names. The most popular (and the most laughed at) are probably Intercourse and Blue Ball, both in Lancaster County. In my little neck of the woods, we have places like Braggtown, and my neighboring town of Dillsburg. Dillsburg embraces its unique name by dropping a pickle on New Year’s Eve and holding an annual Pickle Fest on the 2nd Saturday of May.

Each town has a story, and the story of Dillsburg begins back in 1742. When land opened up for settlement west of the Susquehanna River, many people spilled over the river banks looking for adventure, freedom and a place to call their own. Matthew Dill was one such settler. A Scots-Irish immigrant, he settled in an area that soon became a crossroads (York to Carlisle and Harrisburg to what would be Gettysburg), and there he established a tavern. The original one is believed to have been made of wood, while the iconic stone tavern was built in 1794 to meet the needs of the ever increasing influx of travelers. “Historically, it is said that three generations of the Dill family kept the tavern open to serve food and whiskey to drovers, farmers, merchants, and settlers heading for the frontier.”

The property and stone tavern were later bought by Leonard Eichelberger in 1800 and subsequently expanded. As the Eichelberger family grew in size and prosperity, they expanded their business from a farm distillery to a commercial operation – selling goods as far away as Baltimore! This additional enterprise caused the property to become more like a self-sufficient plantation with orchards, rye fields, gardens, an outdoor bake oven, smokehouse, wheelwright, carpenter, wagon maker, blacksmith and distillery. Ledgers kept by the original Eichelberger owners give us details of their impressive operation.

This fascinating history is shared by the Northern York County Historical & Preservation Society (NYCHAPS) through their knowledgeable docents and re-enactors. These tours are unlike most historical tours because they happen without velvet ropes – visitors are allowed to touch everything that is on display (a real plus for the tactile, hands-on student).

The docents explain every aspect of life back in the early 1800’s: from food preparation and preservation to the special features that were built into the 1819 expansion – including the stone sink in the kitchen that drained to the outside! They explain the process of spinning fibers to make thread and eventually cloth. They discuss the household chores necessary to make the tavern and store run efficiently. And then there are the jobs (today we call them trades) needed to manage the whiskey business from production to delivery.

So much was different back then. Children’s chores were harder and their games were simpler. Things were made by hand and free time was rare. And who knew that when you paid for a room at a tavern you weren’t actually paying for A ROOM? You weren’t even paying for a bed. Instead, you were paying for a place to sleep and that could very well be just a spot in a bed: multiple beds in one room with multiple people in each bed – you would most likely be sleeping with strangers! (I think I prefer a room to myself, thank you very much.)

Exciting things are happening at the Dills Tavern. (Yes, the missing apostrophe is intentional as that was the traditional spelling of the property). Thanks to grants, fundraisers and support from the community, the historical society has been able to recreate a functional distillery on the property, which will be open to visitors in the Spring of 2024. This is actually considered our state’s first Distillery of Historic Significance.

If you find yourself in the area, drop in. It is definitely worth the stop. Costumed docents offer public tours every Sunday afternoon, April through November, from 2pm to 4pm. The cost is $5/individual or $10/immediate family, and children under 12 are free. Private and group tours are also available. Contact admin@northernyorkhistorical.org for pricing and scheduling.

Thanks for joining me as I brag on my little part of our state.

Blessings,

Beth Mellott