AREA HISTORY:  Hanover Early History, York County, PA

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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EARLY HISTORY – Page 574

About 1763, at the junction or crossing of the high road from Baltimore to 
Carlisle, and that from Philadelphia and York to Frederick, stood, a two-story 
log-tavern*, in a small clearing, surrounded by a hickory forest.  This public 
inn and store were the “headquarters” of Conewago Settlement, and stood in the 
southeastern part of the above-mentioned tract, known as “Digges’ Choice.”  
McAllister’s tavern was a popular resting place, the road which crossed there 
being much traveled.  Richard McAllister, the proprietor, was an adventurous 
Scotch-Irishman, who had located here before the erection of the county in 1749, 
and had acquired a powerful influence over the Germans, who had already thickly 
settled in these parts.  At what date he came to Digges’ Choice, is not known.  
McAllister had but a single near neighbor, one Schmeltzer, whose one-story log 
dwelling, stood a short distance down the Frederick road (on the lot now owned 
and occupied by Mr. John Eckert).  Yet one day the Scotch-Irishman announced his 
intention to found a village on his land.  This declaration caused a sensation 
throughout the neighborhood – the stolid Germans declaring the project a wild 
scheme.  Rev. Wiestling, in his account of the founding of Hanover, written in 
1818, gives the following anecdote, illustrating what McAllister’s neighbors 
thought of his intention:  “A very aged and respected lady of a remarkably 
retentive memory, related a few years ago, the following anecdote on this 
subject:  A certain farmer of those days, returning to his family, after some 
visits through the neighborhood, thus addressed his wife in the presence of the 
lady above alluded to, ‘Mammy’ (this was then, and is yet, a very common address 
of the Germans to their wives)’ ‘Mammy, I have great new to tell you – Richard 
McAllister is going to make a town!’  The wife after some inquiries and 
observations, said, with a sarcastic smile, which spoke more than words, ‘Ha! 
ha! ha!  I am afraid that man will turn a fool at last.  I think he will call 
his town Hickorytown.’”

* This building still exists, standing at the corner of the fourth alley, south 
of the square, on Baltimore Street.  Cased with brick, it is still a handsome 
residence, occupied by the present owner, Mr. Jeremiah Melhorn.