AREA HISTORY:  East Prospect Borough, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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EAST PROSPECT BOROUGH – Page 731

At the base of the Conojohela Valley, located on a charmingly beautiful spot, stands the 
borough of East Prospect.  It is eleven miles from York, on what was for a long time called the 
York and Dritt’s Ferry road, and about two miles from the Susquehanna.  John A. Jacobs laid out 
the town in 1849.  The first house is still standing, owned by William E. Oleweiler.  A dry 
goods and grocery store is now kept in it by George Kise.  There are several stores and a hotel 
in the town.  The manufacture of cigars is an important industry.  The early inhabitants were 
undecided what name to give the town until the very appropriate one of Prospect was thought of.  
From Centre Square, looking eastward, a magnificent panorama is presented to the observer, 
extending a long distance into the counties of Lancaster and Dauphin, embracing a landscape 
view unrivalled for beauty and attractiveness.  To the west toward York is the equally fertile 
and productive Conojohela Valley.

Since there was already a post town in Butler County this State, called Prospect, the name East 
Prospect was selected.  The town was incorporated in 1874.  The survey was made by Harry 
Winter, of York, now a resident of Iowa.  Maple Street runs east and west.  The beautiful homes 
on it are now comfortably shaded by luxuriant maple trees of different varieties.  Main Street, 
running north and south, was the first to be built up.