Spotlight on Snack Town's Presidential Visitors

President’s Day is nearly here! Not only does this day give many Americans a long weekend (President’s Day is a federal holiday) it also gives us time to reflect on the history of our nation’s leaders, many of whom spent time in Hanover. Keep reading to discover which presidents stepped foot in Snack Town, USA over the years.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Hanover

George Washington

While brief, Hanover’s time with the first president is still a noteworthy highlight of our town’s history. President George Washington made an early-morning stop in July 1791 in McAlister's Town, now Hanover, which he described as "a very pretty village with a number of good brick houses and Mechanics in it..." He later made his way to York where he spent the night.

Abraham Lincoln

On his way to Gettysburg for his famous address in 1863, Lincoln's train paused in Hanover after he had changed trains at Hanover Junction. Many who saw the president that day remembered it for the rest of their lives, including Hanover resident, Joanna Wrentzel. To read about Lincoln’s impact on Wrentzel and her first-hand experience with battle of Hanover, click here.  

U.S. Grant

On his way to Gettysburg in 1868, Grant’s defective locomotive caused him to make a pit-stop in Hanover. Once he arrived, Grant praised the performance of Union commanders in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled through York County by train at least two times in the 1930s. He waved from his private car but did not appear on the platform as he headed through Hanover to give his own Gettysburg Address at the Adams County battlefield on May 30, 1934.

Richard M. Nixon

In 1946, when Nixon was first elected to the U.S. House, Nixon's parents moved to a Menges Mills farm. Their famous son visited them several times. Nixon visited Staub's Drug Store in Hanover in 1968. The owner later wrote for -- and received -- Nixon's autograph. Jake Thomas was proud of the signature. "Then after Watergate, Jake never mentioned it much," Abigail, his wife, said. 

Information from this article adapted from a February 2019 York Daily Record Article.