THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY GINGRICH, BELFANTI, BEYER, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, CUTLER, DELOZIER, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, EVERETT, FLECK, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, GOODMAN, GRELL, GROVE, GRUCELA, HELM, HESS, HICKERNELL, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KNOWLES, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MAJOR, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, MELIO, MICCARELLI, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, RAPP, REED, ROCK, ROHRER, ROSS, SCAVELLO, SEIP, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, TRUE, TURZAI, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 27, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 27, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Congratulating the Borough of Palmyra, Lebanon County, on the

occurrence of the 250th anniversary of its founding.

WHEREAS, Originally, Palmyra was inhabited by the Lenni

Lenape Indians who were called the Delawares by early settlers;

and

WHEREAS, The first settlers, who were of European descent,

came to the Palmyra area in approximately 1650 as explorers and

traders; and

WHEREAS, The first settlers in the area were Scotch Irish and

German Palatinates, commonly referred to as "Pennsylvania

Dutch"; and

WHEREAS, William Eckert settled along the road that would

become Main Street in the early 1700s and the area became known

as Eckert's Settlement until 1731; and

WHEREAS, By 1763, Johann Palm, known as John Palm, moved into

the area with his family, settling in Swatara and two years

later, in 1766, he purchased 100 acres, which is now known as

downtown Palmyra; and

WHEREAS, John Palm also practiced medicine, farmed and

traded; and

WHEREAS, In 1777, at 64 years of age, he became a battlefield

surgeon in the Battle of Brandywine Creek; and

WHEREAS, John Palm died at the age of 85 in 1799, when the

community was already known as Palmstown; and

WHEREAS, In 1804, Palmstown established its own post office,

and on October 1, 1810, the name was officially changed to

Palmyra; and

WHEREAS, The name Palmyra is believed to have been taken from

a Biblical passage, mentioning an ancient caravan city in what

is now Syria; and

WHEREAS, The Union Canal, located several miles north of

Palmyra, was completed in 1827; and

WHEREAS, In 1857, the first steam engine of the newly formed

Lebanon Valley Railroad came through Palmyra, providing a

cheaper and more efficient means of transportation; and

WHEREAS, As commerce increased, the Palmyra Bank was opened

in 1886; and

WHEREAS, Samuel Gingrich established the first shoe factory

called the Palmyra Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company in 1888,

which became the dominant industry in Palmyra; and

WHEREAS, In 1899, a trolley line was built in Palmyra by

Milton S. Hershey which was known as the Hummelstown and

Campbelltown Street Railway; and

WHEREAS, The nationally renowned Seltzer's Bologna brand was

founded in 1902 as the Palmyra Bologna Company; and

WHEREAS, The earliest schools in the Palmyra area were church

schools, the first one being established on a gift of land from

Johannes Bindnagle in 1753 in a log building; and

WHEREAS, In 1887, Professor Peter B. Witmer founded the

Witmer Academy located at Main and College Streets; and

WHEREAS, By 1913, the town of Palmyra incorporated into a

borough and was no longer governed by North Londonderry

Township; and

WHEREAS, The Palmyra Borough School District was formed in

1914 when the board of directors of the encompassing North

Londonderry Township relinquished control of the schools within

the newly formed Palmyra Borough; and

WHEREAS, By 1962, North Londonderry, South Londonderry and

Palmyra Borough were finally joined to create the current

Palmyra Area School District; and

WHEREAS, In 1909, Palmyra celebrated 100 years of the

established post office named as Palmyra; and

WHEREAS, Palmyra's 150th anniversary was celebrated in 1910

as Old Home Week; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the

Borough of Palmyra on the occurrence of the 250th anniversary of

its founding.