This website was created to inform those who do not know how important immigrants were to agriculture in Pennsylvania, and more specifically, York County. German, Scots-Irish, and English immigrants all contributed to the establishment of York County agriculture by simply bringing their practices and equipment with them when they migrated.
Overview & Background
York County’s formation began in 1749 when Lancaster County was divided using the Susquehanna River. York County’s formation and boundary lines were finalized by 1800.
German, Scots-Irish, and English immigrants were the three ethnic groups that quickly emigrated to York County. With them, they brought their agriculture practices and equipment.
About Me
I’m a member of the Class of 2026 at the University of Mary Washington, where I’m majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. Throughout my years at the University of Mary Washington (UMW), I have worked on numerous research projects related to both politics and history. Through this project, I hope to teach others about the history of where I am from and how important immigrant agriculture was to Pennsylvania agriculture.
Primary Sources
(1850). https://agcensus.library.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/1850a-08.pdf.
Carter, William C., and Adam John Glossbrenner. History of York County : from its erection to the present time. York, Pennsylvania: A.J. Glossbrenner, 1834. https://www.loc.gov/item/01015944/.
Gibson, John. History of York County Pennsylvania From the Earliest Time to the Present. Chicago: F.A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886. https://archive.org/details/historyofyorkcou00ingibs/page/n29/mode/2up.
York County, Pennsylvania. Census of Agriculture. Accessed April 18, 2025. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Pennsylvania/cp42133.pdf.
Secondary Sources
Bittlingmayer, George, and Alexander Waldenrath. “THE GERMAN IN EARLY PENNSYLVANIA AGRICULTURE .” German-American Studies 10 (1975).
PA.gov. “Agriculture in the Settlement Period, c. 1800 – c. 1840 .” pa.gov. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/phmc/documents/preservation/pennsylvania-agricultural-history-project/documents/agriculture_in_the_settlement_period.pdf.
PA.gov. “North and West Branch Susquehanna Diversified Agriculture, 1840-1960 .” pa.gov. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/phmc/documents/preservation/pennsylvania-agricultural-history-project/documents/north_and_west_branch.pdf.
Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission. York County. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/IncorporationDatesForMunicipalities/pdfs/york.pdf?catid=67.