Trifter

The corner stone says August 13, 1897.  It is now 112 years old.  It is a stately brick building near the middle of York Springs PA.  You can see the close-up of the brickwork that this was built to be both functional and attractive.   Note the joint about 4 courses above the letters AU that have missing mortar.  This significantly weakens a wall.

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When it was built it was the York Springs Presbyterian Church.  The corner stone remains to show that.  More can be seen of the brick work.  Note the way the bricks are laid above the corner stone to match the ones above the door below it.   Today the mortar joints would be wider and in fact the section above the corner stone has been reworked and I believe replaced in some way because of the width of the mortar.  This area was not just “repointed”, a term that means the weathered mortar is dug out and replaced which preserves the spacing or joints.  This must have been taken down and put back – at least most of the brick is original.   

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The church has become an apartment house.   Note how the area that was a stained glass window has been bricked up.  This picture gives perspective.  The church sign post still stands empty near the door. 

The one spire stands askew on the column that is now deteriorating from the top.