A Preliminary Plan for Preserving Muddy Creek Forks, Pennsylvania

Abstract

This thesis explains the importance of preparing and following a preservation plan when undertaking a restoration, rehabilitation or preservation project of any size. It presents the definition and elements of a good preservation plan. This model of planning is then applied to a small rural village in southeastern York County, Pennsylvania. Muddy Creek Forks began as a grist milling community in the mid-18th century and expanded greatly when the railroad arrived in 1874. The railroad changed the village from a quiet milling community into a bustling center of commercial and agricultural distribution and processing activity. The Village enjoyed its most prosperous time between 1888 and 1935 when commercial, agricultural and railroad activity all reached their peak. The village slowly declined as railroad service decreased and railroad and commercial activities eventually ended completely. The village remained a time capsule of the early-20th century. Six buildings and three structures, now owned by a nonprofit entity, need preservation and interpretation of the role the railroad played in many smaller communities in the country. This thesis provides a plan for preserving and interpreting Muddy Creek Forks and serves as a model for the preservation of other communities.