Civil War-era buildings being torn down in Dover Township

A Dover Township house with more than 155 years of history and a barn that might be even older are being torn down.

The demolition began last month at two properties at 2955 and 2941 Carlisle Road, near the intersection of Hilton Avenue. The properties include a pair of two-story buildings, an old barn and several outbuildings.

Penn State Investment Group, based in Springettsbury, has owned the property since August 2015, according to county records. The investment group is not affiliated with the university.

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The township granted the company a permit to demolish the site on Jan. 22, and the demolition is expected to be completed sometime in March.

What is expected to be built on the property is unknown. No building permits have been granted, nor have land development plans been seen by township officials, Laurel Oswalt, Dover Township manager, said.

Several calls to Penn State Investment Group were not immediately returned. A company official told the York Daily Record in 2016 that he’d hoped to build a shopping plaza on the site, but no specific businesses were committed at the time.

The home at 2941 Carlisle Road dates back to the early 1900s. The home at 2955 Carlisle Road has a placard on the side that reads, “Built by J. Grove and Wife, 1861.”

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The homes aren’t tied to any known historical events, but the architecture – Grecian Revival – might be some of the last remaining examples in the county, area historian Terrence Downs told the Daily Record in 2016.

“It’s just a shame to tear a house down that’s dated like that without doing any research on it,” Kay Stitley, Greater Dover Historical Society president, said. “I’m upset because its an old landmark, but what are you going to do, it’s progress.”

While the buildings are being torn down, much of the wood from the barn, including parts of the roof, are being saved by a building recycling company.

The site sits across from the former Spangler’s supermarket, where a Lidl supermarket is expected to be built.

Anthony J. Machcinski is the food reporter for the York Daily Record. Follow him on Facebook, @ChinskiTweets on Twitter or email him at amachcinski@ydr.com.