YORK COUNTY, Pa. — The annual 24-hour online giving event to benefit hundreds of York County non-profit groups is coming up in May. Over the next few weeks, FOX43 is exploring some of the non-profit groups benefiting from Give Local York.
The first non-profit is the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Heritage Village.
A visit to the railroad village in Muddy Creek Forks in York County is a trip back in time to the early 1900s when the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad was established by the merging of the Baltimore and Lehigh railways with the York Southern.
"The village of Muddy Creek Forks is sort of like a time capsule. It's a village that's basically unchanged in the last 100 years, we are the preservers and maintainers of that heritage. We are a historic district on the national register," explained Craig Sansonetti, the president of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society.
In addition to preservation, the nonprofit prides itself on education, giving visitors a detailed look at life in the past.
"We want people to know and understand what life was like in the village one hundred or more years ago, the key role that the railroad placed in developing communities here in Southeastern York County and how central it was to people's daily lives," said Sansonetti.
Guests can visit several historic buildings on the village grounds and a museum. For organizers, it's all about preserving the heritage for the future.
"I bring my two daughters here, they are six and four," said visitor Carrie Dennis. "I think it's important in this day and age that I show them how people lived 100 years ago, not just pulling out a phone and clicking on a button or instant text message."
During the operating season of June to September, about 3,000 people buy train ride tickets. Hundreds more stop by to enjoy the free areas as well.
Public donations and memberships fund the society. The Give Local York online fundraiser provides the non-profit a unique opportunity to get their message out to a wide audience for financial support.
"We are an all-volunteer organization, so any money that is given to us goes directly to support our programs, to support the maintenance of these historic buildings and the railroad," said Sansonetti.
Train rides are available on Sundays in June through Labor Day.
Give Local York will be held on May 2, 2024.