Herb Fisher to give trolley presentation in Terre Hill

Some time ago, I heard that many years ago when a trolley traveled regularly to Terre Hill, borough residents knew the car was approaching because the power the trolley utilized caused their lights to dim. Wondering if the tale was true, I asked Herb Fisher, who has given nearly 30 presentations on Lancaster County history, for his opinion. Fisher's response was along the lines of "probably." "That's a general happening not only here (in Terre Hill)," said Fisher. "The trolleys took a lot of current, and originally when (people) made electricity, they made very little."

Fisher will share more of his knowledge of the trolleys that once traversed Route 23 to Blue Ball and beyond when he presents "Take the Trolley to Terre Hill" - an hourlong slideshow - on Tuesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. at the Terre Hill Community Center, 131 W. Main St., as a guest of the Terre Hill Area Historical Society. The presentation will be free, and the public is invited to attend.

Fisher, who moved to Lancaster County from Delaware County in the mid 1950s, professed that he has had a fascination with the past for as long as he can remember. "My whole life I was interested in history," he stated, noting that since moving to the area, that interest has focused on local history.

Before Fisher retired, history took a back seat to his work. "I installed and maintained very large telephone systems," said Fisher, noting that one of his proudest moments came in 1986 when he was called to "drop everything" and go to Millersville University to oversee the phone system there during President Ronald Reagan's visit. In addition to his knowledge of local history, Fisher's interests have included collecting coins, flags, license plates, and driver's licenses, along with birding and raising hostas.

Fisher's initial interest in the trolleys dates back to 2007 when his fascination with old pictures sent him on a hunt for the tracks. He drove to the present day areas where the old photos had been taken to match up the photographers' vantage points with the current locations.

Fisher's presentation can include up to 160 slides, but he adjusts the number based on subject matter to better tell the history of the location he is visiting. Because trolleys were a main mode of transportation for local residents traveling from place to place prior to World War II, Terre Hill became one of the routes that went out from Lancaster. "Anywhere you could go shopping, you took the trolley," said Fisher, noting that Terre Hill is pretty far out from the center of the county.

Fisher has also given other historical presentations, including "How We Got the Cell Phone From a String and Tin Can" and a few about his experience with President Reagan.

More information about the organization may be found by searching for "Terre Hill Area Historical Society" on Facebook.