Our Hometown's History
Spence Funeral Services is honored to be a part of the rich history of Manheim. Founded in 1762, Manheim predates the Revolutionary War and has direct ties to Pennsylvania’s founder, William Penn. The earliest plans for the town included a wide open space for a town square, now known as Market Square. The funeral home is located just one block north of Market Square in a quiet, residential neighborhood.
Various industries have supported Manheim through the years:
Stiegel Glass: William Henry Stiegel, born in Cologne (c. 1729), immigrated to the United States with his mother and brother in 1750. He first worked in Philadelphia for Charles and Alexander Stedman, then joined Jacob Huber, an ironworker in northern Lancaster County at Elizabeth Furnace (named for Huber's daughter, Elizabeth). Stiegel married Elizabeth and purchased the company from Huber. He continued to produce iron products while experimenting with blowing glass bottles and making window glass.
In 1762, Stiegel and the Stedman brothers founded Manheim. And from 1763-1764 Stiegel built his first glassworks company, eventually called American Flint Glass Manufactory. At first, they produced bottles and window glass but later increased their capacity by expanding production to a wide range of scientific and practical household items. These items were often enameled or engraved and were so similar to glass produced in Europe that it was sometimes difficult to tell them apart. His glass, along with pieces like it, is now known as "Stiegel-type" glass.
Known as "Baron" Stiegel during the height of his wealth and power, his story was embellished by admirers and his glass became coveted. He is remembered as the founder of Manheim and for renting land to the local Lutheran church for "five shillings" and, thereafter, the yearly rent of one red rose.
Read more at www.manheimhistoricalsociety.org/
Raybestos: Historically, this industrial site in the southeast corner of the borough was part of the Raybestos-Manhattan Inc. plant, which manufactured friction materials, including automotive brake linings, clutch facings, and other specialized friction products, since 1908. Later known as Raymark Industries, the enterprise once employed more than 1,500 people. By 2000, the company was bankrupt and left an environmental brownfield contaminated by its asbestos manufacturing. By 2002, plans were made to clean up the site, renovate the buildings, and rebuild it as the Greentree Business Center. More than a decade later, the center is a vibrant business community and a testament to the Brownfield reclamation programs.
Manheim Auto Auction: In 1945, Benjamin Z. Mellinger, a Ford dealer in New Holland, and Arthur F. Walters, a Firestone tire dealer in Manheim, decided to begin auctioning cars after attending a farm equipment auction. Together with Jacob "Jake" H. Ruhl, Paul H. Stern, and Robert Schreiber, they purchased a rundown building on a few acres just south of Manheim to form Manheim Auto Auction, Inc. They put up three cars for their first sale but sold only one.
By 1947, their new building, complete with four vehicle auction lanes, opened. Eventually, Manheim residents were buying their vehicles from the auction company instead of dealerships. By 1959, Manheim Auto Auction became the largest dealer-only auto exchange.
Read more at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manheim_Auctions.
As part of historic downtown Manheim, Spence Funeral Services enjoys participating in community events throughout the year, such as the annual Business Expo held on the Square. We are happy to share our spacious off-street parking lot with residents and visitors during events such as the Rock-n-Glow 5k Run, Santa 5k, and Christmas and New Year’s celebrations that bring crowds to downtown.
Manheim’s 5000 residents, plus the thousands living in neighboring Rapho and Penn Townships, are fortunate to live near many churches, public event facilities, and numerous cemeteries, including Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in nearby Lebanon County. While Spence Funeral Services provides funeral and cremation services to those in Manheim, Lititz, Elizabethtown, and northwestern Lancaster County, they can also conduct memorial and graveside services in many of these locations.
Spence Funeral Services strives to serve our community by meeting the needs of families experiencing a loss. And like our Manheim community, we come together to support each other, just like a small town should.
