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Lancaster High School LHS (SC) State Championship Football Team - 1959 - Lancaster SC Photos

Most football players and coaches pose for their official group photo before the season starts. But when the team wins the state championship, another group photo is made after the season is complete. 

Here, members of the state championship team are seen in December of 1959 in Lancaster. They had just beaten Winyah in Georgetown days earlier for the state title. 

At top left is coaching legend Wade Corn. Corn led the team to 11 wins, including 4 shutouts. LHS averaged almost 14 points per game while their opponents averaged only 5. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

This classic photograph was made possible by Janice Mathis State Farm

Wade Corn with Lancaster High Football Team - 1959 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster High School head coach Wade Corn talks to his team during halftime of the Greenville game in November of 1959 in Lancaster. 

LHS, known then as the Blue Hurricanes, went on to win the state championship that year, beating Winyah High School. 

Corn played on Wofford's undefeated 1949 team. Lavoy Bauknight, who made this photograph, also attended Wofford. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Coach Max Clyburn With LHS Golf Team - 1965 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster High School golf team members pose with Coach Max Clyburn (kneeling at left) in March of 1965 at The Lancaster Golf Course. Clyburn led the team for 27 years and finished his career with an amazing .857 winning percentage as coach. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

Lancaster High's Brooks Goldsmith Catch vs Greenville - 1959 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster High's Brooks Goldsmith leaves Greenville High behind as he hauls in a pass on Nov. 13, 1959 in Lancaster. 

Goldsmith and The Blue Hurricanes beat Byrnes in the playoffs the next week and went on to defeat Winyah for the state championship. 

LHS only lost one game that season and averaged almost 14 points per game while their opponents averaged only 5. Four opponents never scored a point against The Hurricanes that year. 

LHS was coached by Wade Corn and their mascot later became The Bruins. This field was located near the present day Wylie St. Pool. 

(Photo by Lavoy Baunknight via The Lancaster Archive) 

Children Watch Fire Safety Demo - 1965 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster children watch in excitement as they get a fire extinguisher demonstration from The Lancaster Fire Department in July of 1965. 

(Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

 

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City Hall - Bank of Lancaster - Shell Station -- 1965 - Lancaster SC Photos

The intersections of Arch and Catawba streets are seen on July 14, 1965. At left is the former Bank of Lancaster, which is now city hall. 

At right, a man can be seen between two vending machines at the Shell gas station. 

At top is the former city hall building, also known as The Springs House, which is now home to Lancaster County Council of the Arts. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Lancaster Educators Sing "I'm Glad That I'm a Teacher" - 1990 - Lancaster SC Videos

VIDEO - Turn up your sound - Lancaster Educators perform "I'm Glad That I'm a Teacher", directed by Linda Bell, at an event in 1990. (Video by Bobby Bell / Bell Studio)— with Linda Blackmon Bell and

10 others

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Charlie Duke Day - 1972 - Lancaster SC Photos

Nearly 20,000 people gathered to celebrate their hometown hero with a parade for astronaut Charlie Duke on May 26, 1972. The Lancaster native had just walked on the moon a month earlier as a part of Apollo 16.

Mayor Reece Funderburk declared it "Charlie Duke Day". Hundreds of military and high school band members, beauty queens, floats and state and national dignitaries were on Main St. that day.

To the left of Duke is his wife Dotty. Below are sons Charles and Thomas. 

(Photo by Dave Yarborough via The Lancaster Archive)

USC Lancaster and By-Pass - 1970s - Lancaster SC Photos

USC Lancaster and the S.C. 9 by-pass are seen in this 1970s aerial image. Pizza Hut and the Gregwood community are also in this photograph. 

There is no P.E. Center yet and Chick-fil-A is years from being built. University Baptist Church is seen under construction. 

(Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

This image was made possible by

 

Ray's Flowers After Hurricane Hugo - 1989 - Lancaster SC Photos

Ray's Flowers' windows are seen blown out after Hurricane Hugo's destruction on Main Street in Sept. of 1989. (The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive) 

Charlie Duke On Hyatt Cinema Marquee - 1972 - Lancaster SC Photos

The marquee at Hyatt Cinema reads "Welcome Home Charlie. The Godfather. Marlon Brando." 

Nearly 20,000 people gathered to celebrate their hometown hero, Charlie Duke on May 26, 1972. 

Hundreds of military and high school band members, beauty queens, floats and state and national dignitaries were on Main St. that day. 

(Photo by Dave Yarborough via The Lancaster Archive) 

Charlie Duke Day Parade - 1972 - Lancaster SC Photos

53 years ago today, nearly 20,000 people gathered to celebrate their hometown hero with a parade for astronaut Charlie Duke. The Lancaster native had just walked on the moon a month earlier as a part of Apollo 16.

Mayor Reece Funderburk declared May 26, 1972 "Charlie Duke Day". Hundreds of military and high school band members, beauty queens, floats and state and national dignitaries were on Main St. that day.

To the left of Duke is his wife Dotty, who is looking down at one of their sons. 

(Photo by Dave Yarborough via The Lancaster Archive)

Mrs. Billings' Central School Class - 1953 - Lancaster SC Photos

Mrs. Billings' class poses for a photo at Central School in May of 1953. 

See below for cropped photos, making it easier to see faces. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

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Miss Lancaster Pageant - 1962 - Lancaster SC Photos

The Miss Lancaster Pageant is seen in April of 1962. 

Pictured are Sandra Hegler, Dianne Love, and Cecelia Yoder.

(Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

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May Day Celebration - 1950 - Lancaster SC Photos

With that crowd, this classic image looks like it could have been made at a Major League Baseball game, but it's definitely Lancaster. 

Hundreds pack the seats at the former Lancaster High School stadium in May of 1950 for the annual May Day celebration. 

This field was located near the intersection of Wylie and York streets where the Wylie Street Pool is today. 

See below for cropped versions, making it easier to see faces.

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Thank You For 10 Years!

10 Years ago today, I launched The Lancaster Archive website, where hundreds of classic film images have been digitized and shared from 5 photographers, spanning 7 decades of Lancaster’s visual history.

For years, many collections from those photographers sat in dreadful conditions in outdoor storage sheds and humidity-filled closets. One collection was sitting in a puddle of water in a basement.

The Archive was born from an idea that thousands of photos from Lancaster County’s history could be saved and brought to life for everyone to enjoy.

Being able to share these images on our website and social media has been the best part of this project. Many photographs have inspired couples and families who moved away from Lancaster to return to their hometown and reconnect with friends they hadn’t seen in years.

After seeing an image from the collection of the restaurant where they met, one couple from Spartanburg brought their daughters to Lancaster to show them the town where they fell in love.

Dozens of viewers have told us they discovered things about their grandparents and great grandparents that they never knew after seeing them in a classic photograph. One granddaughter had no idea her grandmother played basketball for LHS in the 1950s.

As Charlotte grows towards Lancaster, developers are already using many of the historic images released by The Archive to inspire their vision for how downtown will look in the future.

I want to send out a genuine, massive THANK YOU to all the sponsors who have made The Lancaster Archive possible! Archiving, Digitizing, Restoring and Sharing the collection takes resources and it would not be a success without our sponsors. (See the full list below)

Also, much gratitude to everyone who has ever liked, commented or shared an image. Keep on sharing the memories!

A special thanks to my father, Bobby, who passed away 26 years ago, for teaching me to appreciate my hometown’s history and the people in our communities who help raise, educate and inspire us.

The Lancaster Archive continues on! In fact, there are more film collections in Lancaster County that I am actively pursuing so that we can share those photographs with our viewers. Hopefully, they'll be out of the dark and into the light soon!

-Travis Bell

Thank you Sponsors!

Blackmon Insurance Group

Catawba Fish Camp

Comporium

Founders Credit Union

Hess Financial Planning

Hyatt Law

Janice Mathis State Farm

Kilburnie the Inn at Craig Farm

Lancaster County Historical Commission

Lancaster Funeral Home

The Lancaster News

Nutramax

See Lancaster

Shops on Main

USC Lancaster 

Girls Scout Brownies - 1961 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster Girl Scout Brownies pose for a group photo in October of 1961. (Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

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Davis Cleaners - 1962 - Lancaster SC Photos

Davis Cleaners is seen on March 27, 1962 at the intersection of Gay and Catawba streets. 

Dry cleaning with fast turnaround exploded during the economic boom of the 1950s. 

(Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Golf Lessons at Driving Range - 1958 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster boys get golf lessons at a driving range located behind the current day Christian Services Family Thrift Store building on Great Falls Highway in 1958. 

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(Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)