Catawba Fish Camp

 

Many thanks to Catawba Fish Camp for helping bring hundreds of celebrated images to life from Lancaster County's visual history!

New Sponsor - Lancaster Barber Shop

The Lancaster Archive welcomes Lancaster Barber Shop as a new sponsor! Get a sharp look by Andrew at 115 S White St, which is near the "Lank Kiss Stir" mural.

Hours are M-F 9:00 to 5:00

PHONE: 704.292.3765

Thanks to all the sponsors who help bring hundreds of celebrated images to life from Lancaster County's visual history!

Marshall Building and Shops

Many thanks to the new Marshall Building Shops and Offices for becoming a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive! Rental spaces for your store or office. Call 803.283.1719 for more information.

Food Trucks!

Get ready to spread some holiday cheer — Lancaster Lights and Holiday Sights is seeking food truck vendors to join the fun!

This magical community event will take place on December 6, 12, and 13, 2025, at 260 S. Plantation Rd. in Lancaster, bringing together families from across the county for an unforgettable celebration filled with lights, laughter, and festive spirit.

If you’re a food truck owner looking to be part of the holiday magic — this is your chance!

Apply today and share your favorite eats with the community. https://www.lancastercitysc.com/.../Lancaster-Lights...

Deadline to apply: November 10

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 

Go Local - It's Where Main Meets Y'all - The Shops on Main

 

Sponsor - Blackmon Insurance Group

Many thanks to Blackmon Insurance Group for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive!

New Sponsor - Richard Hough Construction

 

Many thanks to Richard Hough Construction for becoming a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive!

Fran's Faithful Finds

Many thanks to Fran's Faithful Finds at Thirty-One Gifts for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive!

Check out the latest offerings on her site, including bags, totes, coolers and more at:

https://fransfaithfulfinds.my.canva.site/copy-of-copy-of-may-scroll-and-shop-us

Sponsor - Fran's Faithful Finds

Many thanks to Fran's Faithful Finds at Thirty-One Gifts for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive!

Now through May 10, when you place an order on her site, 20% of the purchase goes to Lancaster County School District's Girls on the Run programs.

Check out all the latest Thirty-One products at https://www.mythirtyone.com/us/en/franvincent

New Sponsor - Fran's Faithful Finds at 31 Gifts

Many thanks to Fran's Faithful Finds at Thirty-One Gifts for becoming a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive!

Check out all the latest offerings, including Easter-ready gift bundles, wallets and luggage on her website here

Sponsor - The Lancaster News

 

Many thanks to The Lancaster News for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive! 

Get the latest news at their website. 

Earl Cunningham at North Elementary - 1992 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster High graduate Earl Cunningham signs autographs for students at North Elementary in 1992. 

The slugger was selected in the first round by the Chicago Cubs in the 1989 Major League Baseball draft. 

Did you know? 

Cunningham and South Carolina Gamecocks baseball coach Mark Kingston were teammates on the Cubs' minor league team in Peoria, Ill in the 90s. 

Today, Cunningham owns his own business in Columbia and gets back to Lancaster often.

(Lancaster News photo via The Lancaster Archive)

Sponsor - Blackmon Trust

 

Many thanks to Blackmon Insurance Group for being one of the sponsors that makes The Lancaster Archive possible! 

Sponsor - Builders Supply

Many thanks to Builders Supply for helping bring hundreds of celebrated images to life from our hometown's visual history! 

Builders Supply. A Great Place to Work!

 

Sponsor - Lancaster Funeral Home

 

Many thanks to Lancaster Funeral Home for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive.

Sponsor - The Shops on Main

 

Many thanks to The Shops on Main for being one of the sponsors on The Lancaster Archive! 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Welcome Our New Sponsor! Janice Mathis State Farm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lancaster Archive is pleased to welcome Janice Mathis State Farm as a sponsor on our site!

Janice is a second generation State Farm agent so she can help you find the policy that works best for you. 

Give her a call for more info or visit https://janicemathis.com/ 

 

 

 

  

Sponsor - Founders Credit Union

 

 

Many thanks to Founders Credit Union for being a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive. 

 

 

Welcome Catawba Fish Camp!

 

The Lancaster Archive welcomes Catawba Fish Camp as a sponsor on our site! 

Thanks to all the sponsors who make sharing hundreds of celebrated images from our hometown's visual history possible!