Quarryville was chartered as a Borough in 1892 but its origin goes back as far as 1775 when Martin Barr acquired several thousand acres some of which included what is now Quarryville Borough. The town was officially named Quarryville in 1837 and the first post office opened in 1849. Before 1837 the area was known as Barr’s Quarries. Martin’s son, Abram Barr is reported to be the first to take limestone from the area in 1820 and the settlement was due largely to the development of limestone quarries. In 1858 over 600,000 bushels of lime were hauled from the area and there were more than 12 quarries employing over 100 men. With this kind of industry other businesses soon followed. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s churches, hotels, and other business’ began to appear.
The longest standing structure in Quarryville is affectionately known as “The Ark” or Barr’s Ark. It was built by Martin Barr in 1791 or 1792. Many of our rich historical structures have been lost to fire, tear downs, etc. but the Ark remains- privately owned and semi restored but vacant at this time.
Geographically, the borough is in the center or the hub of southern Lancaster County. It covers approximately 1.3 square miles and boasts a population of around 2700 residents. There are 2 state highways and 1 US route that intersect the borough. This gives us some challenges but also affords us opportunities as we all deal with increases in traffic and population.
