When i first moved to Central Pennsylvania and was able to get settled in , i started looking around for a service dealership for my Ford Mustang. So after just riding around and finding this really beautiful and scenic road called 419 in Lebanon county is how i stumbled on this ford dealership. In fact route 419 is a designated Pennsylvania state scenic byway according to the US government, and seems a somewhat UN-likely place for a car dealer among pretty farmland and Amish buggies going by. In fact when i was there for service while standing outside i saw 2 buggies go right past me, so its that kind of location most would love to have a home built on. Since this family run business was started in 1921, going inside is kind of like stepping into a museum with old images abounding on most of the walls. In addition to selling cars when the business first started, they also sold Ford tractor’s until the early part of the 1970s. Keller Ford is now celebrating 90 years in business so its really nice still seeing a real family owning a car dealership instead a giant mega-company that is so very common these days. All of the images from the country side were taken on the same day as the dealership pictures were. Enjoy the recipe from the Henry Ford museum that i was able to find. Richard from Amish Stories.
Note : I received no compensation for this post |
A relic from this dealerships past |
Service dept building |
Parts dept with pictures of the past on the walls |
Old Keller Ford parts truck |
Classic Ford tractor being delivered |
gas pumps from days long ago |
Leonard showing me the latest product from Kubota |
The farmland across the street now has a home or two, but still very much retains its country
character.
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customer coffee bar |
A car lovers paradise |
Trolley car in Lebanon county from the good old days. |
Building cost for Keller Ford in 1930. A drop in the bucket compared to today’s prices. |
Dealership convention from 1949 |
Keller ford show room from the 1930s |
My baby with a classic ford tractor, hey what can i say i love my Mustang! |
One of the many companies that Lebanon county farmer’s sell their products to. |
I love these stone farm houses. Right near the Ford dealership |
A farm right next to Keller Ford |
Mennonite and Amish folks abound very close to this dealerships location |
Beautiful Lebanon county farmland takes center stage around this dealership
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And especially in this day and age, anything being around for 90 years is a huge accomplishment and the fact that its family owned helps make it that much special.
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(Image from a Ford factory from the 1930s)Greenfield Village Hobo Bread. From the Henry Ford Museum.2 cups raisins Makes 6 or 7 large loaves or 24 servings. |
Recipe posted with permission from recipe goldmine. Richard from Amish Stories.
After going over to this Ford dealership and taking pictures i put everything on the shelf because i was not sure that i wanted to do something about a car dealership. But after giving these pictures another look and being able to find the recipe from the Henry Ford museum i then decided to try and make some kind of post from all of this. And even though this post is on the longish side i think its acceptable to be on Amish Stories. The weather here looks gloomy as its now dark with deep grey sky's, and more rain is forecast today and for the next few days which is something that this area does not need at this moment!. And i hope the weather your way everyone is better than mine will be. Richard
As some of you know i have a post coming out next Wednesday with a Bonanza theme along with a recipe. Well what ill be doing is going back to my childhood and will be doing a few more of those spot light post from some of my favorite TV westerns from the 1960s and one family show you might have heard about called the Walton's!. I'm not sure how many of you folks remember the 1960s TV show Big Valley, well i have recieved 5 fairly rare images with a few back stage pictures of the cast just relaxing. And I've been in contact with the wife of actor Peter Breck who played Nick Barkley and might get some recipes from her that Peter enjoys her making, and one that he was proud to make since he was not really a cook. A supper nice lady who I'm having the pleasure of exchanging e-mails with. So if i can get what i need for that post id say look for that at the end of the year or at the first of next year. Richard
I have just recently discovered your blogspot. I loved the story of this dealership and all the beautiful photos included. I can tell by the countryside photos, it would sure be area that I'd like to visit some day. Keep up the good work here.
Thanks Dynnamae i tried to make this post as entertaining as one could make about a car dealership. But i liked the history angle of the story which is why i set out to do this in the first place. Richard
If I was ever in your area and my old Lincoln needed some work, I would take it to Keller Ford. I loved the pictures. I could sit, drink my coffee and see all the beautiful area while they worked on my car.
It says a lot about any dealership that can stay in business that long! I did have to laugh the way you tried to tie in the dealership story with the Amish… loved the extra pictures!The Walton's was one of my favorite shows! There are times when we all leaving work and saying "night", someone will add in "Good night, John-boy" :-)~SaraPS… A Mustang was the first car I ever drove! Needless to say, I still love them!
Great post today Richard! I give you an A+. If that means anything hehe. Anyway,very under the weather today.I have been sick for about 2 wks. now and I can barely sit here and type. I have to go back to bed and rest. I just wanted you to know that I got my sewing machine out and as soon as I get done canning I will go to the Quilter's Cabin in Oakdale which is about 13 mi no. of here. I can get me some lessons. I can make me ( my granddaughter a lap quilt ) right there. I know it is not as good as by hand but I don't have the time or the space. I would like to make one for each of my grand children. Blessings, Lissa
Richard – love the story and the photos! I remember Big Valley – how old does that make me?? Nick Barkley was my fav male lead growing up. Never cared much for the sister on that show. I look forward to your "rememberance" blogs on old TV shows. Take care and have a great weekend. Mary.
What a super post – I really enjoyed reading about the dealership and seeing all the great snaps!!! Thanks!!
You sure don't come across a business – especially a car dealership – that's been around that long. Says alot for the family that runs it. I am partial to Fords, myself. I love the old Ford tractor. It's an interesting mix – the Ford dealership and the surrounding neighbors who do not drive. Great photographs, Richard.
Thank you for your kind response. We also buy Ford. Bought new Ford last August.Really enjoy your blog, stories photos and recipes. I found online area sites to continue supporting Amish crafts. We live down road from the Dutch Wagon in Medford NJ where Friday and Saturday the English drive vendors from your area and sell baked goods, Peaquia(spelling)Valley Meats, handmade pretzels are sold. Emma's Deli is great! The Country Collections gifts and furniture shop within sells The Old Candle Barn Candles, crafts, furniture from Lancaster. We bought a glass hutch last Fall.They recommended AmishView Inn and Suites.We have shopped there at (Dutch Wagon) for 10 plus years. My father grew up in Germantown PA and was familiar with Amish, Brethren.I am from SC. We look forward to the Amish Market weekly when we can make it.Didn't know if you were all familiar with it. It is in a small building and very popular!Thanks for letting me share and comment.
Sorry that you have been under the weather Lissa, but one rule that i have on Amish Stories for the readers is no matter how sick you are at the moment, you are required to post at least 3 comments per day,lol. I've been told that this blog has healing properties way above my understanding, so the more your on it the better you will feel. I almost forgot happy fall everyone as today's the first day!. And Lissa when you should start taking that quilting class do you think you could make a quilted straight jacket in rooster size for a certain chicken sandwich with legs who lives in Lancaster. Richard
Hi Sara and Mary,edgar and Susan. And Marilyn and Emelia. Good night John boy, good night Mary Ellen,lol. I had to say that folks. And I'm really looking forward to putting those special posts together, which i will be spreading out over the next bunch of months. Call me old school but i can not find or have watched anything new compared to how i felt when i was a kid watching older TV shows like Bonanza or Big Valley, not even close. I was glued to the TV screen every week when the Walton's came on, and you will only be seeing me do shows like those for any special posts. I can pull it off because all of these wonderful shows are set in the country, so no All in the family posts for this blog. Although i loved that show when it was on, and that show was cutting edge for its day and really did push the envelope quite a bit!. Richard
Very nice post. I to live in Pennsylvania in Amish Country, Only I am very close to the Ohio Border. By the way…. Nice Car you have there!!
Fascinating Footage! My favourites: the Amish and Mennonites behind the picket fence.
Hello Candida and its funny because i just went to your blog today for a visit!. And i know which area that you talk about, very nice country over on the western part of Penn. If you would ever get a chance to send me some images of your Amish community i would try and post them on Amish Stories. Richard
Great photos – I love old stone houses too. The hobo bread sounds tasty.
Your blog is worth it's weight in gold and this post proves it's worth. What beautiful stories of the yester years and the history is so vivid. Pictures, pictures, absolutely interesting pictures. Your blog is a delight to the reader.Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck
RICHARD!Thank you for coming by AGAIN to my post! I will be posting again late tonight or early tomorrow. YES, Audrey Hepburn is my favorite because she exuded sincerity and a humble beaut that lives to this day. Thank you for recognizing that. AND THAT HOBO bread recipe looks marvelous and the photos of the Amish and Mennonite families are so gorgeous…simplicity is forever the best….PEACE and happiness to you! Anita
Happy Fall to All!! Immensely enjoyable post about Keller Ford- enjoyed all the pictures & history. Beautiful countryside- still enjoying Summer-like weather in your corner of the planet. We have gorgeous Fall foliage & there is a chill in the air. Snow is appearing in our mountain tops! Winter is close by!Thank you for your visits to my blog & your kind comments. I enjoy them! And wow!!! What a pretty Mustang you have!!!
Richard, what a find. I love the pride he takes in his business, it looked not only fascinatingly interesting, but was spic and span as well! A lovely harmony of divergent area cultures.
Good Saturday morning folks, and Pam thanks for your visit which i think is your first time. I really enjoyed that meat loaf recipe that is now up on your web site, and your pictures of it had my mouth watering just thinking about it. Richard
And wow thank you Manzanita for saying such nice things about Amish Stories, I don't think I've ever quite recieved a compliment like that before so i say thank you very much!. This post almost never happened because i was not sure it would fit in with what i do on this site, but i made it work i think. I've done 2 diner reviews already but they are located in our Amish community of Lancaster and Lebanon counties. So in my mind its acceptable to be on this blog, so look for me to mix it up a little with posts like that sometimes. Anita i will be stopping by your site to see what else you have come up with, and I'm sure it will be very artistic. Ina your blog is required reading for me because i love all things Alaska and i really enjoy going on your site. Leigh your blog has so much down home goodness and i really like being on it and reading your stories. Its the kind of web site that makes you wish you lived in the country if you don't, thankfully i live in the country but I'm always looking for more of it!. Thanks guys for the blog visit and have a great weekend. Richard
Geeessshhhh, Richard! Here you were not sure about doing this Blog .. and look at all of the great comments! You did good 🙂 !~Sara
You should be proud of all you have done, Richard. Keep up the good work.
Hi there Sara and Marilyn, and id better look at the calendar because its starting to feel a little like Christmas with all these nice words being said!. And yes Sara this post almost never happened but it works with what i do on this site. So i wont always do something that will involve the Amish or Mennonites, so look for me to mix it up in a country kind of way!. I just recieved an e-mail from the dealerships owner and he said he enjoyed it as well. This dealership also owns another Ford dealer in Lancaster and a Dodge dealer there. And of course they have their tractor business that seems to be doing well. Richard
I've never had Hobo bread. I'd have to leave out the raisins though – they are one of the few things I don't care for.
great post. i like your mustang but i love my camaro!!! i would enjoy visiting that place for sure!
I kind of like raisins Lisa, but it must be in just the right place's like cereal for example. So we are alike it seems and when i buy cinnamon bread i prefer with out raisins. And thanks for stopping by for what has been a very rainy day here in Lebanon county. Richard
Hi Octoberfarm so what year is your Camaro, is it one of the brand new ones!. They are outselling the Mustang for now anyway, but then again they had stopped making it in 2002. So i think folks who are into Chevy's were clamoring for their Camaro's for those 8 years. My Mustang is very well cared for and would be a keeper for me. And its nice to see you pop by Amish Stories October. Richard
Hi, Richard,I drive right by Keller Ford every day on beautiful 491 on my way to work!Wonderful post. Lebanon county is beautiful.
Though he’s not fishing for complements I might add: This might sound rather backhanded, but Amish Stories is no Amish America. Richard’s approach to the blog and Erik’s approach is totally different. “AS” feels like a travelogue rather “off the cuff”, though you do plan what you wan to say, everything is more casual. It is also nice that you focus on Lancaster County, when “AA” is cross-country.I like your feature that shares with us Jean’s life, although somewhat like the AA “Ask an Amish” feature which I haven’t noticed in a long time, it is a nice personal touch, it is nice that you do that for her, to borrow imagery from Quakerism, it’s a nice ministry. Generally well done, Richard!
You can ask Jean question anytime. She likes them as she knows what to talk about in her posts. What would interest you. So anyone who has any questions, please feel free to ask.
Hello Shom and thank you for even including me in the same breath as Amish America!. And to be honest i try not to think really about anyone else's web site who covers Amish culture, i just try and do my own thing. And i think some are starting to notice me branching out a little doing diner reviews, car shows and even a car dealership like in this post. And the glue that holds all of these post together is that they are taking place in the country, and if you guys look up at my blog description on the very top it does say "with stories of country living". And so yes i might be pushing the envelope just a little but i think if stayed in side the country perimeters for the most part. And Shom I'm sure you will like the fact that ill have a post on the TV show Bonanza with a cowboy recipe coming this Wednesday, so id bet my Mustang that your a fan of that show, if i lose well your really not getting my car!. And ironically i did a post on Ohio's Amish settlement a week or so ago with pictures sent in from a reader, and i have some images in of the Amish community of Arthur Illinois coming up soon and again sent in from someone. I would love to have some pictures from Canada's Amish/Mennonite communities (hint,hint) and would love to post them. And lastly Shom if you look around this blog you wont see one ad on it, the one good thing from all of that is i don't have to worry about hits to this site or me trying to sell anything. I just do it because i find it challenging and fun at the same time, and so i just put it all out there for folks to decide if they would like to take a ride with me every week and maybe enjoy some of the topics that i cover. Now you cant get much more organic than that!. Richard
And welcome garden and i see your a local.And you know what im talking about when i said how pretty that area is around that Ford dealership. Its nice to have someone whos local stopping by, so please drop by again if you would. Richard
i love this post Richard! thanks for all of the great pics and the history – this is the kind of thing that made America the great country that it is! kudos for sharing my friend!
Thanks Kymber. I thought id pop by this post since I'm completely doing over the Bonanza post that was set to be posted for Wednesday. I now have much better quality image's from a source that i will be giving out with this up coming post. Since its now longer as well i will be moving it to this Friday instead of Wednesday. Richard
I enjoy reading your blog. I just wanted to tell you my mom bought a brand new Edsel when they first came out. Don't know the exact year because I was just a youngn'…LOL. But I remember it was a really cool car. It was a dusty rose color. She called it salmon I think. The reason she sold it was because noone around here new how to fix it when something went wrong with it. I am a Chevy person. love my Cavalier.
Thanks for being a reader of this blog Christine, and for your car story. You know the Edsel was not really a bad car, maybe just a little ahead of its time when it had come out. I am seeing a few Edsel's at car shows here and there, so maybe their value and respect is increasing with time. Richard
And if anyone has anymore car memories to share please feel free to keep posting them on this post. Richard
Hi everyone! I can't wait to try this recipe. I love raisins and I will put walnuts in it too! I don't have any soup cans but I will try loaf pans. I should have my apples soon but I think they will be Fuji. My sister can get all I want with no cost. I hope that will work. Maybe Marilyn can ask Jean if that would be ok? As for the straight jacket, send me some pics and mesurements and I'll whip one up for you. LOLGod Bless~ Lissa
Hey Lissa when you make this recipe let us know how it comes out. And for a real challenge try making it in a real straight jacket,lol. Richard
I just had a bunch of bananas turn a little brown so I think I'd better make some bread so they don't go to waste. I will let you know about the hobo bread. I think I'll pass on the jacket part! LOL my family thinks I'm already crazy enough. (0:~ Lissa
Count me in with your family,lol. I'm kidding Lissa and i think your a lot more sane than i am. Richard
Beautiful pictures-again!Thank you Richard,and I love Mustangs too.Jaana from Finland.
I will try the hobo bread this weekend. Let you all know how it turns out. (0; I'll send you a pic of it Richard! ~Lissa~
Thanks Jaana im kind of fond of that car myself. And welcome from Finland. And hello Lissa ill look foward to seeing what that bread looks like. Richard
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