Manufacturing York

Why did a gifted man of the cloth leave the ministry to manufacture washing machines? How did an ex preacher, so poor at one time he could not afford to fix the roof on his house, become a wealthy man and the leading industrialist in the history of York? How did five exiting companies employing over 2,000 people grow from his work?

This program answers these questions and provides a window into the life of the founder of the S. Morgan Smith Company (now Voith Hydro).

The Rev. Dr. Stephen Nicholas served in the ministry of the Moravian Church for forty-one years before he retired and returned to his hometown of York. He and his friend, Terry Downs, have presented this program more than forty times to varied audiences in York, Adams, Lancaster and Lehigh Counties. Rev. Nicholas and Terry Downs completed a biography of Smith in 2017 titled, “Reinventing the Wheel, the Incredible Story of S. Morgan Smith, Minister, Inventor, Industrialist.” Visit the History Center gift shop during regular hours to purchase a copy of the book.

The galleries will not be open for this program.