A few days ago, Allentown’s Morning Call carried a flattering article about Columbia; the article, “Lancaster County’s Columbia is a hidden gem”, is also posted at Cole Umber’s Website. Visitors to Columbia are captivated by the charm, the magnificent architecture and its history. As a significant anniversary of the burning of the bridge approaches, it’s reasonable that thousands of visitors will be coming into the town. Let’s work to have the positive images become a little better and the “less-than-positive ones” become a lot better. Here are some “scenes seen” over the weekend.

The back of a Walnut Street property along Avenue H doesn’t send a good message.

Neither does the back of a Locust Street one! Wonder whether the property  above and the one below might be considered nuisances under the Borough’s definition in Section 126-3 (a) NUISANCE: “A public nuisance prejudicial to public health which includes but is not limited to the dumping, storing or accumulating of used goods and materials on public or private property except when the same are stored in closed containers. Used goods and materials shall include but not be limited to tires, machinery and equipment, paper, cans, garbage and trash?”

A great old sign from another era!

On the window where the THE restaurant used to be.

More documents taped to the property at 2nd and Poplar Streets. And telephone directories on the stoop! What the hell’s with the people who distribute these anyway? But … the weeds are gone.

Weekend walkers and visitors surely noticed two Locust Street properties that are prime economic development sites.

And visitors, parents and kids walking up the grassy knoll from Commerce Street to Rotary Park get to see the graffiti under that grand structure: The Bridge.

A walker’s shadow.