05/17/2026
This week in SWN - The May 13, 1988 edition promotes the Fish Derby, which was to be held the following day, at the Strasburg Pond on South Jackson St. This still is an annual event, put on by the Strasburg Sportsman's Association. It's normally held on the first Saturday of May, so this year's event was on May 2 - here's a photo from the Strasburg Sportsman's Association page:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1793677581992390&set=a.766502604709898.
Watch for announcements from the Strasburg Sportsman's Association next year as May approaches.
The pond was created in January of 1941 by Harry C. Kaufman, founder of the Pequea Works Fishing Tackle factory at 19 Miller Street. (pronounced Pequea as "peck way"). He approached Borough Council, asking and receiving permission to use the Borough hose and water to flood the land to create a public skating rink. He also got permission to cut some wood on Borough land to build a fire by the pond, for the skaters. In December of 1941, when it was time to recreate the skating rink for the coming winter, he found that muskrats had made holes that prevented the pond from holding water. Again he went to Borough Council and received permission to hire a contractor to do further earthworks to better establish the pond.
If you have more to add to the story of the pond and the history of the Fishing Derby, please add it in the comments. That would be an excellent contribution to recording Strasburg's history!
