Club History
- The beginnings of the White Rose Motorcycle Club initiated in 1950, when eight men decided to form a motorcycle club. The eight men were Bill Eckert, Bud Folkenroth, Dale Folkenroth, Phil Goodling, Clyde Hilker, Gordie Mitzel, Charlie Lauer, and Bob Markey. They then enlisted the aid of Raymond Emig, Roger Goodling, Norman Lutz, and Lester Hoffman to have the necessary AMA members needed to apply for an AMA Charter Club.
- In 1952: the White Rose Motorcycle Club of York County was chartered and incorporated and as such can never be moved from the county of York. Kay and Bob Markey were instrumental in choosing the name as it is the symbol of York (The White Rose). The Club colors of green and white were chosen because of the white rose and the green leaf.
- The White Rose Motorcycle Club was chartered, now revenue was needed. The members paid dues, collected junk, tin cans for scrap, held lime runs, turkey reliability runs which were run over dirt, fields and woods roads. We also held block shoots. The first meeting place was held in Goodling's Garage in Stoverstown, PA.
- Howard Mitzel, who was already a fine professional hill climber, joined the Club and he foresaw the promotion of hill climbs as a way to raise money for the Club. On September 7, 1952, the Club held its first hill climb at Claude Rohrbaugh's Farm in Glen Rock and the site was rented for the day. This was the first hill climb in the area for several years and the crowd who came to that first event was large and the entire day's program was deemed a success.
- From Goodling's Garage, the Club acquired their first Clubhouse, Senft's Schoolhouse, which was located approximately two miles west of Stoverstown, and was rented from Mr. Luckenbaugh. The Club meetings, lime runs, turkey reliability runs, block shoots and other events were held at this site. The hill climbs were promoted at Glen Rock. Everything necessary to hold a hill climb was taken to a spot on the day of the event.
- Hillclimbs were held at Glen Rock from 1952 to 1955. The spectator and parking area were not big enough. The Club members cleared a wooded lot of approximately two acres owned by Folkenroth for parking at no charge to the Club. By this time the Club membership had grown to twenty members and some of our members found our present spot which was owned by Roy Miller. Roy Miller was a motorcycle person and liked to see hill climbs. He said if we wanted to clear a course, he was all for it. A course was cleared. Trees were cut down, stumps and trees were taken to the top of the hill. Ground was dug out at the bottom to make the hill steeper and hauled to the top to make the hill longer and higher. After a lot of hard work through the fall and winter of 1955 and the spring of 1956 we were ready for our first hill climb.
- I must mention this work was done by Club members donating their time and equipment. Club members William Bankert and Howard Mitzel, along with Roy Miller, who owned the farm, spent many, many, many hours to get things ready for the first hill climb at Jefferson at this site on June 3, 1956. On the Monday before the hill climb, William (Bill) Bankert was riding his motorcycle on the way to the Club meeting when a car pulled out in front of him and he was killed. The members and many of his friends were saddened, but they had the hill climb on June 3, 1956. In memory of William Bankert, the hill was given the name of W. E. Bankert Memorial Hill.
- There was a gentlemen's agreement with Roy Miller, owner of the farm, where we had the hill climbs. If we made any money, we would pay him $25.00 or if we had a really good day, we could give up to $100.00 for rent per hill climb. If we were rained out or didn't make any money, Roy said we did not have to give him anything. There were few rainouts, and down the road Roy joined the Club, and watched the Club and hill climbs grow.
- Roy Miller, land owner and Club members suggested we buy the land of approximately twenty-six acres that the hill was located on and also the meadow for parking. The price was right and the terms were great - he allowed us to pay as we could. A deal like that was hard to turn down. The Club decided to take Roy up on his proposal.
- In 1960 we moved from Senft's Schoolhouse on the Stoverstown Road to our present location. We held our first meetings in a renovated chicken house that is currently still used for a refreshment stand. Business meetings were held every Monday night as they still are, but in the wintertime it got rather cold. Some meetings were rather brief; the building was not insulated and hard to heat.
- In August, 1963, a Building Committee was formed consisting of Cy Stoner, Barry and Phil Goodling, Roy Miller, Paul Copp, Charlie Lauer and Bob Markey. On September 9, 1963, it was decided to build a 20' x 40' two story Clubhouse. Construction began on the Clubhouse by the members and special friends. January, 1964, the building was near completion and we held our first meeting. How proud we were to hold our meeting in our new Clubhouse. It had taken a few years to finish the original building, which was added to several times and in 1988 went through a remodeling and enlargement project.
- The White Rose Motorcycle Club was formed to promote the sport and activities of motorcycling. They sponsor events such as Hill climbs, Poker Runs, Observe Trials, Antique Motorcycle Meets, Enduro Runs and Scrambles Races. The Club gives donations to the local fire departments and MDA- Muscular Dystrophy and many other benefits.
- We have held hill climbs, which are the Club's main event, since 1952. In 1958, we held our first National Hill climb. We held a National again in 1967 and every other year to date. Going back to 1975, the first year for the Springfield Indian Motorcycle Club, an Antique Motorcycle Meet was held on our Club grounds, and has been held here every year since.
- From 1972 to 1978, we were one of the Clubs in the Round Robin Poker Run, which also included: Harrisburg, Turnpike Ramblers, York, Mason Dixon, Battlefield Riders, and the Baltimore Ramblers. The Dealers (MAMDA) also sponsored their Motorcycle Rally starting in 1977 and through 1993. They also held their Winter Tour and Gold Hunt here in 1978, 1979 and 1980.
- The BSA Gold Star Owners Club held their National Meet here at White Rose during the period of 1987 to 1993.
- The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Meet is also held here from 1992 to the present time.
- The Antique Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet, Chesapeake Chapter Meet has been held here every year since 1994.