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PAGE TWENTY-FOURTHE GETTYSBURG TIMES, FRIDr. Krepps FamilyPlatforms HaveIVTraditionsBack Nearly 140 YearsFAMILY CHRISTMAS PLATFORM — Jeffrey Krepps (left) and Ms father. Dr. Gerald L- Krepps, wear engineer caps to put their fiage model railroad Christmas platform atJeffrey Krepp's New Oxford home, through its paces. (Times Photo)Nearly 140 years of tradition is wrapped ap in the Christmas platforms of the family of Dr. Gerald Krepps, a McSkerrystown dentist, who resides at New Oxford R. L - ‘ :Dr. Krepps, along with ins ' son, Jeffrey, operate a set of classic American Fiver trains in a second floor bed-_ room at JeEFs home at 216 ^Lincolnway East in New Ox-1 -ford.Besides the valuable.collection of 12 trains, Jeffs ‘ Cfrrlstmas platform features .such priceless items as little . sheep brought from Germany by his great great grandmother, Mrs. Casper Krepps when she emmig-rated'to .lMs country in fife _1840's, there is a little doll -;house dating to 1898 owned by •his grandmother, Mrs. Ignatius Krepps and little bank houses from the 1920’s. There are several metal Briton farm animals purchased by Dr. Krepp's in 1940s.The American Flyer trains •were collected by Dr. Krepps 'from 1948 to 1958. The company was later sold to Lionel and the American Flyer train production was discontinued-■ Jeffs platform also features may workable items, including a waterfalL a revolving ice skating rink, a working saw mill, coal shuts and mad pick-up system for the train.The youngest son, Andrew, set up his traditional Christ-• mas Platform at Dr. Krepps home. It features homemade• houses, trees and other shtarhs .with ids :oM fashion HO train collection.. The trees and shrubs were made from pine cones, dried-' mustard plant and scrub sumac. He was assisted with his platform this year by his girl friend.-Nancy Kulynyeh of East Berlin.lt;The Christmas platform is a-tradition handed down in the Krepps family throughput the years. It dales back to Dr. Krepps* great grandmother, Mrs. Casper Krepps, bis grandfather. Ignatius Krepps and his late father. Earl Krepps, a former cigar maker in McSherrystown.Dr. Krepps has carried on the tradition with his four sons and two daughters.---'A-RAILROAD FEATURES— An operating waterfall. skating rink and a train station that talks are part of the colorfnl features of the Christmas Platform at the home of Jeffrey Krepps, at 216 lincolinray East. New OxfonL Most of the items on the platform were collected by Jeff and his father. Dr- Gerald Krepps, Some of those items date to the mid 1800‘s. (Times Photo)ANDY’S PLATFORM — Andrew Krepps* looks over, his Christmas platform at the home of his father, Dr, Gerald Krepps of New Oxford R- L which features HO trains and handmade houses, and trees and shrubs collected from various plants. Even the gravel on the highways on the platform comes from the yard at the Krepps home. The platform scene Illustrates life as ft appeared in the twenties. (Times Photo)
Newspaper Details
Gettysburg Times
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Dec 22, 1978
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA, USA 06 Sep 2019
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