On October 1, 1930, Clifton B. Barnhart acquired two plots of land on Silver Lake, creating a sizable property. He purchased one plot from E.E. Strominger, part of the Strominger farm, and another lakefront property from William G. Stonesifer. This marked the final sale tied to Stonesifer’s vision of developing a Silver Lake seasonal resort. Later that month, a significant setback occurred when Guy Stonesifer, William’s son and the resort’s primary builder and developer, passed away unexpectedly at a young age. Following this loss, the remaining property sales were focused on liquidating land holdings, effectively abandoning the resort project.
One notable sale after Guy’s death was to Stewart and Annie E. Sterline (née Anna A Peters), who became the final owners of land with rights to control the water supply powering the Lewisberry Mill, including water rights from Silver Lake and the mill race. This primarly was the former farmland of W.H. “Harry” Cline, brother of Lewis Cline. However, the mill was soon decommissioned, the bridge over the race removed, and the race filled in and paved over to become part of Silver Lake Road.
The Sterlines owned several properties near Silver Lake, becoming landlords who rented farmhouses to various tenants and hired hands working the farmland they acquired. For a time, the Sterlines resided in New Cumberland before relocating to one of their homes on Silver Lake Road. This home offered a picturesque view of the lake, although it was outside the boundaries of the Stonesifer’s Silver Lake seasonal resort.
In May 1946, Stewart retired from his position as assistant cashier at the Cumberland County National Bank, while Annie retired the same month from her role as secretary to a New Cumberland attorney, following a prior career in banking. Annie was also an avid traveler, as newspaper records document her automobile trips to Boston and cruises to South America. By the 1950 U.S. Census, the couple was recorded living in Lewisberry, PA. Later, they relocated to Dade, Florida, where they spent their final years in retirement. Stewart passed away in 1973, followed by Annie in 1976.
Despite their departure, the Sterlines left a lasting legacy in Lewisberry. Nearly two decades after leaving Silver Lake, the borough received news that Annie E. Sterline had bequeathed $63,870 in her will. The funds were earmarked to establish a library in Lewisberry, which at the time had no library, with the nearest one over seven miles away.
Though efforts were made to incorporate the library into the county system, the borough opted to maintain its independence. Today, the Annie E. Sterline Library operates as an independent public library, serving Lewisberry and the surrounding area. Its mission is “to provide pleasure through reading for adults and children, while remaining easily accessible to the community,” without reliance on state or federal funding. The library stands as a testament to Annie’s generosity and vision, even housing a copy of “The History of Silver Lake as Told Through Its Deeds”.
