Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
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{{Infobox U.S. County|
county = Lancaster County|
state = Pennsylvania |
seal = Lancaster County pa seal.jpg |
map = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County.svg |
map size = 225|
founded = [[May 10]],[[1729]]|
seat = [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]] |
largest city = Lancaster |
area_total_sq_mi =984 |
area_land_sq_mi =949 |
area_water_sq_mi =35 |
area percentage = 3.53% |
census yr = 2000|
pop = 470658<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42071.html Census Quickfacts]</ref> |
density_km2 =191|
web = www.co.lancaster.pa.us|
|}}
'''Lancaster County, Pennsylvania''', known as ''the Garden Spot of America'' since the [[18th century]], is located in the southeastern part of the [[US state|state]] of [[Pennsylvania]], in the [[United States]].<ref name = "garden spot">{{cite book |last= Walbert |first= David J.|authorlink= |title= Garden Spot: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the Old Order Amish, and the Selling of Rural America|origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= http://www.newagrarian.com/gardenspot/index.html |accessdate= 2006-08-21|date= 2002|publisher= Oxford University Press |id= ISBN 0-19-514844-4|pages= 272 pages}}</ref> With an estimated 2005 population of 490,562 Lancastrians, Lancaster County forms the Lancaster [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]], the 99th largest of 361 [[United States metropolitan area| MSAs]] in the U.S.<ref name=bear>[http://www.bea.gov/bea/regional/bearfacts/action.cfm?yearin=2004&areatype=MSA&fips=29540 Bureau of Economic Analysis]</ref> The city of [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]]{{GR|6}} is the [[county seat]].
Lancaster County is a popular tourist destination, due mostly to the many [[plain sects|plain sect]] residents, known as the [[Amish]] or [[Pennsylvania Dutch]].<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish.htm The Amish: history, beliefs, conflicts]</ref> The misnomer 'Pennsylvania Dutch' comes from the misunderstanding of the word 'Deutsch', pronounced 'DOY-ch', which is how the word 'German' is pronounced in the German language. They are the descendants of [[Germany|German]]s who [[immigrant|immigrated]] in the 18th and 19th centuries for the [[freedom of religion]] offered by [[William Penn]],<ref>[http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/PENN/pnintro.html William Penn, proprietor]</ref> and were attracted by the rich soil and mild climate of the area.<ref>[http://www.students.bucknell.edu/hyeo/ Agriculture in Lancaster, Pennsylvania]</ref>
Lancastrians can easily spot a visitor to the area by how they pronounce the word Lancaster. Locals and people from nearby counties in [[Pennsylvania]], [[Maryland]], and [[Delaware]] pronounce Lancaster as ''LANK-ister''. This is unusual as most Lancasters in the [[United States]] are pronounced as ''LAN-cast-er'', though [[Lancashire, England]], and Lancasters in [[Lancaster, Texas|Texas]], [[Lancaster, Ohio|Ohio]], and [[Lancaster, South Carolina|South Carolina]] also use the ''LANK-ister'' pronunciation. <!-- Is there any way to verify that these cities are also "LANK-ister" ? -->
== History ==
===Natives===
The first recorded inhabitants of the [[Susquehanna River]] [[valley]] were the [[Iroquoian]] speaking [[Susquehannock]]s, whose name meant "people of the muddy river" in [[Algonquin]]. They were also known as the [[Conestoga]], from their principal [[village]], ''Kanestoge'', known to the English as [[Indiantown]]. They were viewed by European settlers as a friendly tribe, converted to [[Christianity]], who made brooms and baskets for sale, and named children after their favorite neighbors.<ref name=cone>[http://www.hsp.org/files/barberpaxtonexcerpt.pdf#search=%22paxton%20boys%22 Recollections written in 1830 of life in Lancaster County 1726-1782 and a History of settlement at Wright’s Ferry, on Susquehanna River]</ref>
However, the outbreak of [[Pontiac's War]] in the summer of 1763, coupled with the conciliatory but militarily ineffective policies of the provincial government, aroused widespread suspicion and hatred against all [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indians]] in the frontier counties of the state. Rumors spread that the [[Conestoga]] were harboring strange and hostile [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indians]] in their village. On [[December 14]] [[1763]], the [[Paxton Boys]], led by Matthew Smith and Capt. [[Lazarus Stewart]], descended upon the village, slaughtered the six Indians present at the time, and burned their houses. The fourteen survivors of the tribe were placed in protective custody in the county workhouse, but the Paxton Boys returned on [[December 27]], broke into the workhouse, and butchered the remaining Susquehannocks. The widespread sympathy in the frontier counties for the perpetrators of these acts made their discovery and arrest futile.<ref name="paxtonmarch">{{cite journal | title=The March of the Paxton Boys | last=Hindle | first=Brooke | journal=The William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd Ser. | volume=3 | number=4 | month=October | year=1946 |pages=461–486 | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-5597%28194610%293%3A3%3A4%3C461%3ATMOTPB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-9 | accessdate=2006-09-30 | doi=10.2307/1921899}}</ref>
Other tribes in the area included the [[Shawnee]], [[Gawanese]], [[Lenape]] (or Delaware), and [[Nanticoke]]s.<ref name=lestz>[http://web.archive.org/web/19990203143240/http://www.willowvalley.com/wvlancasterinfo.htm A Brief History of Lancaster County], Retrieved on [[2006]][[October 1|-10-01]]</ref>
===Boundaries===
The area that became Lancaster County was part of [[William Penn]]'s [[1681]] charter,<ref>[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/pa01.htm Charter of Pennsylvania Province]</ref> and John Kennerly received the first recorded deed from Penn in [[1691]].<ref name= FAQ>[http://www.padutchcountry.com/our_world/lancaster_county_history.asp Lancaster County FAQs]</ref> Although Matthias Kreider was said to have been in the area as early as 1691, there is no evidence that anyone actually settled in Lancaster County before [[1710]].<ref name=martic>[http://www.horseshoe.cc/pennadutch/places/pennsylvania/lancasterco/townships/marticprov/martic.htm Martic township]</ref>
Lancaster County was part of [[Chester County, Pennsylvania]] until [[May 10]] [[1729]] when it became the fourth county in the state.<ref name="counties">{{cite web | url = http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/counties/county.asp?secid=31 | title = Counties of Pennsylvania | accessdate = 2006-10-04 | format = Index of 67 Pennsylvania County Histories | publisher = Pennsylvania State Archives }} </ref> Lancaster County was named after the city of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] in the county of [[Lancashire]] in England, the native home of John Wright, one of the early [[settler]]s.<ref>[http://www.docheritage.state.pa.us/documents/lancasterpetition.asp Petition for the Establishment of Lancaster County, February 6, 1728/9]</ref> Six other counties were subsequently formed from territory directly taken, in all or in part, from Lancaster County: [[Berks County, Pennsylvania|Berks]] (1752), [[Cumberland County, Pennsylvania|Cumberland]] (1750), [[Dauphin County, Pennsylvania|Dauphin]] (1785), [[Lebanon County, Pennsylvania|Lebanon]] (1813), [[Northumberland County, Pennsylvania|Northumberland]] (1772), and [[York County, Pennsylvania|York]] (1749).<ref name="counties"/> Many other counties were in turn formed from these six.
The southern boundary of Pennsylvania, and thus of Lancaster County, was in dispute for years. [[Lord Baltimore]] believed that his grant<ref>[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/ma01.htm Charter of Maryland]</ref> to Maryland extended to the 40th parallel<ref name=cecil>[http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~amxroads/Homelands/cecil.html Cecil county history]</ref> — about halfway between Lancaster and [[Willow Street, Pennsylvania|Willow Street]]. Starting in 1730, Thomas Cresap started [[Cresap's War]] by confiscating farms near [[Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania|Peach Bottom]] and [[Columbia, Pennsylvania|Wrightsville]], establishing ferries there. He started vandalizing farms, killing livestock and driving away settlers in southern York and Lancaster counties, giving those lands to his followers. When a follower was arrested, the Marylanders broke him out of the Lancaster lockup. Lord Baltimore negotiated a compromise in 1733, but Cresap ignored it, and continued his raids. When an attempt was made to arrest him in 1734, he killed a deputy at his door. The Pennsylvania governor demanded Maryland arrest Cresap for murder; the Maryland governor named him a captain in their militia instead. In 1736, he was finally arrested, and jailed until 1737 when the King intervened. In 1750, a court decided that Lord Baltimore had forfeited his rights to a twenty-mile swath of land.<ref name=cecil /> The new Pennsylvania-Maryland border was properly established by the [[Mason-Dixon line]] in 1767.
{{see|Cresap's War}}
The names of the original Lancaster County townships reflect the diverse array of settlers in the new county:<ref name=tships>[http://www.pa-roots.com/~lancaster/maps/townships.html Lancaster County Townships]</ref> two had Welsh names ([[Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Caernarvon]] and [[East Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|Lampeter]]), three had Native American names ([[East Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania|Cocalico]], [[Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania|Conestoga]] and Peshtank or Paxton), six were English ([[Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Warwick]], [[Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]], [[Martic Township, Pennsylvania|Martic]], [[Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Sadsbury]], [[Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Salisbury]] and [[East Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania|Hempfield]]); four were Irish ([[East Donegal Township, Pennsylvania|Donegal]], [[East Drumore Township, Pennsylvania|Drumore]], [[Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania|Derry]], and [[Leacock Township, Pennsylvania|Leacock]]), [[Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Manheim]] was German, [[South Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania|Lebanon]] came from the Bible, and [[Earl Township, Pennsylvania|Earl]] the anglicization of the German surname of Graf or Groff.<ref name=lanhist>[http://www.lancasterhistory.org/education/lancastercounty.html Lancaster History]</ref>
[[Image:ThaddeusStevens.gif|frame|right|Lithograph of Thaddeus Stevens]]
===19th century statesmen===
Lancaster County's native son [[James Buchanan]], a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], was elected as the 15th [[President of the United States]] in 1856,<ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jb15.html White House biography of James Buchanan]</ref> the only Pennsylvanian to hold the presidency. His home, [[Wheatland (Lancaster)|Wheatland]], is now a museum in Lancaster.<ref>[http://wheatland.org/ Wheatland estate]</ref> [[Thaddeus Stevens]], the noted [[Radical Republican (USA)|Radical Republican]], served Lancaster County in the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1849-1853 and from 1859 until his death in 1868.<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000887 Congrssional Biography]</ref> Stevens left a $50,000 bequest to start an orphanage<ref>[http://www.stevenstech.org/services/library/Pathfinder%20Stevens.htm Stevens bequest]</ref> that eventually became the state-owned [[Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology]]. Both men are buried in Lancaster.{{Fact|date=January 2008}}
===Slavery and the Christiana incident===
Pennsylvania [[abolition|abolished]] slavery in 1780, although in a slow manner.<ref name=christiana>[http://www.millersville.edu/~ugrr/christiana/introduction.html Introduction<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The existing 6000 slaves in Pennsylvania remained slaves, and the registered children of those slaves were slaves until their 28th birthday. The last slave child registered in Pennsylvania was Haley, born in 1811, and a freedman no later than 1839.<ref name=pennslave>[http://www.slavenorth.com/pennsylvania.htm Slavery in Pennsylvania]</ref> Thus Pennsylvania was legally a free state when the [[Fugitive Slave Law of 1850]] was passed as part of the [[Compromise of 1850]].
Being immediately north of the Mason-Dixon line, Lancaster County was an important stop on the [[Underground Railway]]. Charles Spotts found 17 stations;<ref>[http://muweb.millersville.edu/~twstproj/HIST272/1999F/pilpath.html Pilgrim's Pathway]</ref> including ones with trap doors, hidden vaults, an underground cave and one with a brick tunnel leading to [[Octorara Creek]].
As [[slavery|slaveowners]] go, 51-year-old Edward Gorsuch was probably one of the best. He did not beat his slaves, and as a rich Maryland [[wheat]] farmer, he could afford to [[manumission|manumit]] slaves in their 20s. He allowed his slaves to work for cash elsewhere during the slow season. There was wheat missing, though, sold to a local farmer by his slaves, and he thought a former slave was responsible for this dishonesty. As he had a bad temper, slaves Noah Buley, Nelson Ford, George Ford, and Joshua Hammond became afraid, and fled to the farm of William Parker, a mulatto who lived in [[Christiana, Pennsylvania]]. Parker, 29, was a member of the Lancaster Black Self-Protection Society, and known to use violence.
Honor was at stake. Having slaves run away made him look disreputable, so Gorsuch obtained four warrants, and organized four parties which set out separately to recover his property. He died in the attempt, though, and others were wounded. Although Gorsuch was legally entitled to recover his slaves, it isn't clear who precipitated the violence. The incident — variously called the "Christiana Riot", the "Christiana Outrage", and the "Christiana Tragedy", depending on one's political and religious leanings — became a national controversy.
In September, 1851, the [[grand jury]] returned a [[true bill]] against 38 individuals who were then held in Moyamensing Prison in Philadelphia to await trial. The only one who was ever tried was Castner Hanway.
It's not clear that Castner Hanway was responsible in any way for what happened. He was a white man, one of the first on the scene. On the other hand, Hanway and his horse provided cover for Joshua Gorsuch and Dr. Pearce, who were wounded. Hanway was tried in federal court in Philadelphia on [[November 15]] [[1851]] for liberating slaves taken into custody by US Marshal Kline, for resisting arrest, for conspiracy, and for treason. The jury returned a ''Not Guilty'' verdict in only 15 minutes. Among the five defense lawyers was congressman [[Thaddeus Stevens]].
(For further reading, see ''Resistance at Christiana: The Fugitive Slave Rebellion, Christiana, Pennsylvania, 1851'', by [[Jonathan Ned Katz]], T.Y. Crowell, New York, 1974.) also 'Treason at Christiana: [[September 11]], [[1851]]' by L.D. "Bud" Rettew, 2006
===Religious history===
Not only did religious differences spur early growth of Pennsylvania and Lancaster County, but Lancaster County gave birth to many religious bodies as well. The oldest surviving dwelling for European immigrants in the county<ref>[http://www.hansherr.org/ Hans Herr house and museum]</ref> is that of Bishop [[Hans Herr]], a [[Mennonite]]. In 1989, [[Donald Kraybill]] counted 37 distinct religious bodies/organizations, with 289 congregations and 41,600 baptized members, among the [[plain sects]] who are descendents of the [[Anabaptist]] Mennonite immigrants to Lancaster County.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_274.html The Riddle of the Amish Culture]</ref> The Mennonite Central Committee in [[Akron, Pennsylvania|Akron]] is often among the first to arrive at a disaster scene,<ref>[http://www.mcc.org/news/ Mennonite Central Committee news]</ref> quietly providing manpower and materiel to local organizations that better understand where relief should be directed.<ref>[http://www.mcc.org/about/what/ What MCC does]</ref>
The town of [[Lititz]] is a planned community built by members of the [[Moravian Church]] beginning in the 1740's. [[Linden Hall]] school there is one of the earliest educational institutions for girls in the country.
In addition to the [[Ephrata Cloister]], the United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) trace their beginnings to a 1767 meeting<ref>[http://www.mcusa-archives.org/historicalmarkers/1767_Issac_Long_Barn.html Isaac Long barn]</ref> at the Isaac Long barn, near the hamlet of Oregon, in [[West Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|West Lampeter Township]].<ref>[http://www.topozone.com/viewmaps.asp?method=place&placename=oregon&statefips=42 www.topozone.com showing Oregon, Pennsylvania]</ref> The EUB, a German methodist church, merged with the traditionally-English Methodist church to become the [[United Methodist Church]] in 1968,<ref>[http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=1&mid=346 Evangelical United Brethren]</ref>
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===Innovations===
[[Image:Frakturcertificate.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A Pennsylvania Dutch Fraktur baptismal certificate from 1788]]
Lancaster County's innovators have given the world:
* [[Fraktur (Pennsylvania German folk art)|Fraktur]], the artistic and elaborate 18th century and 19th century hand-illuminated folk art inspired by German blackface type, originated at [[Johann Conrad Beissel]]'s [[Ephrata Cloister|cloister]] of German 7th-day Baptists in [[Ephrata, Pennsylvania|Ephrata]].<ref>[http://antiquesandthearts.com/archive/frak.htm Fraktur]</ref>
* The first battery-powered watch, the Hamilton Electric 500, was released in 1957 by the Hamilton Watch Company.<ref>[http://www.thewatchguy.com/pages/HAMILTONELECT.html Hamilton Electric Watch]</ref>
* The [[Long rifle|Pennsylvania Long Rifle]],<ref>[http://ourancestry.com/rifle.html Martin Meylin longrifle]</ref> sometimes mistakenly called the Kentucky Long Rifle.
* The [[Conestoga wagon]],<ref>[http://www.explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=362 Conestoga Wagon]</ref> which started the practice of driving right-of-center.
* The [[Stogie]] cigar<ref>[http://www.pa-roots.com/~westmoreland/historyproject/vol1/chap18.html History of Westmoreland County]</ref> The word Stogie is a shortened form of Conestoga.
* The Amish [[quilting|quilt]], a highly utilitarian art form, dates to 1849 in Lancaster County.<ref>[http://www.amishloft.com/amishloft/Lancaster_County_Amish_quilts.html Amish Quilts]</ref>
== Government ==
Lancaster County is represented nationally by [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]]s [[Arlen Specter]] (R) and [[Bob Casey, Jr.]] (D), and by [[U.S. Congressman]] [[Joe Pitts]] (R) of [[Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district]].<ref name=gop>[http://www.goplancaster.com/www_Endorsed_Candidates.asp Lancaster County GOP]</ref>
[[Pennsylvania Senate|State Senator]]s Gibson E. Armstrong 13th District, Michael W. Brubaker 36th District, and [[Mike Folmer]], [[Pennsylvania Senate, District 48|48th District]] are all Republican.<ref name=statesen>[http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/senators_alpha.cfm State Senators]</ref>
{| class="wikitable" align=right
|-
!colspan=9 |Presidential Election results in Lancaster County
|-
!
|colspan=4 bgcolor="#f0f0ff" align="center"|'''Democrats'''
|colspan=4 bgcolor="#fff3f3" align="center"|'''Republicans'''
|-
!align="center"|
!colspan="2" align="center"|Registration
!colspan="2" align="center"|Votes
!colspan="2" align="center"|Registration
!colspan="2" align="center"|Votes
|-
| align="center" |1980
|width="50" align="right" |40505
|width="50" align="right" |29.86%
|width="50" align="right" |30026
|width="50" align="right" |27.30%
|width="50" align="right" |95124
|width="50" align="right" |70.14%
|width="50" align="right" |79963
|width="50" align="right" |72.70%
|-
| align="center" |1984
| align="right" |47235
| align="right" |29.31%
| align="right" |31308
| align="right" |24.01%
| align="right" |113906
| align="right" |70.69%
| align="right" |99090
| align="right" |75.99%
|-
| align="center" |1988
| align="right" |41919
| align="right" |26.91%
| align="right" |38982
| align="right" |28.67%
| align="right" |113843
| align="right" |73.09%
| align="right" |96979
| align="right" |71.33%
|-
| align="center" |1992
| align="right" |47206
| align="right" |28.03%
| align="right" |44255
| align="right" |33.35%
| align="right" |121190
| align="right" |71.97%
| align="right" |88447
| align="right" |66.65%
|-
| align="center" |1996
| align="right" |56036
| align="right" |28.27%
| align="right" |49120
| align="right" |34.59%
| align="right" |142170
| align="right" |71.73%
| align="right" |92875
| align="right" |65.41%
|-
| align="center" |2000
| align="right" |67932
| align="right" |29.01%
| align="right" |54968
| align="right" |32.17%
| align="right" |166272
| align="right" |70.99%
| align="right" |115900
| align="right" |67.83%
|-
| align="center" |2004
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
|-
| colspan=9 |Source: The Committee of Seventy<ref>[http://www.seventy.org/transparency/papolalmanac/counties/LancasterCounty.html Pennsylvania almanac]</ref>
|}
With the exception of P. Michael Sturla 96th District, a Democrat, all local state [[Legislator|Representatives]] are Republican: Thomas C. Creighton 37th District, Katie True 41st District, Scott W. Boyd 43rd District, John C. Bear 97th District, David S. Hickernell 98th District, Gordon Denlinger 99th District and Bryan Cutler 100th District.<ref name=palegis>[http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/representatives_alpha.cfm Legislator information]</ref>
With the exception of County Commissioner Craig Lehman and Jury Commissioner Judith A. Saylor, who are both [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]],all county officials are members of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. The other county officials are County Commissioners Dennis Stuckey and Scott Martin, [[Coroner]] Gary Kirchner, MD, [[Sheriff]] Terry A. Bergman,<ref>[http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:N19dAvt2J10J:5thestate.com/Ltt%2520R%2520Harper%2520re%2520Voter%2520Registration%2520Record.pdf+steve+mcdonald+george+werner&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us Recorder of Deeds Steve McDonald]</ref>
, Recorder of Wills Donna Reinaker, Clerk of Common Pleas Court Dale Denlinger, [[Treasurer]] Craig Ebersole, [[Prothonotary]] Randall O. Wenger, [[Comptroller|Controller]] Dennis Stuckey, and Jury Commissioner Linda Schwanger.<ref name=nac>[http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/county.cfm&id=42071 National Association of Counties]</ref>
==Geography==
Lancaster County has a total area of 984 square miles (2,548 km²). 949 square miles (2,458 km²) of which is land and 35 square miles (90 km²) of it (3.53%) is water.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?-geo_id=04000US42&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_ST2&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U Pennsylvania by County]</ref>
===Watersheds===
Almost all of Lancaster County is in the [[Chesapeake Bay]] [[drainage basin]], via the [[Susquehanna River]] watershed (the exception is a small unnamed tributary of the West Branch of [[Brandywine Creek (Christina River)|Brandywine Creek]] that rises in far eastern Salisbury Township and is part of the [[Delaware River]] watershed).<ref>[http://www.srbc.net Susquehanna River Basin Commission: A water management agency serving the Susquehanna River Watershed]</ref> The major [[stream]]s in the county (with percent area drained) are: [[Conestoga River]] and [[Little Conestoga Creek]] (31.42%); [[Pequea Creek]] (15.02%); [[Chiques Creek]] (or ''Chickies Creek'', 12.07%); [[Cocalico Creek]] (11.25%); [[Octoraro Creek]] (10.74%); and [[Conowingo Creek]] (3.73%).<ref>[http://www.chesapeakebay.net/wspv31/(3fwefm55tzka3q45qloiyxbu)/find.aspx?term=Lancaster%20County&topic=5 Chesapeake Cay Program: Watershed Profiles - Search Results for Lancaster County]</ref>
===Protected areas===
Lancaster County is home to [[Susquehannock State Park]], located on 224 acres (0.906 km²) overlooking the [[Susquehanna River]] in [[Drumore Township, Pennsylvania|Drumore Township]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/susquehannock.aspx | title = Susquehannock State Park | accessdate = 2006-09-16 | publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] }}</ref> One of the three tracts comprising [[William Penn State Forest]], the 10 acre (0.04 km²) Cornwall [[fire tower]] site, is located in northern [[Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Penn Township]] near the Lebanon County border. The site, with its 1923 fire tower, was acquired by the state in January, 1935.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/stateforests/valleyforgehistory.aspx | title = History of the Valley Forge State Forest | accessdate = 2006-09-16 | publisher = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] }}</ref>
There are also six [[Pennsylvania State Game Lands]] for [[hunting]], [[Trapping (Animal)|trapping]], and [[fishing]] located in Lancaster County. They are numbers (with location and area): 46 (near [[Hopeland, Pennsylvania|Hopeland]], 5035 acres or {{convert|20.38|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}), 52 (near Morgantown, 1447 acres or {{convert|5.86|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}), 136 (near Kirkwood, 91 acres or {{convert|0.37|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}), 156 (near Poplar Grove, 4537 acres or {{convert|18.36|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}), 220 (near Reinholds, 96 acres or {{convert|0.39|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}), and 288 (near Martic Forge, 89 acres or {{convert|0.36|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}).<ref name=game lands">{{cite web
| url= http://www.huntingpa.com/sgl.html | title = HuntingPA.com Game Lands: Pennsylvania State Game Lands, their general location and acreage | accessdate = 2006-09-16 | format = Searchable Database }}</ref>
===Adjoining counties===
Lancaster County is bounded to the north by [[Lebanon County, Pennsylvania|Lebanon County]], to the northeast by [[Berks County, Pennsylvania|Berks County]], and to the east by [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] (the southeastern boundary with Chester County is formed by [[Octoraro Creek]]). To the south are [[Cecil County, Maryland|Cecil]] and [[Harford County, Maryland|Harford Counties]], [[Maryland]] (across the [[Mason-Dixon line]]).<ref name="mason dixon">{{cite book |last=Danson |first=Edwin |title= Drawing the Line: How Mason and Dixon Surveyed the Most Famous Border in America |date= 2001|publisher= John Wiley & Sons|location= New York, New York |id= ISBN 0-471-38502-6}}</ref> To the west is [[York County, Pennsylvania|York County]] (the boundary is the western shore of the [[Susquehanna River]]). To the northwest is [[Dauphin County, Pennsylvania|Dauphin County]] (the boundary is formed by [[Conewago Creek (east)|Conewago Creek]]).<ref name="PennDot">{{cite news | author= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division | url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/lancaster_GHSN.PDF | title= 2005 General Highway Map of Lancaster County | accessdate= 2006-09-02}}</ref>
[[Image:StrasburgRR.jpg|left|frame|The [[Strasburg Rail Road]], established 1832, is the oldest shortline railroad in the U.S.]]
===Transportation===
{{main|Transportation in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania}}
Lying on the natural route from Philadelphia to the western part of Pennsylvania, many improvements in transportation have been pioneered in Lancaster County, among them the [[Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike]], later part of the [[Lincoln Highway]], in 1794,<ref>{{cite web | title=The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Road | work=DOT Federal Highway Administration | url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/rakeman/1795.htm | accessmonthday=May 29 | accessyear=2006}}</ref> a canal in 1820 and the [[Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad]] in 1834.<ref name="Baer">{{cite web | url=http://www.prrths.com/PRR_hagley_intro.htm | title=A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company Predecessors and Successors and its Historical Context | last=Baer | first=Christopher T | accessdate=2006-09-17}}</ref>
'''Highways'''<br />
Lancaster County's highways include the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] (or [[Interstate 76 (east)|Interstate 76]]), [[U.S. Route 30]] (or the [[Lincoln Highway]]), [[U.S. Route 222]], and [[U.S. Route 322]]. Pennsylvania State Routes in the county include: [[Pennsylvania Route 10|10]], [[Pennsylvania Route 23|23]], [[Pennsylvania Route 41|41]], [[Pennsylvania Route 72|72]], [[Pennsylvania Route 230|230]], [[Pennsylvania Route 241|241]], [[Pennsylvania Route 272|272]], [[Pennsylvania Route 283|283]], [[Pennsylvania Route 324|324]], [[Pennsylvania Route 340|340]], [[Pennsylvania Route 372|372]], [[Pennsylvania Route 441|441]], [[Pennsylvania Route 462|462]], [[Pennsylvania Route 472|472]], [[Pennsylvania Route 501|501]], [[Pennsylvania Route 625|625]], [[Pennsylvania Route 741|741]], [[Pennsylvania Route 743|743]], [[Pennsylvania Route 772|772]], [[Pennsylvania Route 896|896]], [[Pennsylvania Route 897|897]], and [[Pennsylvania Route 999|999]].<ref name="PennDot"/>
'''Current railroads'''<br />
[[As of 2006]], passenger service in Lancaster County is provided by [[Amtrak]], whose ''[[Keystone Corridor]]'' passes through the county, with stops at [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]], [[Mount Joy, Pennsylvania|Mount Joy]] and [[Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania|Elizabethtown]]. A station is planned at [[Paradise, Pennsylvania|Paradise]] to provide connecting service with the [[Strasburg Rail Road|Strasburg Railroad]], which runs passenger excursions from nearby [[Leaman Place, Pennsylvania|Leaman Place]] to [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania|Strasburg]].
The principal freight operator in the county is [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] (NS). The NS main line follows the Susquehanna River (with [[trackage rights]] for [[Canadian Pacific Railway]] (CPR)), and leaves the county by crossing the river on [[Shocks Mills Bridge]] near [[Marietta, Pennsylvania|Marietta]]. NS also has trackage rights over the Keystone Corridor, to which it is connected by the ''Royalton Branch'', which runs north along the river from the main line at Marietta, and the ''Columbia Branch'', which runs from the Corridor at [[Dillerville, Pennsylvania|Dillerville]] to the main line at [[Columbia, Pennsylvania|Columbia]]. Two other NS branches originate on the Corridor: the ''Lititz Secondary'', which runs from Dillerville to [[Manheim, Pennsylvania|Manheim]] and ends at [[Lititz, Pennsylvania|Lititz]], and the ''New Holland Industrial'', which leaves the Corridor around the east end of Lancaster to run east to [[New Holland, Pennsylvania|New Holland]] and ends at [[East Earl, Pennsylvania|East Earl]].
Several shortlines also operate in the county. With the exception of the Strasburg Railroad, all are freight railroads. Penn Eastern Rail Lines (PRL) operates on a spur off the NS branch to Manheim, and on a longer line in the northeast corner of Lancaster County into Berks County. Landisville Terminal and Transfer Company (LNTV) operates on a spur off the Amtrak line at Landisville. The Tyburn Railroad operates some trackage around Dillerville. Frank Sahd Salvage, Inc., of Columbia, has received state funds to repair 2.5 miles of track there for operation, probably by the Penn Eastern, but this has not yet been returned to service.<ref>[ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/MAPS/Statewide/parail.PDF Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 2006 Railroad Map of Pennsylvania (shows owners and operators)]</ref>
{| align="right"
|-
|
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|-
! colspan="5" | Population & Growth<ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/index.html Historical U.S. Census of Population and Housing]</ref>
|-
!
! colspan="2" | Population
! colspan="2" | Growth Rate
|-
! Decade
! County
! U.S.
! County
! U.S.
|-
| align="right" | 1790
| align="right" | 36,081
| align="right" | 3,929,214
| align="right" |
| align="right" |
|-
| align="right" | 1800
| align="right" | 43,403
| align="right" | 5,308,483
| align="right" | 20.29%
| align="right" | 35.10%
|-
| align="right" | 1810
| align="right" | 53,927
| align="right" | 7,239,881
| align="right" | 24.25%
| align="right" | 36.38%
|-
| align="right" | 1820
| align="right" | 68,336
| align="right" | 9,638,453
| align="right" | 26.72%
| align="right" | 33.13%
|-
| align="right" | 1830
| align="right" | 76,631
| align="right" | 12,866,020
| align="right" | 12.14%
| align="right" | 33.49%
|-
| align="right" | 1840
| align="right" | 84,203
| align="right" | 17,069,453
| align="right" | 9.88%
| align="right" | 32.67%
|-
| align="right" | 1850
| align="right" | 98,944
| align="right" | 23,191,876
| align="right" | 17.51%
| align="right" | 35.87%
|-
| align="right" | 1860
| align="right" | 116,314
| align="right" | 31,443,321
| align="right" | 17.56%
| align="right" | 35.58%
|-
| align="right" | 1870
| align="right" | 121,340
| align="right" | 38,558,371
| align="right" | 4.32%
| align="right" | 22.63%
|-
| align="right" | 1880
| align="right" | 139,447
| align="right" | 50,189,209
| align="right" | 14.92%
| align="right" | 30.16%
|-
| align="right" | 1890
| align="right" | 149,095
| align="right" | 62,979,766
| align="right" | 6.92%
| align="right" | 25.48%
|-
| align="right" | 1900
| align="right" | 159,241
| align="right" | 76,212,168
| align="right" | 6.81%
| align="right" | 21.01%
|-
| align="right" | 1910
| align="right" | 167,029
| align="right" | 92,228,496
| align="right" | 4.89%
| align="right" | 21.02%
|-
| align="right" | 1920
| align="right" | 173,797
| align="right" | 106,021,537
| align="right" | 4.05%
| align="right" | 14.96%
|-
| align="right" | 1930
| align="right" | 196,882
| align="right" | 123,202,624
| align="right" | 13.28%
| align="right" | 16.21%
|-
| align="right" | 1940
| align="right" | 212,504
| align="right" | 132,164,569
| align="right" | 7.93%
| align="right" | 7.27%
|-
| align="right" | 1950
| align="right" | 234,717
| align="right" | 151,325,798
| align="right" | 10.45%
| align="right" | 14.50%
|-
| align="right" | 1960
| align="right" | 278,359
| align="right" | 179,323,175
| align="right" | 18.59%
| align="right" | 18.50%
|-
| align="right" | 1970
| align="right" | 319,693
| align="right" | 203,302,031
| align="right" | 14.85%
| align="right" | 13.37%
|-
| align="right" | 1980
| align="right" | 362,346
| align="right" | 226,542,199
| align="right" | 13.34%
| align="right" | 11.43%
|-
| align="right" | 1990
| align="right" | 422,822
| align="right" | 248,709,873
| align="right" | 16.69%
| align="right" | 9.79%
|-
| align="right" | 2000
| align="right" | 470,658
| align="right" | 281,421,906
| align="right" | 11.31%
| align="right" | 13.15%
|-
|}
|- align="right"
|
[[Image:LancaGrowth.gif|left|frame|Growth rate of Lancaster County population (dark blue) lagged the growth rate of the U.S. population (magenta) until the second half of the 20th century. Chart shows population growth as a percentage of the previous decennial census.]]<p/>
|-
|
{| class="wikitable" align="right"
|-
! colspan=4|Lancaster County Demographics<ref name=qf>U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42071.html Lancaster County] and [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42000.html Pennsylvania], Retrieved on October 1, 2006</ref>
|-
| width="120" align="center" |2004</sub>
| width="50" align="center" |'''County'''
| width="50" align="center" |'''State'''
| width="50" align="center" |'''U.S.'''
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
| align="center" |93.6%
| align="center" |86.2%
| align="center" |80.4%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]]
| align="center" |3.4%
| align="center" |10.5%
| align="center" |12.8%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| align="center" |0.2%
| align="center" |0.2%
| align="center" |1.0%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| align="center" |1.6%
| align="center" |2.2%
| align="center" |4.2%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| align="center" |0.1%
| align="center" |0.0%
| align="center" |0.2%
|-
|Two or more [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|races]]
| align="center" |1.1%
| align="center" |0.9%
| align="center" |1.5%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]]/[[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race
| align="center" |6.5%
| align="center" |3.8%
| align="center" |14.1%
|-
|}
|}
[[Lancaster Airport (Pennsylvania)|Lancaster Airport]] is the only airport in the county with scheduled service, though [[Smoketown Airport]] also serves [[general aviation]].
==Population ==
The [[population density]] is 495 persons per square mile (versus 79.6 for the U.S. as a whole). In 2000, the average commute for adults was 21.7 minutes, compared to a national average of 25.5 minutes.<ref name="qf"/>
As of 2005, there were 490,562 residents in Lancaster County, representing 4.2% growth since 2000 and 11.3% growth since 1990. The population is all-American: 25.3% under 18 (compared to 25.0% nationally), 14.2% over 65 (12.4% nationally), and 51% female (50.8% nationally).<ref name="qf" />
According to the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 U.S. Census]], 5.58% of the population report speaking [[Pennsylvania German language|Pennsylvania German]], [[German language|German]], or [[Dutch language|Dutch]] at home, while a further 4.97% speak [[Spanish language|Spanish]].<ref>[http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=42&county_id=71&mode=geographic&zip=&place_id=&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r MLA Data Center]</ref> 39.8% were of [[German people|German]], 11.8% [[United States]] or American, 7.2% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.7% [[English people|English]] ancestry according to the [[United States Census, 2000]].
{{see|List of people from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania}}
== Economy ==
In 2004, the county had a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $30,790, only 93% of the national average. This reflects a growth of 4.5% from the prior year, versus a 5.0% growth for the nation as a whole.<ref name=bear/> Despite the lower income, the county poverty rate in 2003 was just 8.3% compared to a national rate of 12.5%. In 2004, federal spending in Lancaster County was $4,199 per resident, versus a national average of $7,232.<ref name=qf/>
In 2005, Lancaster County was 10th of all counties in Pennsylvania with 17.7% of its workforce employed in manufacturing; the state averages 13.7%, and the leader, [[Crawford County, Pennsylvania|Crawford County]], has only 25.1%.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-mt_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_GCT2404_ST2&-CONTEXT=gct&-tree_id=305&-redoLog=true&-geo_id=04000US42&-format=ST-2&-_lang=en GCT2404. Percent of Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over in the Manufacturing Industry: 2005]</ref>
Lancaster County lags in information workers, despite being the corporate headquarters of [[MapQuest]].<ref>[http://company.mapquest.com/corporate/2.html MapQuest history]</ref> It ranks 31st in the state with only 1.3% of the workforce; the state as a whole employs 2.1% in information technology.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_GCT2405_ST2&-tree_id=305&-redoLog=false&-geo_id=04000US42&-format=ST-2&-_lang=en GCT2405. Percent of Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over in the Information Industry: 2005]</ref>
The county ranks 11th in the state in managerial and financial workers, despite having only 12.5% of the workforce in those occupations (versus the state average of 12.8%). The state leaders are [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]] with 20.5% and [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]] with 18.5%.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_GCT2401_ST2&-tree_id=305&-redoLog=false&-geo_id=04000US42&-format=ST-2&-_lang=en GCT2401. Percent of Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over in Management, Business, and Financial Occupations: 2005]</ref>
With only 17.3% working in the professions, Lancaster County is 31st in Pennsylvania,
compared to a state average of 21.5%. [[Centre County, Pennsylvania|Centre County]] leads with 31.8%, undoubtedly due to [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State]]'s giant footprint in an otherwise rural county, but the upscale Philadelphia suburbs of [[Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Montgomery County]] give them 27.2%.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_GCT2402_ST2&-tree_id=305&-redoLog=false&-geo_id=04000US42&-format=ST-2&-_lang=en GCT2402. Percent of Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over in Professional and Related Occupations: 2005]</ref>
Lancaster County ranks even lower, 34th, in service workers, with 13.3% of the workforce, compared to a state average of 15.8%. [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia County]], the cheesesteak capital of the world, leads with 20.5%.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-context=gct&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_GCT2403_ST2&-tree_id=305&-redoLog=false&-geo_id=04000US42&-format=ST-2&-_lang=en GCT2403. Percent of Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over in Service Occupations: 2005]</ref>
There are 11,000 companies in Lancaster County.<ref name=edc>[http://www.edclancaster.com/demo_employment.htm Economic Development Corporation]</ref> The county's largest manufacturing and distributing employers at the end of 2003 were [[Acme Markets]], Alumax Mill Products, Anvil International, [[Armstrong World Industries]], [[Kangol|Bollman Hat]], [[CNH Global]], [[Conestoga Wood Specialties]], [[Dart Container]], High Industries, [[Lancaster Laboratories]], [[Pepperidge Farm]], [[RR Donnelley|R R Donnelley & Sons]], [[The Hershey Company]], [[Tyco Electronics]], [[Tyson Foods]], [[Warner-Lambert]], and [[Yellow Transportation]].<ref>[http://www.edclancaster.com/images/Topemployers.pdf Economic Development Corporation: Top Employers]</ref>
[[Auntie Anne's]], [[Clipper Magazine]], [[Lancaster Farming]], [[MapQuest]], [[Turkey Hill|Turkey Hill Dairy]], and [[Wilbur Chocolate Company]] are Lancaster County-based organizations with an economic footprint of regional or national significance.
[[Herley Industries]] is the third local defense contractor to face federal fraud charges in 20 years.<ref>[http://news.pajamasmedia.com/united_states/2006/06/08/9112877_Local_defense_fi.shtml Local defense firm, chairman accused of cheating military with inflated bills]</ref>
[[Image:Lancaster County Field and Farm Implement 3264px.jpg|left|thumb|A typical Lancaster County farm with a horse-drawn farm implement and a corn field behind]]
[[Image:Unidentified Grain Field Lancaster 3008px.jpg|left|thumb|A typical field of [[grain]]]]
===Agriculture===
With some of the most fertile soil in the U.S., Lancaster County has a strong farming industry.<ref>[http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/watermgt/wc/subjects/wsnotebks/WRAS-07J.htm Watershed Restoration Action Strategy]</ref><ref>[http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/lib/lanco/revprogguidelines_finalfinal_(2).pdf Agricultural Preserve Board]</ref> Lancaster County's 5293 farms, generating $800 million in food, feed and fiber, are responsible for nearly a fifth of the state's agricultural output.<ref name=nass>[http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/profiles/pa/cp42071.PDF#search=%22census%20of%20agriculture%20lancaster%20county%20pa%22 2002 NASS Agricultural Census]</ref> Chester County, with their high-value mushroom farms, is second, with $375 million.<ref name=usdafact>[http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/PA.htm USDA Factsheet]</ref>
Livestock-raising is responsible for $710 million of that $800 million, with [[dairy]] accounting for $266 million, [[chicken|poultry]] and [[egg (food)|egg]]s accounting for $258 million. [[Beef|Cattle]] and [[pig|swine]] each account for about $90 million.<ref name=nass/>
Agriculture is likely to remain an important part of Lancaster County: almost exactly half of Lancaster County's land - 320,000 acres - is zoned for agriculture, and 276,000 of those acres are "effective agricultural zoning", requiring at least 20 acres per residence.<ref>[http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/lib/lanco/revprogguidelines_finalfinal_(2).pdf Program Guidelines]</ref>
===Tourism===
Tourism is a significant industry in Lancaster County, employing 47,000.<ref name=andback>[http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:8zl_9ClZpnYJ:www.strasburgrailroad.com/Press_Releases/Paradise_back.doc+lancaster+county+tourism+board&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=10&client=mozilla To Paradise and Back] September 5, 2005 [[Lancaster New Era]]</ref>
[[Image:LancasterCountyHeart.jpg|right|frame|"I break for Shoofly Pie" is the new state tourism slogan.<ref>[http://www.visitpa.com/visitpa/bumperstickerForm.pa PA's Winning Bumper Sticker]</ref> Bumper stickers are available at Pennsylvania's 14 Welcome Centers.]]
In the 1860s, articles in the ''[[Atlantic Monthly]]'' and ''Lippincott’s Magazine'' started tourism in Lancaster County right after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], but it didn't really take off until the 1920s, when the [[Lincoln Highway]] was built. A [[New York Times]] travel article in 1952 brought 25,000 visitors, and the 1955 [[Broadway musical]] [[Plain and Fancy]] brought even more, but tourism tapered off, after the [[1973 oil crisis|1974 gas rationing]] and the [[Three Mile Island]] incident led to five years of stagnation.<ref name=andback />
Local tourism officials viewed it as [[deus ex machina]] when [[Hollywood]] stepped in to rescue their industry. [[Harrison Ford]], in the popular 1985 movie [[Witness (1985 film)|''Witness'']], played John Book, a Philadelphia detective who in turn played "Plain" in order to protect Samuel Lapp, an Old Order Amish boy who has witnessed a murder. Predictably, John Book falls in love with Rachel Lapp, the boy's widowed mother; the movie is less a thriller than a romance about the difficulties faced by an English man in love with a Plain widow.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090329/ IMDb: Witness]</ref> The film was nominated for eight Oscars, and won two.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090329/awards Oscars for "Witness"]</ref> However, the real winner was Lancaster County tourism, as movie-goers found themselves intrigued by the Plain.
Once again, especially after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11 attacks]], tourism in Lancaster County has shifted. Instead of families arriving for a 3-4 day stay for a general visit, now tourists arrive for a specific event, whether it be the rhubarb festival, the "maize maze", to see [[Thomas the Tank Engine]], for [[Sertoma International|Sertoma]]'s annual "World's Largest Chicken Barbecue" or for the latest show at [[Sight & Sound Theatres]].<ref name=andback /> The tourism industry is discouraged by this change, but not despondent:
{{cquote|"In four years of working here on the Strasburg Rail Road, I’ve only had one complaint, she said that the ride is too short. People love Lancaster County. They’ll keep coming back." -- Betty McCormack<ref name=andback />}}
[[Image:Jackson's Sawmill Covered Bridge Three Quarters View 3264px.jpg|thumb|right|One of
the [[List of Lancaster County covered bridges|29 covered bridges]] in Lancaster County.]]
The county also promotes tourist visits to the county's numerous historic and picturesque [[covered bridge]]s by publishing driving tours of the bridges.<ref name="lancaster.pa.us">{{cite web
| title = The Covered Bridges of Lancaster County
| work = Lancaster County, PA Government Portal
| publisher = County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
| date = 2001-12-10
| url = http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?a=15&q=257148&lancoNav=|5722|5789|
| accessdate = 2006-09-26 }}</ref> At over 200 bridges still in existence, Pennsylvania has more covered bridges than anywhere else in the world, and at [[List of Lancaster County covered bridges|29 covered bridges]], Lancaster County has the largest share.<ref name="padutch">{{cite web
| title = Covered Bridges
| work = Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center
| publisher = Action Video, Inc.
| date = 2005
| url = http://www.padutch.com/covbrdg.shtml
| accessdate = 2006-09-26 }}</ref>
The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority[http://www.lccca.com/] is building a controversial $170 million[http://www.lancasterfirst.org/FinancingPlan_121306.pdf] convention center in downtown Lancaster on the site of the former Watt & Shand building. The project's supporters believe it would promote the revitalization of the city's center. Its opponents, however, feel it poses an unacceptable risk to taxpayers[http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco/cwp/view.asp?A=15&Q=559590].
Other tourist attractions include the American Music Theatre, [[Dutch Wonderland]], [[Ephrata Cloister]], [[Ephrata Fair]], [[Hans Herr|Hans Herr House]], [[Landis Valley Museum]], [[Pennsylvania Dutch Country]], [[Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania]], [[Rock Ford plantation]], [[Robert Fulton|Robert Fulton Birthplace]], [[Sight & Sound Theatres]], [[Strasburg Rail Road|Strasburg Railroad]], and [[Sturgis Pretzel House]]. There are many tours of this historic area including the Downtown Lancaster Walking Tour[http://www.padutchcountry.com/member_pages/Historic_Lancaster_Walking_Tour.asp].
== Municipalities==
[[Image:Map of Lancaster County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels.png|right|thumb|300px|Map of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).]]
[[Image:Map of Lancaster County Pennsylvania School Districts.png|thumb|300 px|right|Map of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts]]
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: [[List of cities in Pennsylvania|cities]], [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs]], [[:Category:Unincorporated communities in Pennsylvania|townships]], and, in at most two cases, [[List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania#Towns|towns]]. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Lancaster County:
===Cities===
[[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]] is the only incorporated city in Lancaster County.
===Boroughs===
There are 18 boroughs in Lancaster County: [[Adamstown, Pennsylvania|Adamstown]], [[Akron, Pennsylvania|Akron]], [[Christiana, Pennsylvania|Christiana]], [[Columbia, Pennsylvania|Columbia]], [[Denver, Pennsylvania|Denver]], [[East Petersburg, Pennsylvania|East Petersburg]], [[Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania|Elizabethtown]], [[Ephrata, Pennsylvania|Ephrata]], [[Lititz, Pennsylvania|Lititz]], [[Manheim, Pennsylvania|Manheim]], [[Marietta, Pennsylvania|Marietta]], [[Millersville, Pennsylvania|Millersville]], [[Mount Joy, Pennsylvania|Mount Joy]], [[Mountville, Pennsylvania|Mountville]], [[New Holland, Pennsylvania|New Holland]], [[Quarryville, Pennsylvania|Quarryville]], [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania|Strasburg]], and [[Terre Hill, Pennsylvania|Terre Hill]].
===Townships===
There are 41 townships in Lancaster County: [[Bart Township, Pennsylvania|Bart]], [[Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Brecknock]], [[Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Caernarvon]], [[Clay Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Clay]], [[Colerain Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Colerain]], [[Conestoga Township, Pennsylvania|Conestoga]], [[Conoy Township, Pennsylvania|Conoy]], [[Drumore Township, Pennsylvania|Drumore]], [[Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Earl]], [[East Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania|East Cocalico]], [[East Donegal Township, Pennsylvania|East Donegal]], [[East Drumore Township, Pennsylvania|East Drumore]], [[East Earl Township, Pennsylvania|East Earl]], [[East Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania|East Hempfield]], [[East Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|East Lampeter]], [[Eden Township, Pennsylvania|Eden]], [[Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Elizabeth]], [[Ephrata Township, Pennsylvania|Ephrata]], [[Fulton Township, Pennsylvania|Fulton]], [[Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]], [[Leacock Township, Pennsylvania|Leacock]], [[Little Britain Township, Pennsylvania|Little Britain]], [[Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Manheim]], [[Manor Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Manor]], [[Martic Township, Pennsylvania|Martic]], [[Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Mount Joy]], [[Paradise Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Paradise]], [[Penn Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Penn]], [[Pequea Township, Pennsylvania|Pequea]], [[Providence Township, Pennsylvania|Providence]], [[Rapho Township, Pennsylvania|Rapho]], [[Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Sadsbury]], [[Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Salisbury]], [[Strasburg Township, Pennsylvania|Strasburg]], [[Upper Leacock Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Leacock]], [[Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Warwick]], [[West Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania|West Cocalico]], [[West Donegal Township, Pennsylvania|West Donegal]], [[West Earl Township, Pennsylvania|West Earl]], [[West Hempfield Township, Pennsylvania|West Hempfield]], and [[West Lampeter Township, Pennsylvania|West Lampeter]].
===Unincorporated communities and census-designated places===
[[Census-designated place]]s are geographical areas designated by the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]] for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
[[Bareville, Pennsylvania|Bareville]], [[Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania|Bird-in-Hand]], [[Brickerville, Pennsylvania|Brickerville]], [[Brownstown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Brownstown]], [[East Earl, Pennsylvania|East Earl]], [[Elm, Pennsylvania|Elm]], [[Farmersville, Pennsylvania|Farmersville]], [[Gap, Pennsylvania|Gap]], [[Georgetown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Georgetown]], [[Gordonville, Pennsylvania|Gordonville]], [[Hempfield, Pennsylvania|Hempfield]], [[Holtwood, Pennsylvania|Holtwood]], [[Intercourse, Pennsylvania|Intercourse]], Lampeter, [[Landisville, Pennsylvania|Landisville]], Lawn, [[Leacock, Pennsylvania|Leacock]], [[Leacock-Leola-Bareville, Pennsylvania|Leacock-Leola-Bareville]], [[Leola, Pennsylvania|Leola]], [[Maytown, Pennsylvania|Maytown]], [[Neffsville, Pennsylvania|Neffsville]], [[Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania|Nickel Mines]], [[Paradise, Pennsylvania|Paradise]], [[Reamstown, Pennsylvania|Reamstown]], Reinholds, [[Rheems, Pennsylvania|Rheems]], [[Rothsville, Pennsylvania|Rothsville]], [[Ronks, Pennsylvania|Ronks]], [[Salunga, Pennsylvania|Salunga]], [[Salunga-Landisville, Pennsylvania|Salunga-Landisville]], [[Silver Spring, Pennsylvania|Silver Spring]], [[Smoketown, Pennsylvania|Smoketown]], Talmage, [[Washington Boro, Pennsylvania|Washington Boro]] and [[Willow Street, Pennsylvania|Willow Street]].
==Education==
The colleges of Lancaster County are [[Elizabethtown College]], [[Franklin & Marshall College]], [[Harrisburg Area Community College]], [[Lancaster Bible College]], [[Lancaster Theological Seminary]], [[Millersville University of Pennsylvania]], Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and [[Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology]]
There are 16 public school districts in the county: [[Cocalico School District|Cocalico]], [[Columbia Borough School District|Columbia Borough]], [[Conestoga Valley School District|Conestoga Valley]], [[Donegal School District|Donegal]], [[Eastern Lancaster County School District|Eastern Lancaster County]], [[Elizabethtown Area School District|Elizabethtown Area]], [[Ephrata Area School District|Ephrata Area]], [[Hempfield School District|Hempfield]], [[Lampeter-Strasburg School District|Lampeter-Strasburg]], [[School District of Lancaster|Lancaster]], [[Manheim Central School District|Manheim Central]], [[Manheim Township School District|Manheim Township]], [[Penn Manor School District|Penn Manor]], [[Pequea Valley School District|Pequea Valley]], [[Solanco School District|Solanco]], and [[Warwick School District|Warwick]]. There is also one charter school, the La Academia Charter School.
{{seealso|Lancaster County, Pennsylvania schools}}
==Sports==
{{main|Sports in South Central Pennsylvania}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
! scope="col" | Championships
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Lancaster Barnstormers]]
| [[Atlantic League of Professional Baseball|ALPB]] Baseball
| [[Clipper Magazine Stadium]]
| 2005
| 1
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Lancaster Inferno]]
| [[National Premier Soccer League|NPSL]] Soccer
| [[Hempfield High School]]
| 2008
|
|}
Before the Barnstormers, Lancaster was the home of the [[Lancaster Red Roses]], which played from 1906 to about 1930, and from 1932 to 1961.<ref>[http://www.lancasterhistory.org/collections/exhibitions/Baseball/baseball5.htm 140 Years of Lancaster County Baseball]</ref> In 2005, the Lancaster Barnstormers joined the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The Barnstormers are named after the "barnstorming" players who played exhibition games in the county. Their official colors are red, navy blue, and khaki, the same as those of the Red Roses. This franchise won their first league championship in 2006, only their second season. They have revived the old baseball rivalry between Lancaster and nearby [[York, Pennsylvania|York]], called the "War of the Roses," when the [[York Revolution]] started their inaugural season in 2007.<ref>[http://www.yorkrevolution.com/news.cfm?newsID=457] Retrieved December 15, 2007</ref>
Both the National Premier Soccer League and Women's Premier Soccer League expanded to Lancaster for the 2008 season, with both teams known as the Lancaster Inferno. The NPSL and WPSL are FIFA-recognized Division IV leagues, and are also included in the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. The Inferno are owned by the Pennsylvania Classics organization and play their home games at the Hempfield High School stadium in [[Salunga-Landisville, Pennsylvania|Landisville]]. The Inferno's colors are orange and black.
===Amateur teams===
Since 2004, the amateur [[Lancaster Lightning]] [[American football|football]] team of the [[North American Football League]] has played at [[Pequea Valley School District|Pequea Valley High School's]] football stadium in Kinzers.<ref>[http://www.lancasterlightning.com/ Lancaster Lightning] Accessed September 30, 2006</ref>
===Former teams===
From 1946 to 1980, a professional basketball team known as the [[Lancaster Red Roses (basketball)|Lancaster Red Roses]] (as well as the Lancaster Rockets and the Lancaster Lightning). played in the [[Continental Basketball Association]].<ref>[http://www.cbamuseum.com/teams/lancroses.html Lancaster Red Roses Basketball] Retrieved October 1, 2006</ref>
== See also ==
{{portalpar|Lancaster, Pennsylvania}}
* [[List of Pennsylvania films and television shows]]
* [[List of people from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]
* [[List of Lancaster County covered bridges]]
* [ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/lancaster_GHSN.PDF Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Map of Lancaster County showing city, boroughs, townships, and unincorporated villages (PDF)]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania]
* [http://www.padutchcountry.com Lancaster County Tourism]
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