Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Lancaster is a city in the south-central
part of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania
. It is the county seat
of Lancaster County
and one of the older inland cities in the United States, (along with Springfield, Massachusetts
and several other settlements.) . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities. The Lancaster metropolitan area population is 507,766, making it 101st among US metropolitan areas.
Lancaster was home to James Buchanan
, the nation's 15th president, and to congressman and abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens
.
The city's primary industries include healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, and professional services, and it is home to the Park City Center
shopping mall. A controversial citywide video surveillance system includes the most outdoor cameras per capita of any US city.
Locally, Lancaster is pronounced ˈlæŋkɨstər , rather than the wider American pronunciation /ˈlæn.kæstər/ -kast-ər. This is most likely due to the British influence over the area.
by native John Wright. Its symbol, the red rose
, is from the House of Lancaster
. Lancaster was part of the 1681 Penn's Woods Charter of William Penn
, and was laid out by James Hamilton
in 1734. It was incorporated as a borough in 1742 and incorporated as a city in 1818. During the American Revolution
, it was briefly the capital of the colonies on September 27, 1777, when the Continental Congress
fled Philadelphia
, which had been captured by the British. After meeting one day, they moved still farther away, to York, Pennsylvania
. Lancaster was capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812, after which the capital was moved to Harrisburg
.
In 1737, the Lancaster County Prison
was built in the city, styled after Lancaster Castle
in England. The prison remains in use, and was used for public hangings until 1912.
The first paved road in the United States was the former Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
, which makes up part of the present-day U.S. Route 30
. Opened in 1795, the Turnpike connected the cities of Lancaster and Philadelphia, and was designed by a Scottish engineer named John Loudon MacAdam. Lancaster residents are known to use the word, "macadam
", in lieu of pavement or asphalt. This name is a reference to the paving process named by MacAdam.
The city of Lancaster was home to several important figures in American history. Wheatland
, the estate of James Buchanan
, the fifteenth President of the United States, is one of Lancaster's most popular attractions. Thaddeus Stevens
, considered among the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives
, lived in Lancaster as an attorney. Stevens gained notoriety as a Radical Republican and for his abolitionism
. The Fulton Opera House
in the city was named for Lancaster native Robert Fulton
, a renaissance man who created the first fully functional steamboat. All of these individuals have had local schools named after them.
After the American Revolution, the city of Lancaster became an iron-foundry center. Two of the most common products needed by pioneers to settle the Frontier were manufactured in Lancaster: the Conestoga wagon
and the Pennsylvania long rifle
. The Conestoga wagon was named after the Conestoga River
, which runs through the city.
In 1803, Meriwether Lewis
visited Lancaster to be educated in survey methods by the well-known surveyor Andrew Ellicott
. During his visit, Lewis learned to plot latitude and longitude as part of his overall training needed to lead the Lewis and Clark Expedition
.
In 1879, Franklin Winfield Woolworth opened his first successful "five and dime" store in the city of Lancaster. The F. W. Woolworth Company
is succeeded by Foot Locker
.
Lancaster was one of the winning communities for the All-America City award in 2000.
The city is located about 34 miles (54.7 km) southeast of Harrisburg
, 70 miles (112.7 km) west of Philadelphia
, 55 miles (88.5 km) north-northeast of Baltimore and 87 miles (140 km) north of Washington, D.C.
The nearest towns and boroughs are Millersville
(4.0 miles), Willow Street
(4.8 miles), East Petersburg
(5.3 miles), Lititz
(7.9 miles), Landisville (8.6 miles), Mountville
(8.8 miles), Rothsville
(8.9 miles), and Leola (8.9 miles).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.14% is water.
, 16.3% Black or African American
, 0.7% Native American
, 3.0% Asian
, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 5.8% were two or more races. 39.3% of the population were of Hispanic
or Latino
ancestry.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 56,348 people, 20,933 households, and 12,162 families residing in the city. The population density
was 7,616.5 people per square mile (2,940.0/km²). There were 23,024 housing units at an average density of 3,112.1 per square mile (1,201.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.55% White, 14.09% African American, 0.44% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.44% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. 30.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2000, 24.34% of Lancaster residents were of Puerto Rican
ancestry. The city has the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the "Spanish Rose." Lancaster celebrates its Hispanic heritage once every year with the Puerto Rican Festival.
There were 20,933 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples
living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,770, and the median income for a family was $34,623. Males had a median income of $27,833 versus $21,862 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,955. 21.2% of the population and 17.9% of families were below the poverty line. 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Poverty in Lancaster is twice the state's average, and public school records list more than 900 children as homeless.
Lancaster City has been in the process of recreating itself recently with an explosion of specialty shops, boutiques, bars, clubs, and reinvestment in downtown institutions and locations.
Central to those plans was the building of the Lancaster County Convention Center
Authority. The convention center opened June 24, 2009. The building of the center was a source of great debate within the community.
There are also plans to convert an area of unused polluted industrial grounds (i.e., Brownfields), which were once occupied by Armstrong World Industries, into playing fields for Franklin & Marshall College
. This action is expected to take up most of the former industrial site. The Northwest Corridor
will be developed with funds from Lancaster General Hospital. The hospital plans to create a mixed-use development which will add several city blocks to Lancaster’s grid. F&M's former president, John Fry, orchestrated the construction of new dormitories and apartments for Franklin & Marshall students along Harrisburg Pike.
Another Brownfields site is Burle Business Park, the City's only commercial and industrial park. Devoted to adaptive re-use, this facility originally opened in 1942 as a U.S. Navy electronics research, development and manufacturing plant that was operated by RCA. The Navy facility was purchased after World War II by RCA. Burle Business Park was originally occupied by Burle Industries, the successor company to the RCA New Products Division following the 1986 acquisition of RCA by General Electric Company (GE). The GE acquisition of RCA resulted in the divestiture of this facility and the electronic business, but GE retained certain environmental liabilities that were subdivided into a separate parcel. Burle Industries is a major manufacturer of vacuum tube products, including photomultiplier tubes, power tubes, and imaging tubes. and is the largest U.S. manufacturer of photomultiplier tubes. Burle Industries has completed a voluntary clean-up under the Pennsylvania Land Recycling Program ("Act 2").
within the City of Lancaster, Lancaster County
, the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania
. The mall includes an excess of 150 stores and is anchored by The Bon-Ton
, Boscov's
, JCPenney, Kohl's
, and Sears. Park City opened in September 1971.
Built in 1889, the Lancaster Central Market is the oldest continuously operated farmers market in the United States, and many tourists come to purchase the handmade Amish
goods that are not commonly found elsewhere. Central Market is also the center of the city's growing 'green' movement, allowing people to purchase organic and/or locally grown foods. Central Market is listed with the National Register of Historic Places
, and its towers are of the Romanesque Revival style. The market underwent renovations beginning in July 2010, during which certain sections were closed off; though it remained in operation during this time.
Lancaster also has two outlet shopping centers, both of which are located in East Lampeter township on U.S. Route 30
. Named the Tanger Outlets and Rockvale Outlets, each of these locations contains over 100 stores.
, Crips
s, Mara Salvatrucha
, Latin Kings
and smaller neighborhood gangs. Various small crimes such as attempted homicides and robberies occur monthly and some could possibly be gang related. Route 222 in Lancaster has been used to move drugs between Reading, Pennsylvania
and Lancaster City.
Well known active gangs in Lancaster City include the Black Dragons
, the Cash Money Boys, the Bloods
, the Crips
, the Gangster Disciples
, Hells Angels
, Pagans, Strong Arm Motorcycle Club, the Outlaws Motorcycle Club
, the International Posse, the Latin Kings
, Mara Salvatrucha
, Riders for Life, the 50 Million Soldiers, and Vatos Locos.
Local criminals and others from througout Lancaster County, such as murderers
, drug dealers, arms dealers, and auto thieves, go to Lancaster County Prison
, a large facility on East King Street. Lancaster County Prison was originally built in 1737 and was used for public hangings until 1912.
A youth correctional center, not identified as a jail or prison, is called Manos House. It brings in 16 to 20 year-old criminals and rehabilitates them from past offenses to the law. It is located on North Prince Street in Lancaster City.
Rick Gray
is the 43rd mayor of Lancaster city
The City Council is composed of seven members: President Louise B. Williams, Patricia A. Coller, Joseph R. Morales, Nelson M. Polite, Sr., Tim J. Roschel, Todd E. Smith, and Jose E. Urdaneta.
As of Spring, 2011, due to budget cuts, the department plans to reduce personnel on duty from four platoons to three platoons, as well as rotating the an Engine and a Truck out of service for each day, reducing the total day-to-day number of fire apparatus on-duty from 3 Engines and 2 Trucks to 2 Engines and 1 Truck.
Fire Station Locations and Apparatus
agency in Lancaster County. The current Chief of Police is Keith R. Sadler.
stronghold. Registered Democrats hold a 13,000 voter registration
advantage over registered Republicans, as of June 2009. U.S. presidential candidate
Barack Obama
easily won the city of Lancaster, receiving 76% of the vote during the 2008 presidential election
.
Federally, Lancaster is part of Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district
, represented by Republican Joe Pitts, elected in 1996.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Bob Casey
, elected in 2006. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Republican Pat Toomey
, elected in 2010. The Governor of Pennsylvania is Republican Tom Corbett
, elected in 2010. Additionally, the city of Lancaster is the headquarters of the Constitution Party
, the largest third party
in the United States.
Lancaster was home to Democrat James Buchanan
, the fifteenth president of the United States. Buchanan arrived in Lancaster in 1809 to practice law. He took up residence near the courthouse on N. Duke Street. In 1848 he purchased Wheatland, a Federal style mansion in the suburbs. He was elected President in 1856.
In 2009, the LCSC's expansion from a 70 to a 165 camera network attracted national attention, including a front page Los Angeles Times
article called "Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself". The article quoted city police chief Keith Sadler as saying "Years ago, there's no way we could do this...It brings to mind Big Brother, George Orwell
and 1984
. It's just funny how Americans have softened on these issues."
Prior to the publication of the Los Angeles Times article, there had been little public outcry in response to the expanding CCTV camera system, which had contributed to the resolution or prevention of several crimes. However, the national attention led to an immediate backlash by a small but vocal group of "mobilized opponents aimed at turning off the cameras, possibly for good." MSNBC
commentator Keith Olbermann
used the story in his 'Worst Person in the World' segment, "calling out the 'citizen patriots of Lancaster, Pennsylvania' and criticizing them for spying on each other", and the surveillance system was also featured on ABC's "Nightline" and "CBS Evening News
".
Although public opinion was initially mixed among Lancaster residents, statistical and anecdotal data suggest that the network of cameras is achieving the desired effect. In the fall of 2010, the Lancaster Community Safety Coalition was among several factors credited for a 13.7% drop in Lancaster's violent crime rate according to the FBI's Unified Crime Report (UCR). Property crime dropped 7.1% during the same period. Neighboring cities have not experienced similar reductions in crime. Although in the year 2010, cameras only helped solve 28 of the 6,653 crimes committed in the city in the year 2010. Although the year of 2009 received a reduction in violent crimes of over 13% and recorded 465 violent offenses, the following year of 2010 saw a rise in violent offenses. Violent offenses jumped from 465 in 2009 to 511 in 2010. Lancaster Community Safety Coalition had a success rate of preventing and helping police catch a suspect in .037% of crimes committed and Lancaster is seeing far more unsolved homicides since the installation of the cameras.
The Red Rose Transit Authority
(RRTA) provides local bus transit to Lancaster City as well as surrounding areas in Lancaster County. RRTA is headquartered outside the City of Lancaster.
Bieber Trailways (formerly Capitol Trailways) provides intercity bus transit from the Lancaster Train and Bus Station
to King of Prussia
, Philadelphia, and New York City
to the east, and York
and Harrisburg to the west.
Amtrak
also serves the Lancaster Train and Bus Station
, located on the northernmost edge of the city at 53 East McGovern Avenue. The Pennsylvanian, with service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, as well as the Keystone Service
, which runs from Harrisburg to New York via Philadelphia, both serve Lancaster.
The city is served by the Lancaster Airport
, located six miles (10 km) north of downtown and just south of Lititz
.
Lancaster is also a hub for automobile traffic, with so many major roadways passing through or around the city, including US-30, US-222, PA-283, PA-72, and PA-272.
Many of Lancaster's landmarks were relevant places in local, state, and national history.
is located in the former home of a well-known Lancaster painter named Charles Demuth
. Additional art museums include the Lancaster Museum of Art and the Philips Museum of Art on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College. Art students at the state-of-the-art Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
present their works at the academy's gallery that is open to the public. Another newly constructed museum, completed in 2007, is the Lancaster County Quilts and Textile Museum that celebrates the hand-sewn quilts and other textile items produced by the region's Amish and Mennonite communities. Lancaster also possesses two other museums that pay homage to its unique Pennsylvania Dutch heritage with the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society Museum and the Heritage Center Museum. Children can have a hands-on experience with educational learning at the Hands-on House, also known as Children's Museum of Lancaster. Nature and geology-minded visitors can view the more earthly exhibits of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum
and the North Museum of Natural History and Science. Upon completion, the Lancaster County Convention Center
will incorporate the Stevens and Smith Historic Site, a museum that will include the preserved home of Thaddeus Stevens
and his confidante Lydia Hamilton Smith. In addition to its exhibits, the underground portion of the site will feature a recently discovered Underground Railroad
feature: a converted water cistern utilized in the nineteenth century to hide runaway slaves escaping to freedom. In the surrounding county, the Landis Valley Museum
in Manheim Township, Lancaster County
contains exhibits that illustrate Lancaster County's history and culture. LancasterARTS, a non-profit organization, started in 2002 to promote local arts in Lancaster.
After 44 years without professional baseball, the Lancaster Barnstormers arrived to fill the void left by the departed Red Roses
. The Barnstormers are named after the barnstorm
ing baseball players who played exhibition games in the surrounding county, as well as a reference to the county's many farms. The Barnstormers continue a couple of traditions of the old Red Roses, as their official colors are red, navy blue, and khaki, the same colors used by the Red Roses. More importantly, the Barnstormers continue the old "War of the Roses" rivalry between Lancaster and the nearby city of York
, contending with the York Revolution
.
The city of Lancaster is the hometown of Major League
alumnus, Tom Herr
. Herr played for the Philadelphia Phillies
, the New York Mets
, the San Francisco Giants
, and finally with the St. Louis Cardinals
. After his time in the Majors, he coached the Black Knights baseball team of Hempfield High School
for several years. Herr joined the Lancaster Barnstormers for their inaugural season in 2005 as the manager. After a dismal 2005 season, he led the Barnstormers to their first-ever championship in 2006, against the Bridgeport Bluefish
. Two of Tom's sons, Aaron
and Jordan, both play professional baseball on Major League-affiliated clubs. Aaron is a member of the Louisville Bats
, the AAA-level affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
. Jordan joined his hometown Barnstormers for the 2008 season in lieu of completing his senior year at the University of Pittsburgh
. Following the completion of the Barnstormers' 2008 season, Jordan piqued the interest of the Chicago White Sox
, who allocated him to their Rookie-level Great Falls Voyagers.
The city of Lancaster hosted the Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic
, an international, professional bicycle racing event held each June since 1992. It was part of the 2006–2007 UCI America Tour
and the 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour
.
. He placed 4th in the 1998 and 2003 Masters tournament, won the 2003 U.S. Open, placed 4th in the 1997, 1998, and 2006 British Open, and placed 6th in the 1997 PGA championship. Furyk also won the Vardon Trophy
in 2006. He is an alumnus of Manheim Township High School, located in the immediate suburb of Manheim Township
.
The 2015 U.S. Women's Open
will be held at the Lancaster Country Club
.
added the Lancaster Inferno
in the 2008 season. The WPSL is a FIFA
-recognized Division IV league, and is also included in the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid
. The Inferno is owned by the Pennsylvania Classics organization and play their home games at the Hempfield High School stadium in Landisville
. The Inferno's colors are orange, black, and white.
A Lancaster native named Julian Valentin
plays for FC Tampa Bay of USSF Division 2 Professional League
. He is also a member of the Under-20 United States men's national soccer team
, and played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
. Valentin made his professional debut on October 26, 2008 versus FC Dallas
.
, and the Lancaster Firebirds, a youth amateur ice hockey organization of the USA Hockey's Atlantic District. American football is represented by the Lancaster Lightning, a member of the semi-professional North American Football League, that plays in nearby Kinzers. A close cousin of American football, rugby, is represented by the Roses Rugby Football Club
of the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union, of which the Roses RFC are the 2005 champion. Roller derby is represented by the Dutchland Derby Rollers, an all-female roller derby team which plays to raise money for various charities, currently ranked #23 in the world by Derby News Network.
of the Eastern Professional Baseball League that played from 1906 to 1909, and from 1940 to their last season in 1961. The Red Roses were known as the Lancaster Maroons from 1896 to 1899 and the Lancaster Red Sox in 1932.
The most well-known of Lancaster's former basketball teams were the Lancaster Red Roses
of the Continental Basketball Association
from 1946 to 1949, and from 1953 to 1955. The Continental Basketball Association later hosted another Lancaster team called the Lightning from 1981–1985. The Lightning later moved to Rockford, Illinois
, where they played until the 2007 season. The most recent basketball team to play in Lancaster was the Storm of the Eastern Basketball Alliance
from 1997 to 2000. This team won the league championship in 1999.
in Lancaster is provided by many private and public institutions. The School District of Lancaster
runs the city's public schools. The local high school campuses are McCaskey and McCaskey East. Established in 1836, it is the second oldest school district in Pennsylvania. Lancaster Catholic High School
has a long history in the county; it was founded in 1926. It currently falls under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Harrisburg. With a P-12 enrollment of more than 500 students, Lancaster Country Day School
is one of the region's largest independent nonsectarian schools. Founded in 1908 as the Shippen School for Girls, the school became coeducational and relocated from downtown Lancaster to its Hamilton Road address in 1949.
Lancaster area hosts several colleges and universities including: Consolidated School of Business, Franklin & Marshall College
, Lancaster General College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Lancaster Theological Seminary
, Lancaster Bible College
, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
, Central Pennsylvania College
,and the Harrisburg Area Community College
.
Print
See also: List of newspapers in Pennsylvania in the 18th-century: Lancaster
, Auntie Anne's
, Fulton Bank
, Fulton Financial Corporation
, Herley Industries
, Isaac's Restaurant & Deli
, Kunzler & Company, Inc.
, Lancaster Brewing Company
, Lancaster Laboratories
, MapQuest
, Opening Day Partners, Y&S Candies
division of The Hershey Company
, and the Lancaster Caramel Company
(the original parent company of the Hershey Company
), Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the fourteen counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, and York....
part of the Commonwealth
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
and one of the older inland cities in the United States, (along with Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
and several other settlements.) . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities. The Lancaster metropolitan area population is 507,766, making it 101st among US metropolitan areas.
Lancaster was home to James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, the nation's 15th president, and to congressman and abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...
.
The city's primary industries include healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, and professional services, and it is home to the Park City Center
Park City Center
Park City Center is a large shopping mall located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and is the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania. It is situated at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike. The shape of the mall resembles a snowflake, with its stores occupying...
shopping mall. A controversial citywide video surveillance system includes the most outdoor cameras per capita of any US city.
Locally, Lancaster is pronounced ˈlæŋkɨstər , rather than the wider American pronunciation /ˈlæn.kæstər/ -kast-ər. This is most likely due to the British influence over the area.
History
Originally called Hickory Town, the city was renamed after the English city of LancasterLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
by native John Wright. Its symbol, the red rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
, is from the House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
. Lancaster was part of the 1681 Penn's Woods Charter of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, and was laid out by James Hamilton
James Hamilton (Pennsylvania)
James Hamilton , son of the well-known Philadelphia lawyer Andrew Hamilton, was a prominent lawyer and governmental figure in colonial Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.-Life:...
in 1734. It was incorporated as a borough in 1742 and incorporated as a city in 1818. During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, it was briefly the capital of the colonies on September 27, 1777, when the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
fled Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, which had been captured by the British. After meeting one day, they moved still farther away, to York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. Lancaster was capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812, after which the capital was moved to Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
.
In 1737, the Lancaster County Prison
Lancaster County Prison
The Lancaster County Prison is a county prison located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located on East King Street in Lancaster City....
was built in the city, styled after Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. In 1164, the Honour of Lancaster, including the...
in England. The prison remains in use, and was used for public hangings until 1912.
The first paved road in the United States was the former Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike
The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, first used in 1795, is the first long-distance paved road built in the United States, according to engineered plans and specifications. It links Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia at 34th Street, stretching for sixty-two miles. However, the western...
, which makes up part of the present-day U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
. Opened in 1795, the Turnpike connected the cities of Lancaster and Philadelphia, and was designed by a Scottish engineer named John Loudon MacAdam. Lancaster residents are known to use the word, "macadam
Macadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
", in lieu of pavement or asphalt. This name is a reference to the paving process named by MacAdam.
The city of Lancaster was home to several important figures in American history. Wheatland
Wheatland (Lancaster)
Wheatland, or the James Buchanan House, is a brick, Federal style house outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County. It was formerly owned by the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan....
, the estate of James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, the fifteenth President of the United States, is one of Lancaster's most popular attractions. Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...
, considered among the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, lived in Lancaster as an attorney. Stevens gained notoriety as a Radical Republican and for his abolitionism
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
. The Fulton Opera House
Fulton Opera House
The Fulton Opera House, also known as the Fulton Theatre or simply The Fulton, is a League of Regional Theatres class C regional theater located in historic downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.-Building:...
in the city was named for Lancaster native Robert Fulton
Robert Fulton
Robert Fulton was an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the first commercially successful steamboat...
, a renaissance man who created the first fully functional steamboat. All of these individuals have had local schools named after them.
After the American Revolution, the city of Lancaster became an iron-foundry center. Two of the most common products needed by pioneers to settle the Frontier were manufactured in Lancaster: the Conestoga wagon
Conestoga wagon
The Conestoga wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon that was used extensively during the late 18th century and the 19th century in the United States and sometimes in Canada as well. It was large enough to transport loads up to 8 tons , and was drawn by horses, mules or oxen...
and the Pennsylvania long rifle
Long rifle
The American longrifle , better known as the Kentucky rifle was described best by Captain John G. W. Dillin in the dedication to his seminal 1924 book, The Kentucky Rifle:...
. The Conestoga wagon was named after the Conestoga River
Conestoga River
The Conestoga River, also referred to as Conestoga Creek, is a tributary of the Susquehanna River flowing through the center of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
, which runs through the city.
In 1803, Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
visited Lancaster to be educated in survey methods by the well-known surveyor Andrew Ellicott
Andrew Ellicott
Andrew Ellicott was a U.S. surveyor who helped map many of the territories west of the Appalachians, surveyed the boundaries of the District of Columbia, continued and completed Pierre Charles L'Enfant's work on the plan for Washington, D.C., and served as a teacher in survey methods for...
. During his visit, Lewis learned to plot latitude and longitude as part of his overall training needed to lead the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
.
In 1879, Franklin Winfield Woolworth opened his first successful "five and dime" store in the city of Lancaster. The F. W. Woolworth Company
F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. The first successful Woolworth store was opened on July 18, 1879 by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store"...
is succeeded by Foot Locker
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
.
Lancaster was one of the winning communities for the All-America City award in 2000.
Geography
Lancaster is located at 40°02'23" North, 76°18'16" West (40.039860, -76.304366), and is 368 feet (112.2 m) above sea level.The city is located about 34 miles (54.7 km) southeast of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, 70 miles (112.7 km) west of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, 55 miles (88.5 km) north-northeast of Baltimore and 87 miles (140 km) north of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The nearest towns and boroughs are Millersville
Millersville, Pennsylvania
Millersville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 7,774.-Geography:Millersville is located at ....
(4.0 miles), Willow Street
Willow Street, Pennsylvania
Willow Street is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,258 at the 2000 census. In the early part of the 20th century the main thoroughfare in town was lined with Willow trees on both sides for the length of the town. The community received...
(4.8 miles), East Petersburg
East Petersburg, Pennsylvania
East Petersburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,450 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Petersburg is located at ....
(5.3 miles), Lititz
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...
(7.9 miles), Landisville (8.6 miles), Mountville
Mountville, Pennsylvania
Mountville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,444 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mountville is located at ....
(8.8 miles), Rothsville
Rothsville, Pennsylvania
Rothsville is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,017 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rothsville is located at ....
(8.9 miles), and Leola (8.9 miles).
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.14% is water.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the city was 55.2% WhiteWhite American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 16.3% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.7% Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, 3.0% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 5.8% were two or more races. 39.3% of the population were of Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
ancestry.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 56,348 people, 20,933 households, and 12,162 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,616.5 people per square mile (2,940.0/km²). There were 23,024 housing units at an average density of 3,112.1 per square mile (1,201.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.55% White, 14.09% African American, 0.44% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.44% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. 30.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2000, 24.34% of Lancaster residents were of Puerto Rican
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
ancestry. The city has the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the "Spanish Rose." Lancaster celebrates its Hispanic heritage once every year with the Puerto Rican Festival.
There were 20,933 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,770, and the median income for a family was $34,623. Males had a median income of $27,833 versus $21,862 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,955. 21.2% of the population and 17.9% of families were below the poverty line. 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Poverty in Lancaster is twice the state's average, and public school records list more than 900 children as homeless.
Schools
There are 23 Elementary, 10 Middle, and 3 High Schools within 5 School districts.- Centerville Elementary (Hempfield School District)
- Rohrerstown Elementary (Hempfield School District)
- [Nitrauer Elementary] (Manheim Township School District)
- Bucher Elementary (Manheim Township School District)
- Schaeffer Elementary (Manheim Township School District)
- Neff Elementary (Manheim Township School District)
- Brecht Elementary (Manheim Township School District)
- Fritz Elementary (Conestoga Valley School District)
- Smoketown Elementary (Conestoga Valley School District)
- Elizabeth Martin Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Thomas Wharton Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Wickersham Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Hamilton Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Fulton Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Lafayette Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Ross Elementary(The School District of Lancaster)
- George Washington Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- James Buchanan Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Burrowes Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Martin Luther King Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Carter & McRae Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- John Price Elementary (The School District of Lancaster)
- Hambright Elementary (Penn Manor School District)
- Resurrection Catholic School (Lancaster City)
- Sacred Heart School (Lancaster County)
- St. Leo the Great School (Hempfield)
- St. Anne School (Manheim Township)
- Lancaster Country Day
- Lancaster Mennonite
Middle
- Manheim Township Middle (Manheim Township School District)
- Neff Sixth Grade (Manheim Township School District)
- Conestoga Valley Middle (Conestoga Valley School District)
- Centerville Middle (Hempfield School District)
- Manor Middle (Penn Manor School District)
- John Reynolds Middle (The School District of Lancaster)
- Abraham Lincoln Middle (The School District of Lancaster)
- Wheatland Middle (The School District of Lancaster)
- Edward Hand Middle (The School District of Lancaster)
- McCaskey Campus (The School District of Lancaster)
High
- Manheim Township High (Manheim Township School District)
- Conestoga Valley High (Conestoga Valley School District)
- McCaskey High (The School District of Lancaster)
- Lancaster Catholic High (manheim township school district)
- Lancaster Mennonite High
- Lancaster Country Day
- Penn Manor High SchoolPenn Manor High SchoolPenn Manor High School is a large secondary school located in Millersville, Pennsylvania. It is home to approximately 1900 students. It is part of the Penn Manor School District.-History:...
- Manheim Central High
- Hempfield High
- Lampeter-Strasburg High SchoolLampeter-Strasburg High SchoolLampeter-Strasburg High School is a public secondary school in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District, located in Lampeter, Pennsylvania.-Language:L-S High School has 3 different languages to choose from, which include Chinese, German, and Spanish...
Economy
Lancaster suffers from high unemployment, especially in the southeastern quadrant. In 1999, this area, which includes census tracts 8, 9, 15, and 16, had unemployment rates of 10.9%, 10.1%, 3.5%, and 9.0% respectively, while the rate for the rest of the county was 4.9%. The Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board sees a persistent problem in underemployment: "People are working but surviving just on the edge of poverty." Outside the city, however, employment has increased 18% by adding 34,900 jobs between the years 1999 and 2002.Lancaster City has been in the process of recreating itself recently with an explosion of specialty shops, boutiques, bars, clubs, and reinvestment in downtown institutions and locations.
Lancaster County Convention Center
The Lancaster County Convention Center is a publicly owned convention center in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. With initial site preparation in late 2006 and completion in the summer of 2009, the Lancaster County Convention Center is one of several projects intended to help revitalize...
Authority. The convention center opened June 24, 2009. The building of the center was a source of great debate within the community.
There are also plans to convert an area of unused polluted industrial grounds (i.e., Brownfields), which were once occupied by Armstrong World Industries, into playing fields for Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
. This action is expected to take up most of the former industrial site. The Northwest Corridor
Northwest Corridor (Lancaster)
The Northwest Corridor is a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA neighborhood. The name refers to the neighborhood's location within the city of Lancaster, and the importance of the corridor in connecting important economic and civic developments within the city, and nearby, suburban East Hempfield...
will be developed with funds from Lancaster General Hospital. The hospital plans to create a mixed-use development which will add several city blocks to Lancaster’s grid. F&M's former president, John Fry, orchestrated the construction of new dormitories and apartments for Franklin & Marshall students along Harrisburg Pike.
Another Brownfields site is Burle Business Park, the City's only commercial and industrial park. Devoted to adaptive re-use, this facility originally opened in 1942 as a U.S. Navy electronics research, development and manufacturing plant that was operated by RCA. The Navy facility was purchased after World War II by RCA. Burle Business Park was originally occupied by Burle Industries, the successor company to the RCA New Products Division following the 1986 acquisition of RCA by General Electric Company (GE). The GE acquisition of RCA resulted in the divestiture of this facility and the electronic business, but GE retained certain environmental liabilities that were subdivided into a separate parcel. Burle Industries is a major manufacturer of vacuum tube products, including photomultiplier tubes, power tubes, and imaging tubes. and is the largest U.S. manufacturer of photomultiplier tubes. Burle Industries has completed a voluntary clean-up under the Pennsylvania Land Recycling Program ("Act 2").
Shopping
In addition to Lancaster's plethora of urban boutiques and shops, there is the Park City CenterPark City Center
Park City Center is a large shopping mall located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and is the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania. It is situated at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and Harrisburg Pike. The shape of the mall resembles a snowflake, with its stores occupying...
within the City of Lancaster, Lancaster County
Lancaster County
Lancaster County is the name of four counties in the United States:* Lancaster County, Nebraska* Lancaster County, Pennsylvania* Lancaster County, South Carolina* Lancaster County, Virginia...
, the largest enclosed shopping center in South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania
South Central Pennsylvania is a region of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that includes the fourteen counties of Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, and York....
. The mall includes an excess of 150 stores and is anchored by The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a regional department store company based in York, Pennsylvania, chiefly operating 275 stores, including 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states throughout the northern United States. Stores carrying its namesake nameplate serve the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of...
, Boscov's
Boscov's
Boscov's is an American department store founded by Solomon Boscov in 1911. The first store was in Reading, Pennsylvania, and today 40 stores are spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Delaware....
, JCPenney, Kohl's
Kohl's
Kohl's Corporation is an American department store chain headquartered in the Milwaukee suburb of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, operating , 1,089 stores in 49 states. In 1998, it entered the S&P 500 list, and is also listed in the Fortune 500...
, and Sears. Park City opened in September 1971.
Built in 1889, the Lancaster Central Market is the oldest continuously operated farmers market in the United States, and many tourists come to purchase the handmade Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
goods that are not commonly found elsewhere. Central Market is also the center of the city's growing 'green' movement, allowing people to purchase organic and/or locally grown foods. Central Market is listed with the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and its towers are of the Romanesque Revival style. The market underwent renovations beginning in July 2010, during which certain sections were closed off; though it remained in operation during this time.
Lancaster also has two outlet shopping centers, both of which are located in East Lampeter township on U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania
In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 30 runs east–west across the southern part of the state, passing through Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on its way from the West Virginia state line east to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River into New Jersey...
. Named the Tanger Outlets and Rockvale Outlets, each of these locations contains over 100 stores.
Top employers
According to Lancaster's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lancaster General Hospital Lancaster General Hospital Lancaster General Hospital is a hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1893 in a small home on Queen Street, its headquarters are still located in Lancaster.-External Links:... |
7,123 |
| 2 | RR Donnelley | 2,723 |
| 3 | County of Lancaster Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the... |
2,110 |
| 4 | Armstrong World Industries Armstrong World Industries Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is an international designer and manufacturer of floors, ceilings and cabinets. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong operates 40 plants in 10 countries and has approximately 12,300 employees worldwide. In 2006, Armstrong’s net sales were $3.42 billion, with... |
1,654 |
| 5 | School District of Lancaster School District of Lancaster The School District of Lancaster is a large, urban school district of 11,300 students educated in 19 schools in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Established in 1836, it is the second oldest school district in the state. School District of Lancaster encompasses approximately 11 square miles.... |
1,643 |
| 6 | Dart Container Dart Container Dart Container Corporation of Mason, Michigan, United States is the world's largest manufacturer of foam cups and containers, producing about as many as all competitors combined.-Company history:... |
1,582 |
| 7 | Turkey Hill | 1,400 |
Crime
Crime in Lancaster City has shortened since 2006. Gang activity in Lancaster is common, however, organized crime exists in Lancaster City. This includes the BloodsBloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
s, Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha is a transnational criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and has spread to other parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Central Americans and active in urban and suburban areas...
, Latin Kings
Latin Kings
The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation is said to be the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
and smaller neighborhood gangs. Various small crimes such as attempted homicides and robberies occur monthly and some could possibly be gang related. Route 222 in Lancaster has been used to move drugs between Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
and Lancaster City.
Well known active gangs in Lancaster City include the Black Dragons
Black Dragons (gang)
The Black Dragons The Black Dragons The Black Dragons (traditional Chinese: 黑龍） is a Chinese/American Triad(secret society) and street gang that was formed in 1980 by Chinese immigrants in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California. It was started by a group of young men who bounded together to...
, the Cash Money Boys, the Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, the Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
, the Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples
The Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
, Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
, Pagans, Strong Arm Motorcycle Club, the Outlaws Motorcycle Club
Outlaws Motorcycle Club
The Outlaws Motorcycle Club, incorporated as the American Outlaws Association or its acronym, A.O.A., is a one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate that was formed in McCook, Illinois in 1935....
, the International Posse, the Latin Kings
Latin Kings
The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation is said to be the largest and most organized Hispanic street gang in the United States of America, which has its roots dating back to the 1940s in Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
, Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha
Mara Salvatrucha is a transnational criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles and has spread to other parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. The majority of the gang is ethnically composed of Central Americans and active in urban and suburban areas...
, Riders for Life, the 50 Million Soldiers, and Vatos Locos.
Local criminals and others from througout Lancaster County, such as murderers
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, drug dealers, arms dealers, and auto thieves, go to Lancaster County Prison
Lancaster County Prison
The Lancaster County Prison is a county prison located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located on East King Street in Lancaster City....
, a large facility on East King Street. Lancaster County Prison was originally built in 1737 and was used for public hangings until 1912.
A youth correctional center, not identified as a jail or prison, is called Manos House. It brings in 16 to 20 year-old criminals and rehabilitates them from past offenses to the law. It is located on North Prince Street in Lancaster City.
Green Roofs
Lancaster has one of the highest rates of green roof space per capita in the US. With the recent addition to the roof of Tellus360 on East King Street, Lancaster now has 70000 sq ft (6,503.2 m²) of green roofs for a city with a downtown population of 65,000. The owners of the store blogged the entire process of building the green roof on their website.Government
Lancaster operates under a Mayor / Council form of Government. The City has a full range of services including Public Safety, Health, Housing, Parks, Streets & Highways, Water operations and Sewer operations.Rick Gray
Rick Gray
J. Richard "Rick" Gray is a lawyer and politician who has been mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania since January 3, 2006.-Personal life:Born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania his father's profession took his family to Harrisburg at a young age, where he attended school and graduated high school. His father...
is the 43rd mayor of Lancaster city
The City Council is composed of seven members: President Louise B. Williams, Patricia A. Coller, Joseph R. Morales, Nelson M. Polite, Sr., Tim J. Roschel, Todd E. Smith, and Jose E. Urdaneta.
Fire Department
The city of Lancaster is protected 24/7, 365 by the 72 professional firefighters of the City of Lancaster Bureau of Fire and Rescue. The Bureau of Fire and Rescue operates out of 3 Fire Stations, located throughout the city, as well as a storage facility. The Bureau also operates a fire apparatus fleet of 3 Engines, 2 Trucks, and a Shift Commander, as well as numerous special, support, and reserve units. The Bureau responds to, on average, approximately 3,250 emergency calls annually. The current Fire Chief is Tim Gregg.As of Spring, 2011, due to budget cuts, the department plans to reduce personnel on duty from four platoons to three platoons, as well as rotating the an Engine and a Truck out of service for each day, reducing the total day-to-day number of fire apparatus on-duty from 3 Engines and 2 Trucks to 2 Engines and 1 Truck.
Fire Station Locations and Apparatus
- Fire Station # 1 – 425 W. King St. – Downtown
- Rescue Engine 1
- Truck 2(Quint)
- Shift Commander
- Deputy Chief
- Utility 1
- Utility 2
- Fire Station # 3 – 333 E. King St. – East End
- Rescue Engine 3
- Engine 6(Reserve)
- Truck 1(Quint)
- Command Van
- Fire Station # 6 – 843 Fremont St. – Cabbage Hill
- Engine 2(Foam Unit)
- Fire Headquarters – 100 S. Queen St., Suite 103 – Downtown
- Storage Facility(Ex. Fire Station # 4) – New Holland Ave. and Fountain Ave. – Sixth Ward
- Rescue Engine 5(Reserve)
- Maintenance Vehicle
- Foam Trailer
Police Department
The city of Lancaster is protected by the City of Lancaster Bureau of Police. Founded in 1865, the Bureau of Police is located at 39 W. Chestnut St. in Downtown Lancaster, and consists of approximately 147 sworn officers and 46 civilian employees. The Bureau of Police operates out of twelve sectors, or districts, and operates in four Divisions, including Patrol, Criminal Investigative, Administrative Services, and Contracted Services. The Bureau also remains the largest law enforcementLaw enforcement
Law enforcement broadly refers to any system by which some members of society act in an organized manner to promote adherence to the law by discovering and punishing persons who violate the rules and norms governing that society...
agency in Lancaster County. The current Chief of Police is Keith R. Sadler.
Politics
Lancaster tends to be a Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
stronghold. Registered Democrats hold a 13,000 voter registration
Voter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
advantage over registered Republicans, as of June 2009. U.S. presidential candidate
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
easily won the city of Lancaster, receiving 76% of the vote during the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
.
Federally, Lancaster is part of Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district
Pennsylvania’s 16th congressional district is located in the southeastern part of the state, just west of Philadelphia. Created after the 2000 Census, the district is composed of a large portion of southern Chester County, all of Lancaster County, and a sliver of Berks County, including a sliver...
, represented by Republican Joe Pitts, elected in 1996.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Bob Casey
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
, elected in 2006. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Republican Pat Toomey
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
, elected in 2010. The Governor of Pennsylvania is Republican Tom Corbett
Tom Corbett
Thomas W. Corbett is the 46th and current Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. He is a former Attorney General of Pennsylvania and was elected to that office in 2004 and reelected in 2008...
, elected in 2010. Additionally, the city of Lancaster is the headquarters of the Constitution Party
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
, the largest third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
in the United States.
Lancaster was home to Democrat James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, the fifteenth president of the United States. Buchanan arrived in Lancaster in 1809 to practice law. He took up residence near the courthouse on N. Duke Street. In 1848 he purchased Wheatland, a Federal style mansion in the suburbs. He was elected President in 1856.
Security Camera Controversy
Not long after a police officer was wounded in a February 17, 2000 daytime shootout near the center of Lancaster's Penn Square, community residents, law enforcement, and elected officials sought viable solutions to rising crime. Addressing issues of public safety was a goal when the Lancaster County Crime Commission convened in August 2000. Public meetings and discussions were held over a two-year period. Among the seventeen recommendations in the Crime Commission's 2003 report was the recommendation to explore the feasibility of a civilian-driven system of security cameras to support law enforcement and first responders. Lancaster's citizens expressed a desire to avoid a government- or police-operated system of cameras. The Lancaster Community Safety Coalition (LCSC) was registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a nonprofit in 2004 to carry out the implementation and operation of a video surveillance system. Paid LCSC staff are background checked by the FBI and trained to monitor the network of 164 closed-circuit TV cameras in the city of Lancaster.In 2009, the LCSC's expansion from a 70 to a 165 camera network attracted national attention, including a front page Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
article called "Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself". The article quoted city police chief Keith Sadler as saying "Years ago, there's no way we could do this...It brings to mind Big Brother, George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
and 1984
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
. It's just funny how Americans have softened on these issues."
Prior to the publication of the Los Angeles Times article, there had been little public outcry in response to the expanding CCTV camera system, which had contributed to the resolution or prevention of several crimes. However, the national attention led to an immediate backlash by a small but vocal group of "mobilized opponents aimed at turning off the cameras, possibly for good." MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
commentator Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
used the story in his 'Worst Person in the World' segment, "calling out the 'citizen patriots of Lancaster, Pennsylvania' and criticizing them for spying on each other", and the surveillance system was also featured on ABC's "Nightline" and "CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
".
Although public opinion was initially mixed among Lancaster residents, statistical and anecdotal data suggest that the network of cameras is achieving the desired effect. In the fall of 2010, the Lancaster Community Safety Coalition was among several factors credited for a 13.7% drop in Lancaster's violent crime rate according to the FBI's Unified Crime Report (UCR). Property crime dropped 7.1% during the same period. Neighboring cities have not experienced similar reductions in crime. Although in the year 2010, cameras only helped solve 28 of the 6,653 crimes committed in the city in the year 2010. Although the year of 2009 received a reduction in violent crimes of over 13% and recorded 465 violent offenses, the following year of 2010 saw a rise in violent offenses. Violent offenses jumped from 465 in 2009 to 511 in 2010. Lancaster Community Safety Coalition had a success rate of preventing and helping police catch a suspect in .037% of crimes committed and Lancaster is seeing far more unsolved homicides since the installation of the cameras.
Neighborhoods
- Cabbage Hill/The Hill (Named for the large amount of cabbage used by those of German heritage who lived in this area)
- Conestoga Township (Home of the Conestoga Wagon)
- Downtown/Center City
- Downtown Investment District
- East End
- Gallery Row/Arts District
- Grandview Heights
- Manor Township
- North Side
- Northeast Side
- Northwest CorridorNorthwest Corridor (Lancaster)The Northwest Corridor is a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA neighborhood. The name refers to the neighborhood's location within the city of Lancaster, and the importance of the corridor in connecting important economic and civic developments within the city, and nearby, suburban East Hempfield...
- Penn Square
- Sixth Ward
- South Side
- Southeast Side
- Southwest Side
- Uptown
- West End
- Woodward Hill
Transportation
Red Rose Transit Authority
The Red Rose Transit Authority is a transit agency serving Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. RRTA is headquartered in downtown Lancaster.RRTA has routes both within Lancaster city, and between Lancaster and other areas of the county. RRTA coordinates a Paratransit service, Red Rose Access, which is...
(RRTA) provides local bus transit to Lancaster City as well as surrounding areas in Lancaster County. RRTA is headquartered outside the City of Lancaster.
Bieber Trailways (formerly Capitol Trailways) provides intercity bus transit from the Lancaster Train and Bus Station
Lancaster (Amtrak station)
Lancaster Station is an Amtrak railway station and intercity bus facility located at 53 McGovern Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The station is located at the north end of the city, roughly a mile from downtown Lancaster....
to King of Prussia
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after...
, Philadelphia, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to the east, and York
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
and Harrisburg to the west.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
also serves the Lancaster Train and Bus Station
Lancaster (Amtrak station)
Lancaster Station is an Amtrak railway station and intercity bus facility located at 53 McGovern Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The station is located at the north end of the city, roughly a mile from downtown Lancaster....
, located on the northernmost edge of the city at 53 East McGovern Avenue. The Pennsylvanian, with service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, as well as the Keystone Service
Keystone Service
Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is...
, which runs from Harrisburg to New York via Philadelphia, both serve Lancaster.
The city is served by the Lancaster Airport
Lancaster Airport (Pennsylvania)
Lancaster Airport is a public airport located four miles north of the central business district of Lancaster, a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. The airport covers and has two runways. It is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by one commercial airline and one...
, located six miles (10 km) north of downtown and just south of Lititz
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...
.
Lancaster is also a hub for automobile traffic, with so many major roadways passing through or around the city, including US-30, US-222, PA-283, PA-72, and PA-272.
Historical landmarks
- Central Market (Lancaster)- built in 1889, is the oldest, continuously-run farmers market in the United States.
- Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church- built in 1879, the church's congregation aided African-Americans fleeing the oppression of slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
in the Southern United StatesSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, thus one of many stops on the Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
- Fulton Opera HouseFulton Opera HouseThe Fulton Opera House, also known as the Fulton Theatre or simply The Fulton, is a League of Regional Theatres class C regional theater located in historic downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.-Building:...
- the oldest continually running theater in the United States, and is one of only three theaters recognized as National Historic Landmarks (the others are the Walnut Street TheatreWalnut Street TheatreThe Walnut Street Theatre , located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 825 Walnut Street, is the oldest continuously operating theatre in the English-speaking world and the oldest in the United States...
in Philadelphia and the Goldenrod ShowboatGoldenrod (showboat)On December 24, 1967, the Goldenrod Showboat is a designated U.S. National Historic Landmark. She was placed on the ‘Threatened Historical Landmarks’ list in 2001....
in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
).
- Hamilton Watch ComplexHamilton Watch ComplexThe Hamilton Watch Complex is a former industrial complex in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was owned by the Hamilton Watch Company and was used as their headquarters from the company's founding in 1892, until 1980. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982...
- former factory and headquarters of the Hamilton Watch CompanyHamilton Watch CompanyThe Hamilton Watch Company was originally formed to produce high quality pocket watches and wristwatches mid-range and luxury. Hamilton would become a corporate conglomerate diversified in other operations...
, which introduced the world's first battery-powered watch, the Hamilton Electric 500 in 1957.
- J. P. McCaskey High School- was built in 1938, and is designed in the Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architectural style.
- Lancaster County PrisonLancaster County PrisonThe Lancaster County Prison is a county prison located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located on East King Street in Lancaster City....
- built in 1849, is a near-replica of the Lancaster CastleLancaster CastleLancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. In 1164, the Honour of Lancaster, including the...
in England.
- Rock Ford PlantationRock Ford plantationThe Rock Ford Plantation or the General Edward Hand House is a historic house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 1976...
- built in 1794, was the home of General Edward HandEdward Hand-Early life and career:Hand was born in Clyduff, King's County, Ireland January 10, 1742, and was baptised in Shinrone. His father was John Hand. Among his immediate neighbours were the Kearney family, ancestors of U.S. President Barack Obamba [1]...
, adjutant generalAdjutant generalAn Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
to George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
- W. W. Griest BuildingW. W. Griest BuildingThe W.W. Griest Building is a historic skyscraper located in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Built in 1925 by C. Emlen Urban, the W.W. Griest Building is also the second tallest building in the city of Lancaster. It has been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places since June...
- listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since June 25, 1999. It was built in 1925 in the Beaux-Arts style using granite, limestone, terra cotta, synthetics, and asphalt. The building is named after William Walton GriestWilliam Walton GriestWilliam Walton Griest was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania....
, a former Pennsylvania representativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. It is also the second-tallest building in the city.
- WheatlandWheatland (Lancaster)Wheatland, or the James Buchanan House, is a brick, Federal style house outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County. It was formerly owned by the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan....
- the historic estate of James BuchananJames BuchananJames Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, the 15th President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Art and museums
The city of Lancaster hosts several museums that preserve its important contributions to society. The Demuth MuseumDemuth Museum
Demuth Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, is a museum of paintings by Charles Demuth located in his former studio and home.The museum offers a rotating view of a permanent collection which includes 27 Charles Demuth originals as well as artists and works that present a Demuth connection in...
is located in the former home of a well-known Lancaster painter named Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth was an American watercolorist who turned to oils late in his career, developing a style of painting known as Precisionism....
. Additional art museums include the Lancaster Museum of Art and the Philips Museum of Art on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College. Art students at the state-of-the-art Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
The Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is a professional art college located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania USA.The college offers Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in fine arts, graphic design, illustration, and photography...
present their works at the academy's gallery that is open to the public. Another newly constructed museum, completed in 2007, is the Lancaster County Quilts and Textile Museum that celebrates the hand-sewn quilts and other textile items produced by the region's Amish and Mennonite communities. Lancaster also possesses two other museums that pay homage to its unique Pennsylvania Dutch heritage with the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society Museum and the Heritage Center Museum. Children can have a hands-on experience with educational learning at the Hands-on House, also known as Children's Museum of Lancaster. Nature and geology-minded visitors can view the more earthly exhibits of the Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum
Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum
Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum is an arboretum located on the grounds of the Lancaster County Historical Society at 230 North President Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The arboretum is open to the public daily....
and the North Museum of Natural History and Science. Upon completion, the Lancaster County Convention Center
Lancaster County Convention Center
The Lancaster County Convention Center is a publicly owned convention center in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. With initial site preparation in late 2006 and completion in the summer of 2009, the Lancaster County Convention Center is one of several projects intended to help revitalize...
will incorporate the Stevens and Smith Historic Site, a museum that will include the preserved home of Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens
Thaddeus Stevens , of Pennsylvania, was a Republican leader and one of the most powerful members of the United States House of Representatives...
and his confidante Lydia Hamilton Smith. In addition to its exhibits, the underground portion of the site will feature a recently discovered Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
feature: a converted water cistern utilized in the nineteenth century to hide runaway slaves escaping to freedom. In the surrounding county, the Landis Valley Museum
Landis Valley Museum
Landis Valley Museum is a nationally significant living history museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. It collects, conserves, exhibits, and interprets Pennsylvania German material, culture, history and heritage from 1740 through 1940. The museum was founded by the Landis brothers--Henry K...
in Manheim Township, Lancaster County
Lancaster County
Lancaster County is the name of four counties in the United States:* Lancaster County, Nebraska* Lancaster County, Pennsylvania* Lancaster County, South Carolina* Lancaster County, Virginia...
contains exhibits that illustrate Lancaster County's history and culture. LancasterARTS, a non-profit organization, started in 2002 to promote local arts in Lancaster.
Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster Barnstormers Lancaster Barnstormers The Lancaster Barnstormers is an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball... |
ALPB Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball is a professional, independent baseball organization located primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, especially the greater metropolitan areas of the Northeast megalopolis. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League... Baseball |
Clipper Magazine Stadium Clipper Magazine Stadium Clipper Magazine Stadium is a 6,000-seat baseball park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 11, 2005, when the tenants of the facility, the Lancaster Barnstormers, lost to the Atlantic City Surf, 4-3... |
2005 | 1 |
Baseball
Lancaster Red Roses
The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of...
. The Barnstormers are named after the barnstorm
Barnstorm (sports)
Barnstorming in athletics refers to sports teams or individuals that travel to various locations, usually small towns, to stage exhibition matches....
ing baseball players who played exhibition games in the surrounding county, as well as a reference to the county's many farms. The Barnstormers continue a couple of traditions of the old Red Roses, as their official colors are red, navy blue, and khaki, the same colors used by the Red Roses. More importantly, the Barnstormers continue the old "War of the Roses" rivalry between Lancaster and the nearby city of York
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
, contending with the York Revolution
York Revolution
The York Revolution is an American professional baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
The city of Lancaster is the hometown of Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
alumnus, Tom Herr
Tom Herr
Thomas Mitchell Herr is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1979 to 1991 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets...
. Herr played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, and finally with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. After his time in the Majors, he coached the Black Knights baseball team of Hempfield High School
Hempfield High School
Hempfield High School is a public senior high school located in Landisville, Pennsylvania. It serves both East and West Hempfield townships and serves as the only high school for Hempfield School District.-Demographics:*Grades: 9-12...
for several years. Herr joined the Lancaster Barnstormers for their inaugural season in 2005 as the manager. After a dismal 2005 season, he led the Barnstormers to their first-ever championship in 2006, against the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. Two of Tom's sons, Aaron
Aaron Herr
Aaron Mitchell Herr is a professional baseball player who played for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League in 2011. He has played the majority of his minor league career with the Atlanta Braves organization. He is the son of Tom Herr, who was also a professional baseball...
and Jordan, both play professional baseball on Major League-affiliated clubs. Aaron is a member of the Louisville Bats
Louisville Bats
The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...
, the AAA-level affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Jordan joined his hometown Barnstormers for the 2008 season in lieu of completing his senior year at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. Following the completion of the Barnstormers' 2008 season, Jordan piqued the interest of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, who allocated him to their Rookie-level Great Falls Voyagers.
Basketball
Professional basketball briefly returned to Lancaster in 2009 with the Liberty. The team participated in the now-defunct Global Professional Basketball League 2.Bicycling
The Lancaster Bicycle Club hosts an annual Covered Bridge Metric Century bicycle race. In 2010, more than 2,500 riders participated. The 2011 ride is scheduled for August 21.The city of Lancaster hosted the Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic
Lancaster Classic
The Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic is a professional road bicycle racing event held each June since 1992 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The Lancaster Classic is the first leg of the Pro Cycling Tour and the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling, which includes the Reading Classic and the...
, an international, professional bicycle racing event held each June since 1992. It was part of the 2006–2007 UCI America Tour
2006–2007 UCI America Tour
The 2006–2007 UCI America Tour is the third season for the UCI America Tour. Canadian Svein Tuft of the team won the individual points championship...
and the 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour
2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour
The 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour is the inaugural year of a professional road bicycle racing series organized by USA Cycling.Levi Leipheimer and the team won the overall individual and team titles respectively. Leipheimer finished the season with 381 points over teammate George Hincapie,...
.
Golf
Professional golf is well-represented by the Professional Golf Association's Jim FurykJim Furyk
James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing...
. He placed 4th in the 1998 and 2003 Masters tournament, won the 2003 U.S. Open, placed 4th in the 1997, 1998, and 2006 British Open, and placed 6th in the 1997 PGA championship. Furyk also won the Vardon Trophy
Vardon Trophy
The Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low...
in 2006. He is an alumnus of Manheim Township High School, located in the immediate suburb of Manheim Township
Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Manheim Township is a township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania established in 1729, which southernmost border meets the city limits of Lancaster. The population as of the 2000 census was 33,697.-Government:...
.
The 2015 U.S. Women's Open
United States Women's Open Championship (golf)
The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association , is one of the LPGA's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship...
will be held at the Lancaster Country Club
Lancaster Country Club
Lancaster Country Club is a country club located just outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The club will be the host venue for the 2015 U.S. Women's Open. The Pennsylvania Open, in 2002 and 2007, local qualifying for the 2008 U.S...
.
Soccer
The Women's Premier Soccer LeagueWomen's Premier Soccer League
The Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
added the Lancaster Inferno
Lancaster Inferno
Lancaster Inferno was an American soccer team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the National Premier Soccer League , a national amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid for just one season, until 2008, when the franchise...
in the 2008 season. The WPSL is a FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
-recognized Division IV league, and is also included in the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
. The Inferno is owned by the Pennsylvania Classics organization and play their home games at the Hempfield High School stadium in Landisville
Salunga-Landisville, Pennsylvania
Salunga-Landisville is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States with a zip code of 17538. The population was 4,771 at the 2000 census. The name "Salunga" comes from the nearby Chiquesalunga Creek, which in turn is derived from the Lenape "Chiquesalunga", meaning...
. The Inferno's colors are orange, black, and white.
A Lancaster native named Julian Valentin
Julian Valentin
Julian Valentin is a retired American soccer player.-College and Amateur:At Wake Forest University, Valentin started over 70 games for the Deacons, and during his time in North Carolina, amongst many recognitions, was named a Soccer America Preseason All-American, was included in the NSCAA First...
plays for FC Tampa Bay of USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
. He is also a member of the Under-20 United States men's national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
, and played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
. Valentin made his professional debut on October 26, 2008 versus FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
.
Amateur sports in Lancaster
Lancaster's suburban area hosts several amateur sports teams. Ice hockey is represented by the Central Penn Panthers, a member of the junior-level Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey LeagueAtlantic Metropolitan Hockey League
The Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League is a youth ice hockey organization, based in McAfee, New Jersey, that operates in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The league consists of four leagues under the banner of the AMHL: Atlantic Junior Hockey League, Atlantic Sled...
, and the Lancaster Firebirds, a youth amateur ice hockey organization of the USA Hockey's Atlantic District. American football is represented by the Lancaster Lightning, a member of the semi-professional North American Football League, that plays in nearby Kinzers. A close cousin of American football, rugby, is represented by the Roses Rugby Football Club
Roses Rugby Football Club
The Roses Rugby Football Club, , is a rugby union team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The club competes in, and is governed by, the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union, the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union, and USA Rugby....
of the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union, of which the Roses RFC are the 2005 champion. Roller derby is represented by the Dutchland Derby Rollers, an all-female roller derby team which plays to raise money for various charities, currently ranked #23 in the world by Derby News Network.
Historical Lancaster teams
All of Lancaster's defunct teams either were members of a professional baseball or basketball league. The most well-known of the city's former teams were the Lancaster Red RosesLancaster Red Roses
The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named for the opposing factions in England's historic Wars of...
of the Eastern Professional Baseball League that played from 1906 to 1909, and from 1940 to their last season in 1961. The Red Roses were known as the Lancaster Maroons from 1896 to 1899 and the Lancaster Red Sox in 1932.
The most well-known of Lancaster's former basketball teams were the Lancaster Red Roses
Lancaster Red Roses (basketball)
The Lancaster Red Roses were a professional basketball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From 1946 to 1949 and from 1953 to 1955, they played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League, of which the Red Roses were one of the six original teams. The Red Roses also played briefly as the...
of the Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
from 1946 to 1949, and from 1953 to 1955. The Continental Basketball Association later hosted another Lancaster team called the Lightning from 1981–1985. The Lightning later moved to Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, where they played until the 2007 season. The most recent basketball team to play in Lancaster was the Storm of the Eastern Basketball Alliance
Eastern Basketball Alliance
The Eastern Basketball Alliance is a professional men's winter basketball league. Games are played on the weekends and the season is approximately 4 months long, January through April.-History:...
from 1997 to 2000. This team won the league championship in 1999.
Inventions
- The first battery-powered watchWatchA watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
, the Hamilton Electric 500, was released in 1957 by the Hamilton Watch Company. - PeepsPeepsPeeps are marshmallow candies, sold in the United States and Canada, that are shaped into chicks, bunnies, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are used primarily to fill Easter baskets, though recent ad campaigns tout the candy as "Peeps - Always in...
, an EasterEasterEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
confection shaped as marshmallow chicks covered with yellow sugar, were invented by the Rodda Candy Company of Lancaster in the 1920s. In 1953, Rodda was purchased by Sam Born, the Russian immigrant who invented ice cream "jimmies", and production was moved to Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaBethlehem, PennsylvaniaBethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
.
Education
EducationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in Lancaster is provided by many private and public institutions. The School District of Lancaster
School District of Lancaster
The School District of Lancaster is a large, urban school district of 11,300 students educated in 19 schools in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Established in 1836, it is the second oldest school district in the state. School District of Lancaster encompasses approximately 11 square miles....
runs the city's public schools. The local high school campuses are McCaskey and McCaskey East. Established in 1836, it is the second oldest school district in Pennsylvania. Lancaster Catholic High School
Lancaster Catholic High School
Lancaster Catholic High School is a Catholic co-educational high school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. The school is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg secondary schools.-Academics:...
has a long history in the county; it was founded in 1926. It currently falls under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Harrisburg. With a P-12 enrollment of more than 500 students, Lancaster Country Day School
Lancaster Country Day School
Lancaster Country Day School is a private, secular, coeducational college preparatory school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It serves 530 students in preschool through twelfth grade...
is one of the region's largest independent nonsectarian schools. Founded in 1908 as the Shippen School for Girls, the school became coeducational and relocated from downtown Lancaster to its Hamilton Road address in 1949.
Lancaster area hosts several colleges and universities including: Consolidated School of Business, Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Lancaster General College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Lancaster Theological Seminary
Lancaster Theological Seminary
Lancaster Theological Seminary, a seminary of the United Church of Christ in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1825 by members of the German Reformed Church in the United States to provide theological education for prospective clergy and other church leaders...
, Lancaster Bible College
Lancaster Bible College
Lancaster Bible College is a private, coeducational Bible college and graduate school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that "exists to educate Christian students to think and live a biblical worldview and to proclaim Christ by serving him in the Church and society."Traditional undergraduate students...
, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
The Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is a professional art college located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania USA.The college offers Bachelor of Fine Arts programs in fine arts, graphic design, illustration, and photography...
, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a two-year co-educational technical college that provides an education in twenty two programs for about 800 students. It was named for Thaddeus Stevens, a nineteenth-century politician. The school was founded in 1905.Stevens is located in southeastern...
, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA, 3 miles southwest of Lancaster. Millersville University is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.-History:...
, Central Pennsylvania College
Central Pennsylvania College
Central Penn College, formerly known as "Central Pennsylvania College", is America's largest career-oriented college located in the suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania neighborhood of Summerdale, Pennsylvania....
,and the Harrisburg Area Community College
Harrisburg Area Community College
HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College is a community college in the United States serving the greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. HACC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools...
.
- Intelligencer JournalIntelligencer JournalThe Intelligencer Journal, known locally as the Intell, is the daily, morning newspaper published by Lancaster Newspapers, Inc in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the 7th oldest newspaper in the United States and one of the oldest newspapers to be continually published under the same name...
, the county's predominant newspaper - La Voz Hispana, the city's Spanish-language edition
- Sunday News, the county's weekly edition
- Fly Magazine, Lancaster City's Downtown Guide
See also: List of newspapers in Pennsylvania in the 18th-century: Lancaster
TV
| TV stations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| call letters | channel | network | location | Owner |
| WGAL WGAL WGAL is the NBC-affiliated television station for South Central Pennsylvania that is licensed to Lancaster. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter near U.S. 30 north of Hallam. The transmitter site and tower is also where WGAL's radio partner, WROZ "101.3... |
8 / 58 | NBC | Lancaster | Hearst Corporation |
| WGAL – DT | HD 8.2 | TH!S Movie Network | Lancaster | Hearst Corporation |
Local businesses
The businesses that are based in the vicinity of Lancaster include: Armstrong World IndustriesArmstrong World Industries
Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is an international designer and manufacturer of floors, ceilings and cabinets. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong operates 40 plants in 10 countries and has approximately 12,300 employees worldwide. In 2006, Armstrong’s net sales were $3.42 billion, with...
, Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's
Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...
, Fulton Bank
Fulton Bank
Fulton Bank, N.A., founded 1882, is the wholly owned banking subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corp., a financial services holding company headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Currently, Fulton Bank is major and largest source of parent company's net income....
, Fulton Financial Corporation
Fulton Financial Corporation
Fulton Financial Corporation is a U.S. regional financial services holding company, headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.Fulton Financial Corp. has $16.6 billion in assets, operates 8 affiliates with 271 banking centers providing financial services throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware,...
, Herley Industries
Herley Industries
Herley Industries , based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American company that specializes in supplying microwave and millimeter wave products to defense and aerospace industries. They provide solutions for radars, flight instrumentation, weapon sensors, electronic warfare systems and guidance...
, Isaac's Restaurant & Deli
Isaac's Restaurant & Deli
Isaac's Restaurant & Deli is a chain of soup and sandwich restaurants in South Central Pennsylvania. The corporate headquarters is located in the city of Lancaster, though the restaurant serves residents of Lancaster County, Chester County, York County, Hershey, Reading, and the Harrisburg area...
, Kunzler & Company, Inc.
Kunzler & Company, Inc.
Kunzler & Company, Inc. is an American food manufacturer and processor.It was founded in 1901 German butcher named Christian Kunzler who moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
, Lancaster Brewing Company
Lancaster Brewing Company
The Lancaster Brewing Company is a brewery located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and produces premium malt-based beverages. Prior to the creation of the brewery's German-influenced lager, the city of Lancaster consumed mainly English-produced ales. Lancaster, Pennsylvania became known as a major...
, Lancaster Laboratories
Lancaster Laboratories
Lancaster Laboratories Inc., is one of the largest contract laboratories in the United States. They specialize in pharmaceutical and environmental analytical services....
, MapQuest
MapQuest
MapQuest is an American free online web mapping service owned by AOL. The company was founded in 1967 as Cartographic Services, a division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1969. When it became an independent company in 1994, it was...
, Opening Day Partners, Y&S Candies
Twizzlers
Twizzlers is a brand of red licorice candy in the United States and Canada. Twizzlers is the product of Y&S Candies, Inc., of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, now a subsidiary of The Hershey Company.-History:...
division of The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
, and the Lancaster Caramel Company
Lancaster Caramel Company
The Lancaster Caramel Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1886. It was Hershey's first successful candy company and helped him build a reputation. The Hershey Chocolate Company became a subsidiary of the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1894...
(the original parent company of the Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
), Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
Sister cities
-
Beit Shemesh, IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea... -
Sano, TochigiSano, Tochigiis a city located in Tochigi, Japan.The city took its current form on February 28, 2005 when the old city of Sano merged with the towns of Kuzu and Tanuma from Aso District to form the new city of Sano.The city is known for its Outlet Mall and ramen....
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
See also
- Crystal Park, PennsylvaniaCrystal Park, PennsylvaniaCrystal Park is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Crystal Park’s entrance is located on the intersection of First and Crystal streets. It is encased by First Street on the south, Reo Avenue on the west and Rieker Avenue on the north and east....
- List of people from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Further reading
- "Battle over city project moves to courtroom" by Dave Pidgeon, Intelligencer Journal, July 13, 2006, retrieved July 14, 2006
External links
- Lancaster travel guide from WikitravelWikitravel-External links:* *...
- City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- Downtown Lancaster
- Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau