Amish Country News - August 2023

HANDMADE is Our Heritage

From Families Who Make the "RIEHL" Difference

Our farm features 100 local family craft businesses offering hand made products. All locally made!

• Quilts to Brighten Your Home

Discover the beauty of Traditional Amish Quilts with wide selections of King, Queen or Single.

• Country Gifts & Crafts

The ultimate gift waits for you including souvenirs, Quillows, hand bags & purses, leather goods, things for the kids, for your baby, and more!

• Body Care

All natural body care made in Lancaster County, PA., including lotions, soaps, lip balm and more.

• For the Home

Decorate your space and bring it new light including kitchen items, home decor, pillows, lap throws, wall hangings, bird houses & feeders, brooms and more.

Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m.–5 p.m., CLOSED SUN Evenings by appointment only. For our catalog or information call 800.957.7105 | 717.656.0697

been making natural products that address many common health needs. From respiratory infections to back & neck pain, eczema to food poisoning these products have come to the rescue in cases where commercial western medicine simply fails. These well designed holistic, all–natural solutions address problems completely and are based on science as well as North–American herbology.

The Nature’s Rite philosophy is to design products that offer a well–rounded and complete solution. They: 1) Relieve the symptoms, 2) Fix the problem and 3) Help the body to heal. This holistic approach is more sophisticated than typical single–herb preparations. Yet, the customer need not be an herbal expert to apply them. Each product is directed towards a particular malady and contains all of the

ingredients necessary to accomplish this 3–point holistic solution. If you are having digestive problems… we have a Digestive Rehabilitation Kit. If you have sinus problems, we have Sinus Kits to choose from. If you have Sleep Apnea or Restless legs… Each product is a complete solution for each problem.

All of our remedies are made in an FDA audited GMP facility right here in Sarasota Florida. We take great pride in making the best products for you and we are constantly testing them to ensure quality and effectiveness. If you are a scientific type, just contact us and ask for some of our testing reports. If you like to read about the formulations to understand why we selected the ingredients, we offer a book called HealthCare ToolKit that explains everything that you need to maintain the health of your family naturally.

Of course, all of our products are backed by our un–conditional

money–back guarantee. If you are not happy with the product for any reason, we will refund the cost upon return. Our return rate is very, very low. In fact, we think that once you try one of our products, you will want to try them all. And you can. We have some heavily discounted assortment boxes to meet the most common health–tool needs and save you money!

Steven Frank designed these products to use on his family and friends. He is very happy to share them with you and your family. From the Nature’s Rite family to yours, we wish to help you stay healthy naturally; the way God intended.

See Our World From a Buggy!

All About Aaron Did you know?

Aaron was a Standardbred ex-race track horse. Like many Amish families, standardbreds are a preferred breed for travel as they have a faster speed and can travel up to 20 miles per day. In the barn. Aaron loved to wear Dad’s straw hat on his head.

All About Jessica

Aaron & Jessica’s began over 30 years ago with Jessica’s dream to share her love for horses and Amish Country with visitors to bucolic Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Raised Old Order River Brethren, the oldest of 6 children, Jessica attended a one roomed school with her siblings, and completed her eighth-grade education. At the age of 14, Jessica obtained working papers from the state and worked with her father to open a new family venture, Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides. With her first horse, Aaron, she enjoyed welcoming all cultures and visitors to learn about the lifestyle of the Plain community from a horse-drawn carriage perspective. While caring for horses over these early years, Jessica realized she had a love of medicine and wished to provide the best possible care to her horses. At the age of 20, she enrolled in a local community college and after placement testing, began her first college courses. Completing her first degree in Veterinary Technology, she accepted a full-time position in the Operating Room of University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, a large animal hospital. This employment in the modern world taught her much about the outside world of the “English” and it was during this time that she chose to withdraw her Beachy Amish church membership.

Five years later, she aspired to learn more about anesthesia and graduated from human nursing school! She immediately took a position in a local hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and gained valuable experience and life skills she had not received during farm life.

Presently, Jessica continues to work part-time as a CRNP in the local medical community. When she is not seeing patients, she enjoys giving rides and sharing her experiences and perspective of Plain community healthcare practices.

A Family Tradition that Never Disappoints

Jessica and her team of local Plain community members are eager to share the stories and journeys of their lives during a ride.

See You Soon!

GROUPS ARE WELCOME!

We have team carriages so your group can ride together! Group rates available for 20+ riders.

summer hours

Monday - Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm

Standard Rides

Country & Cookie Tour

Adults: $18.00 Child: $12.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 30-35 minute tour passing a cluster of Amish homes and businesses in an all Amish area. Travel our country roads, the way we travel! Cookies, snacks and drinks are USUALLY available for purchase, depending on our Amish neighbors availability.

Amish Farm Tour

Adults: $35.00 Child: $16.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 50-60 minute ride to Lancaster’s best! Experience our way of life on a real working Amish farm. Tour the barn, see the cows, chickens, goats, and horses. Discover life without electricity and how the Amish remain separate from traditional American society!

The Sunday Ride

Adults: $20.00 Child: $12.00 (age 3-12) 2 & under: Free

A 30-35 minute tour passing numerous Amish farms. Our local drivers can answer your questions and talk to you about points of interest.

Private Journey Tours

For a truly unique experience, book your own private tour, with your own driver, horse, and buggy. Our guests call it “ unforgettable”!

& ’

THE AMISH and Photographs

REVISITED (Part One & Two of Four)

Often, I get questions during my travels in and around “Amish Country” from visitors and even some locals of what is proper or allowable for photographing the Amish people within their and our communities. As you know, we always attempt in making it our utmost goal here at “Amish Country News” to be thoughtful and respectful regarding our articles, historical references, artwork, and all the photographs that are submitted, taken, and used in and throughout our publications. We even have a special continuing section in each issue categorized as, “Reminders”, that assists in making our readers and visitors to the Amish communities aware of some of the simple etiquettes to bring to mind. This way we all have a respected and civil guide for interaction between peoples, be it Amish, Mennonite, or English and the continuing goal of respecting each other’s privacy, space, and dignity.

In 2008, Brad Igou, a dear friend & contributor of and to “Amish Country News”, dove in-depth regarding this specific subject with his expertise in a four-part array of articles to assist

and enlighten us all in these on-going questions of photographing our friends in the Amish communities. I thought it would be nice to revisit it in this and the upcoming issues of “Amish Country News”. So, without any further ado, please enjoy the first of four parts:

PART ONE

It is difficult to leave Lancaster County without hearing of the Amish aversion to having their photographs taken. Yet few tourists return home without pictures. The Second Commandment , concerning the making of “graven images,” is most frequently noted as the reason for the Amish attitude on the matter.

But as most locals know, the Amish often have calendars, books, magazines, and newspapers with pictures in them. Some Amish enjoy sketching, and some Amish have even become known for their folk art. Mirrors are found in Amish homes. Should not these also be considered “graven images?” It seems there may be more to all this than we may at first think.

Let’s begin with an interesting story concerning Christian Beck, who came to America from Bern, Switzerland in 1834. One of his sons brought his dog on the ship, something not allowed. During the voyage, the dog had puppies, which was discovered by the captain.

But the kind captain merely selected one for his own and, “reaching into his pocket, he handed John a silver dollar and a daguerreotype (an early type of photograph) of himself. When the father heard of this, he took both the dollar and the picture from the boy. It was wrong to have the picture, according to Amish beliefs…” So writes David Luthy in perhaps the earliest story about the Amish and photographs.

Between 1862 and 1878, general conferences of Amish ministers were held in order to reconcile some differences. In minutes from the second meeting in 1863 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, Solomon Yoder is on record as opposing photographs, which had just recently been perfected. In 1865, the conference meeting in Holmes County, Ohio, drew up a “Discipline of 11 Articles.” Article 3 reads in part “decided not to allow…carrying hidden on one’s person photographic pictures of human likenesses or hanging them on the wall to look at in our houses.” There is apparently no mention of a Scriptural basis for this, such as the Second Commandment. Decorating homes with “large mirrors” was also deemed improper.

In 1910, preacher John D. Kauffman of Missouri wrote of his concern over photographs. All of this seems to center on pride and vain displays in

the home. One Lancaster Amishman says that around the turn of the century some newlywed Amish couples were having wedding pictures taken in photo salons. These photographs, especially if displayed in the home, demonstrated a lack of humility. It is felt that this also influenced the ban on photographs.

In 1933, the daughter of an Amish deacon sat for a photograph. She repented, confessed, and was forgiven by the congregation. (There have been similar voluntary confessions of having been photographed as late as the 1980’s.) The deacon’s daughter gave the photos to her father to burn, but he reportedly said, “They look too lifelike, I cannot put them in the stove.”

PART TWO

Earlier in the previous pages, we looked at early stories concerning the Amish and photographs. The most common explanation given for their aversion to photographs is similar to that offered by the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau… “Many Amish believe that photographs in which they can be recognized violate the Biblical commandment, ‘Thou shalt not make unto thyself a graven image.’ Please follow our lead in taking no photographs in which faces are recognizable.”

Calvin George Bachman, in his 1942 Old Order Amish of Lancaster County, offers the idea that all this may even date back to a time in Europe and Germany when people believed that you might die if you had your portrait

painted. This is similar to an idea that persists even to this day among some “primitive” cultures that a photograph robs the soul. But he admits this may have nothing to do with the dislike of photos today.

Interestingly Bill Coleman, in his 1988 book of spectacular photographs, Amish Odyssey, writes this concerning taking a picture of an Amish woman in a carriage… “I had hoped that the fog and the distance had kept me relatively anonymous. In fact, I was certain of it. Yet when the buggy passed, a woman leaned out and said very clearly, ‘You

Continued on Page 9

Antiquing

in Amish Country

By Ed Blanchette

Do you enjoy searching for antiques? Perhaps you are looking for that special something, or you just enjoy searching for a surprise to add to your home decor. Maybe you hope to find an item worthy of an “Antique Roadshow.” Whatever you discover, once you find it, it becomes your personal treasure.

What makes Lancaster County such a great place to go antiquing? One obvious answer would be that this area has a rich history going back hundreds of years to the first settlers in the early 1700’s. Many of us have stuff in our attics that we have forgotten about, or inherited. Who knows what may be out there either at a yard sale or an antique shop? Here in Lancaster County we boast thousands of antique shops and dealers. The Adamstown area alone has over 3,000 antiques dealers, and is known as Antiques Capital, U.S.A. The many locations stretch out along Route 272, just off Pennsylvania Turnpike, Exit 286.

Whether you are after a rarity, or just something old that intrigues you, you’ll find everything from sheet music to music boxes, pocket watches to kitchen sinks, nostalgic clothes to beautiful wardrobes to hang them in. Glassware, crafts, toys, clothes, artwork, china, quilts and fabrics, memorabilia...the list is endless!

THE AMISH

and Photographs

(Continued from Page 7) have stolen my soul.’ The hurt stayed with me a long time. Though I’ve heard it a few times since from others, it is that woman in the fog who stays in my memory.”

Although the Second Commandment is usually cited, Bachman writes that “photographs are an evidence of pride, in which people are tempted to look at a likeness of themselves with selfadmiration…Pictures, they say, represent simply the outward appearance, which is temporary; and in paying too much attention to the passing, there is always danger of losing sight of the eternal and the spiritual.” He also noted that the main objection was to be sitting or willingly posing for a picture. Thus, passport photos and public-school class photos including Amish children do exist, as this was “part of a program.” But now that the Amish have their own private schools, there are no class pictures.

In 1950, the Amish church of Pike County, Ohio, printed their church rules and ordinances (Ordnung) in English. It stated quite simply, “No photographs.” In 1974, at the 8th Annual Old Order Amish Steering Committee Meeting in Wisconsin, the minutes noted that when the Amish travel from Canada to the USA, photographs were not required due to a special document the Committee had which exempted them “if religiously opposed to photographs.”

Most recently, Dr. Donald Kraybill in The Riddle of Amish Culture, notes that the Second Commandment was used to legitimize the taboo against pictures. “In the latter part of the nineteenth century, as photography was becoming popular, the Amish applied the biblical injunction against ‘likeness’ to photographs. Their aversion to photographs is a way of suppressing pride. If people see themselves displayed in a photograph, they might begin to take themselves too seriously.”

Bird–in–Hand

Discover the Charm

Of the many unique village names that dot the Amish Country map, one of the more interesting is Bird-in-Hand.

The story of the town of Birdin-Hand is as colorful as the name itself. To be correct, the town is really a village, since it has no governing body. When Bird-in-Hand celebrated its 250th Anniversary (1734 – 1984), a commemorative booklet was put together. It outlined a brief history of the town…

The William Penn, an English Quaker, had founded the colony of

Penn’s Woods (Pennsylvania), and settlers began arriving from Europe in the early 1700’s, moving westward from the port city of Philadelphia. English Quakers and Swiss Mennonites were the early settlers. The Quakers built a meetinghouse and two-story academy, which stands today, next to the fire company. But over the years, the Germans “made the greatest lasting impact.”

A friendly relationship existed between the early settlers and the Shawnee and Conestoga Indians, who were, of course, the area’s first

inhabitants. They taught settlers how to deaden trees, use deerskin, prepare corn as food, and use medicinal herbs. But as the white settlement grew, there was less hunting available, and many Indians became peddlers or beggars.

“When the Old Philadelphia Pike became a well-established route of transportation for those traveling west to the Alleghenies, Lancaster became known as the gateway to the west.” The trip by stagecoach for passengers, or Conestoga wagon with freight and merchandise, lasted several days. Inns were built every few miles, identified with signs held by an iron pole or attached to the side of the building.

Don't miss the Lanco Recovery Benefit Auction. August 4-5. Benefiting Restart, The Potter's House & Slow Down Ministries Visit

The reason for these signs was twofold. First, they could be understood by all nationalities. Secondly, many teamsters or wagoneers were poorly educated and could not read. If they were given orders to stop at a certain inn, they could do so by recognizing the artwork on the signboard.

The old legend of the naming of Bird-in-Hand concerns the time when this pike was being laid out. Legend says that two road surveyors were discussing whether they should stay at their present location or go to the town of Lancaster to spend the night. One of them said, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” and so they remained. The sign in front of the inn is known to have once “portrayed a man with a bird in his hand and a bush nearby, in which two birds were perched,” and soon was known as the Bird-in-Hand Inn.

The original hotel was destroyed by fire about 1851. By the following year, a three-story hotel was built to replace it. More recently, it was known as Bitzer’s Hotel before becoming the present Village Inn of Bird-in-Hand, now on the National Register of Historic Places. The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County noted that it “may be one of the few 19th century inns in the context of a small town in Lancaster County, which survives with a high degree of architectural integrity.”

The Bird-in-Hand Mill, built by James Gibbons in 1770 at the west end of town, “is probably the oldest mill in Lancaster County that is still being used” commercially, now known as Nolt’s Mill. The datestone in the wall has the misspelled word “biult,” perhaps an error made by a local German.

Gibbons is an important name in the town’s history. Quaker activists, the Gibbonses operated the primary “underground railroad station” for slaves escaping from the South. It is said that Hannah and Daniel Gibbons helped about 1,000 slaves. “A single tap on the window at night indicated to everyone in the family that a fugitive was there. The escapees were taken

to the barn and in the morning brought to the house separately,” where each was given a new identity.

The year 1834 marked the beginning of construction of the 86-mile Pennsylvania Railroad line between Philadelphia and Columbia. Bird-in-Hand, with its tanneries, feed mills, coal and lumberyards, was the most important stop on the Lancaster to Coatesville section. Horses were used to pull the cars. In 1836 a second

track was laid and locomotives began pulling the cars.

Well into the 1900’s, everything from flowers to live ducks were shipped from the village to large cities by the railroad. As late as the 1950’s, mail was “hung from a long arm and caught by a moving train.”

Even with a bridge over the tracks, there were fatalities and an underpass was dug so that the main street would go under the train tracks. It opened in

Eli Became NOAH for a Year and Built an Ark in 2016

By Clinton Martin

When the American Countryside Farmers Market opened in Indiana, it was the largest timber-frame structure in the world. Timber framing is a method of construction which, even among the hand-work and constructionminded Amish, is somewhat of a niche specialty. Finding an Amish company to build a house, a barn, or even a very large farmers market is relatively easy. Many Amish make their living in the construction trade.

However, timber-framing (which uses fully sized heavy logs instead of hewn lumber like two-by-fours) is a much less common way to build, and thus draws far fewer Amish into it as a career. Still, in Lancaster County there are at least six timber-framing companies. One of these companies, Highline Construction was heavily involved with the construction of the Ark Encounter, a massive recreation of the biblical ark built by Noah to survive the flood.

When the Ark Encounter opened in 2016, becoming the new record-holder for largest timber-frame structure in the world, it took three million board feet of wood to complete the 1.5 football field spanning attraction. The finished ark is 510 feet long and over 50 feet tall.

The structure was erected one timber half-frame at a time, with each piece weighing between 12 and 16 tons, depending on what part of the ark they were at. In all, they raised at least 60 of these frames. Eli Stoltzfus, Highline Construction’s owner, was hired by the Ark Encounter to be the on-site supervisor of the timber framing, and Stoltzfus directed a team of between 30 to 70 Amish workers each day, depending

on the complexity of the day’s work. Stoltzfus, being from Lancaster, was much too far from home to hire a driver for a daily commute, so he remained there during the week and arranged for a driver to come home on weekends. Some of the Amish workers were from the Ohio settlement, so hiring drivers for a daily commute was possible. The entire project took over a year to complete.

(Continued from Page 11)

1928. To this day, road traffic goes under the train tracks on Route 340.

Some of the other interesting businesses around the village over the years have included a Christmas tree plantation, archery targets, potato chips, dried corn, ceramics, wagons, carriages, and raising ducks.

The town post office was established in 1836 as the Enterprise Post Office. “Enterprise” was then the official name of the town, until the final change back to Bird-in-Hand in 1873.

After a large fire in 1896, people discussed the need for a fire company. In the early days, hitting a circular saw alerted the men of a fire. The year 1916 saw the change from horse-drawn to motorized fire equipment. Today the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company remains a volunteer organization, famous for its delicious fund-raiser dinners.

The town of Bird-in-Hand remained relatively unknown until a musical

called PLAIN & FANCY opened in New York. The show Playbill noted that “The action takes place in and around Birdin-Hand, a town in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.” The cast was brought to Bird-in-Hand on January 17, 1955, prior to the official opening.

Today, the town of Bird-in-Hand is still small, said to have a population of only about 300 people. On any given day, there may be more visitors than inhabitants. Many are city folks who have come to enjoy the country atmosphere, history, and shopping. It is said that visitors “can still expect friendly shopkeepers, homegrown Lancaster County foods, and restful lodging for weary travelers.”

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By Edward Blanchette

Aaaah, summertime… long hot days, family vacations and barbeques, and ice cream! Yes, summers and ice cream, go perfectly together. Ice cream is the one thing that can assist in taking the edge off from the heat of the day, topping off the end of a great meal, or to just put a smile on a child’s face. Whether your nine months or ninety years young, it’s Ice Cream that brings the biggest smile of approval, hands down! Definitely the go-to for most people this time of year. And why not? This frozen treat comes in a multitude of flavors, colors, and sizes. Not to mention a variety of ingredients to satisfy even the pickiest of consumers. From hard scooped to soft serve that create the Banana Splits, HotFudge Sundays, your favorite flavored shake, to even the simplest vanilla cone (be it waffle cone or standard), ice cream has certainly come a long way from its meager beginnings.

It’s believed that the precursors to Ice Cream originated as far back as 2700 BCE. It is also believed that early ice cream was also created during the Tang Dynasty of China (618 to 907 CE), the iced milk that had been so popular in earlier dynasties had become a widespread delicacy. But in America, the first Ice Cream Parlor was believed to have been opened in New York City in 1776. American colonists were the first to use the term “ice cream." The name came from the phrase iced cream, which

was similar to iced tea. The name was later abbreviated to ice cream, the name we know today.*

From there, the many innovations for this frozen treat took off.**

• In the 1840’s the first ice cream churn was invented.

• In 1851: the first ice cream plant was opened.

• In the 1880’s the Ice Cream Sunday was born.

• In 1904: The first waffle cone made its debut at the “World’s Fair” in St. Louis, MO.

• In 1970: A man named H.P. Hood introduced a soft-serve frozen dessert, first served on the US’s east coast to limited success in the 1970’s, dubbed the name “frogurt."

• In 1978: Brigham’s Ice Cream Shop in Boston developed and introduced the first packaged frozen yogurt under the product name “Humphreez Yogart."

• In 1980-81: The first patents for Lactose-reduced ice cream and process for the production of and for this specific creation of Lactosereduced Ice Cream was created.***

Now, with all of the technology and sophistication that ice cream is today, the average American consumes approximately 19.7 pounds of ice cream annually. Though the majority of ice cream may be sold through grocery

stores, and not restaurants,**** we still have our favorite spots to frequent to indulge ourselves with this awesomely delicious - frozen tasty treat, be it with friends and family, or just by yourself. It’s always a welcomed and tasty escape. In Amish Country there are certainly a bunch of locations that serve or sell that frozen treat, that is ice cream. But I would be remiss if I did not mention the additional prime locations of ice cream shops serving this dairy treat. That being the multiple dairy creamery locations that dot the landscape of Lancaster County

and the counties that surround all that is Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From milk and cheese to ice cream, you can usually find all of your dairy needs in these locations that specialize in all things dairy. And in some, you might even find a bit more farmland treasures, that being baked goods and some local produce. Routing out any other remaining cravings or needs you may have, to what one might perceive as a one-stop shopping experience.

As we wind down our summer, remember to look for and support

these unique small businesses if you can, especially after a difficult 15 to 18 months of community and business disruptions due to world events and recognize how special those businesses are in our hearts and for what they have to offer to our communities with their special contribution. Listed are a number of locations of where you might go. As our summer soon comes to an end and you travel through Amish Country feeling the need to indulge those cravings and enjoy a cool refreshing and tasty treat, that is of course…ice cream.

Greco’s Italian Ices & Homemade Ice Cream

9 E Kleine Ln, Lititz, PA 17543 (717) 568-5801 • grecosicecream.com

Perrydell Farm and Dairy

90 Indian Rock Dam Rd, York, PA 17403 (717) 741-3485 • perrydellfarm.com

Turkey Hill Experience

301 Linden St, Columbia, PA 17512 (717) 684-0134 • turkeyhillexperience.com

See ad on page 11

Little Dippers Ice Cream

432 W Main St, Mount Joy, PA 17552 (717) 653-6664

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Sweet Willows Creamery

2812 E Prospect Rd, York, PA 17402 (717) 718-9219 • www.sweetwillows.com

Village Green Miniature Golf

1444 Village Rd, Strasburg, PA 17579 (717) 687-6933 • villagegreens.com

See ad on page 37

The Milkhouse at Oregon Dairy

2900 Oregon Pike, Lititz, PA 17543 (717) 656-2856

Soda Jerk Diner and Dairy Bar

403 E Main St, Hummelstown, PA 17036 (717) 566-7707

Way Har Farm Market

7701 Bernville Rd, Bernville, PA 19506 (610) 488-1281 • wayharfarms.com

Paraiso Rosel Restaurante Mexicano

141 W Penn Ave, Robesonia, PA 19551 (610) 693-4349  paraisoroselmexicanrestaurantepa.com

Town Edge Dairy (A2A2 Milk)

1126 Martindale Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522 (717) 209-0734

Waters Edge Mini Golf

230 N Ronks Rd, Bird in Hand, PA 17505 (717) 768-4653 • watersedgegolf.net

See ad on page 11

Patches Family Creamery

201 Fonderwhite Rd, Lebanon, PA 17042 (717) 273-1983 • patchesfamilycreamery.com

Twisted Sister Ice Cream and Handmade Chocolates

47 N Main St, Manheim, PA 17545 (570) 366-1800 • theudderchoice.co

Windmill Family Restaurant

2838 Main St, Morgantown, PA 19543 (610) 286-5980

www.windmillfamilyrestaurant.com

SUMMER TIME is Fun Time at Cackleberry Farm!

We Are Open Regular Hours ALL YEAR LONG!

CACKLEBERRY FARM ANTIQUE

MALL IS CELEBRATING THEIR 26TH YEAR! Located at 3371 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, Pennsylvania, on Route 30. Four miles west of Route 41 and only six miles east of Rockvale Square Outlet Mall. They are only minutes away from everywhere and everything Lancaster County has to offer. It's Not Just an Antique Mall – It’s Your Destination!

WITH OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OF INVENTORY, their huge 26,000 square foot facility houses a wide variety of antiques and collectibles, displayed by over 125 dealers featuring fine items such as: furniture, glassware, Railroad, Mining and Fire Fighting Memorabilia, coins, sterling silver, clocks, advertising, jewelry, fine china, toys, books, postcards, trains, Christmas, pottery, linens, primitives, kitchenware & much, much more! It is impossible to tell you everything they have to offer. You will be amazed at the quality selection.

HOUSED INSIDE THE ANTIQUE MALL, IS AN OLD TIME GENERAL STORE, which will take you back in time to the Mom & Pop stores of years ago. With a wide variety of antique and collectibles including Pharmacy, Tool Supply, Barber Shop, Hardware Store, Haberdashery and more!! They offer convenient parking for over 100 vehicles, with a spacious area for campers, trailers, and tour buses. You will find it such a pleasure to shop in their clean, climate-controlled, brightly lit and carpeted mall. Absolutely one of The Best shopping experiences in Lancaster County! As if your shopping experience couldn't possibly be any better, a Gift Shop and Restaurant are located on the premises to make your memorable day complete!

OPEN ALL YEAR: MONDAY Thru SATURDAY 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed on Tuesday. Visa / MasterCard / Discover / Debit Cards accepted. Gift Certificates, Layaway & Shipping. Information call: (717) 4428805 during business hours or visit us at CackleberryFarmAntiqueMall

Exp erie nce

COME FOR A TOUR LEAVE WITH AN VISIT AMISHEXPERIENCE.COM

WITNESS the emotional story of an Amish teenager's struggle in Jacob's Choice, where he must choose between his faith and the modern world. 3–D sets, special effects, unique "ghost–like" characters, all on five screens.

EXPLORE the Amish Country Homestead, the region’s only Officially Designated Heritage Site Amish home then sit at a desk in the Fisher Amish Schoolroom furnished authentically with desks and more from an actual Amish classroom.

TOUR the magnificent back roads through Amish Farmlands with a certified tour guide in complete comfort onboard one of our 14 passenger busses.

SATISFY yourself that you’re making the most from your Amish Experience. Since 1959, the area’s first, and still foremost, interpretative source of Amish Culture.

Amish Farmlands Tour

Journey along back country roads, deep into the Amish Farmlands to discover sights rarely seen. Under the watchful eye of your certified guide, you’ll gain insights into the “how” and “why”of an ever–changing culture, and see at–the–moment activities of the Amish. If you’ve seen the Amish portrayed on the various “Reality” TV shows, and you wonder what really is true and not true about the Amish, this is the tour you won’t want to miss! We’ll debunk myths about the Amish and provide accurate, respectful, and authentic information, just like we have done for over 60 years.

Duration: 1 1/2 hours Mon.–Sat.

Rare is the opportunity to meet with Amish families willing to share their traditions and beliefs with you. In a group whose size is never more than 14, this is the only Amish Tour to be designated an official “Heritage Tour” by the County of Lancaster. Visit an Amish farm at milking time, stop at a Cottage Industry, and finally enjoy a visit and chat with one of our Amish friends in their home.

Duration: 3 hours

Monday through Saturday 5:00 p.m.

The SuperSaver Package includes the Amish Farmlands Tour, the acclaimed “Jacob’s Choice” at the Amish Experience F/X Theater, and a tour of the Amish House & One–Room School.

Plain & Fancy

The Only Place Where You Can Do It All...

Drive along the area’s only AAA Scenic Cultural Byway, and when you’re mid–way between Bird–in–Hand and Intercourse, you’ll discover the ten pristine acres known as Plain & Fancy Farm, and home of the Amish Experience Theater, Country Homestead, farmlands & VIP tours, buggy rides, shopping, restaurant and hotel.

Amish Country Homestead & Schoolroom

Visit the only officially designated “Heritage Site” Amish house. As you walk through the nine rooms with your guide, unravel the riddle of Amish clothing, life without electricity, and eight–grades–in–a–room education as you sit at authentic Amish school desks.

Visit–in–Person Tour

This officially designated “Heritage Tour” is a rare opportunity to meet and talk to the Amish personally. On this exclusive tour you will go right into the barn on an Amish farm at milking time, visit with an Amish artisan at his workplace, and then enjoy a personal visit and conversation right in an Amish home.

Jacob’s Choice at the Amish Experience Theater

Discover what it means to be Amish through an immersive film as you become part of the emotional struggle of the Fisher family to preserve more than 400 years of Amish traditions. Five viewing screens, a unique barnyard setting and special effects create a one–of–a–kind experience.

Amish Farmlands Tour

Journey down rarely traveled back country roads, deep into the farmlands, to discover the sights sought after by visitors. Gain insights into the hows and whys of an ever–changing culture from certified guides in mini–shuttles. Stops may include a roadside stand, quilt shop, country store or craft shop on an Amish farm.

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides

Aaron & Jessica’s drivers are happy to share life stories and answer questions.

Smokehouse BBQ and Brews

Please see right hand page.

The Country Store

Find books, DVDs, candles, toys and dolls, kitchen and home items, souvenirs, local handcrafts, Amish clothing, straw hats, bonnets, and last but not least...tasty treats.

AMISH COUNTRY HOMESTEAD

AARON & JESSICA’S BUGGY RIDES

AmishView Inn & Suites

Rated the Best Hotel in Lancaster County

The place for the perfect getaway or family vacation with indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, and hot hearty breakfast. Plus, many rooms have whirlpools or footed tubs, fireplaces and more.

Adult–Only Meets Kid–Friendly

The family–friendly building includes a wide array of beautiful, award–winning rooms, suites and amenities including an arcade that will satisfy the requirements of any family. The adults–only building features elegant, Grand King rooms, fulling the needs of adults seeking a tranquil escape.

Complimentary Hot Breakfast Buffet

Lancaster’s best complimentary hot breakfast buffet includes made–to–order omelets, eggs, pancakes, and Belgium waffles with endless helpings of bacon, sausage, country potatoes and much more. Plus, don’t forget tasty bakery items from our own Miller’s Bakery. Menu items subject to change.

Other Amenities

Every room or suite includes a kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave, sink and coffee maker. Serta Presidential Suite beds, wi–fi, DVD players, lighted make–up mirrors, irons, hair dryers and the Tarocco line of shampoos and soaps. Plus, there are so many things to do on the Plain & Fancy Farm.

Get the Whole Story at: AmishViewInn.com • 1–866–735–1600

Paradise A Small Town with a Big Heart

Visitors to Lancaster from the east on RT 30 travel through Paradise, just one of our many intriguing town names. The town’s story traces back to Europe over 300 years ago, to the area of the Palatinate in Germany

where Protestants had settled following the declaration of King Louis XIV that all Protestants in France would be persecuted. Fearing a French invasion, many accepted the invitation to settle in the New World in William Penn’s colony

of Penn’s Woods. By 1712, they had secured land in Lancaster’s Pequea Valley as the area’s first white people, living peaceably with local Indians.

Cont’d on Page 24

24 Hour Amish Power and a Royal Jelly Treat

By Clinton Martin

Out in the country, away from the highway, and tucked into the farmland, there stands a beacon of Amish goods, Lancaster County’s much loved “Roadside Stand.” Annie and Eli Stoltzfus built up quite the business from very humble beginnings. Though many still call it the Roadside Stand, the business today is much more than a simple hutch along the roadway.

What started out as a basic roadside display of Amish-made crafts and produce has grown into a brickand-mortar store with many different homemade and handmade items, with what some argue is the best soft pretzel in Lancaster County.

But, on a recent visit, I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes with Eli for a look at what is made at his business, and how it all works. First off, I could tell with all the hum of activity (canning produce) that this operation must run on something dependable, though I know that would have to be off-grid (“Amish Electricity.”) Eli explained he’s got a diesel generator that runs 24/7, which provides all the power his entire business needs.

All the refrigerators, freezers, canning equipment, cash registers, etc. run off this one round-the-clock power source. I imagine it is a state-of-the-art diesel engine, with as efficient a tuning as possible, but I still think I’d gag at what Mr. Stoltzfus must pay a year in fuel costs.

One area that he was quite eager to show me was the honey room, a newly expanded part of the business. His son’s honey business is now co-located on the property. I observed the various grades of honey, produced from bees foraging on various types of clover, grasses, and other plants. And I also saw jars of “Royal Jelly.”

I’ve seen a lot of jellies in jars at Amish road-side stands in Lancaster County, but never had I seen “Royal Jelly.” And, what was it doing in the honey area? Well as it turns out Royal Jelly is not a jam you spread on toast, nor a marmalade of fruits or berries. It is a special secretion by honeybees, separate from the regular honey. It is a food produced for the queen of the hive, a truly “royal” food, made specifically for the hive’s most important resident.

This Royal Jelly can be collected and stored much like regular honey.

Enthusiasts eat the jelly, in ways that one would typically enjoy honey, but many of these enthusiasts claim wonderful health benefits, calling Royal Jelly the superfood of super foods. While the FDA has warned companies selling the product that there can be no curative claims officially made, you’ll hear glowing testimonials from those that love to eat the special product.

What is clear, this amazing product is naturally antibacterial and antibiotic, is high in beneficial proteins, contains vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin B5, B6, and C, and contains a simple sugar similar to honey.

Want to try Royal Jelly for yourself? Or just want some really good honey? Head to the Roadside Stand and get yourself some. GPS: 2966 Stumptown Road, Ronks PA 17572. Or call for hours: (717) 656-9206.

Paradise (Cont’d from Page 22)

connect it with the provincial capital of Philadelphia. The road that was constructed is now Route 340, still referred to as the “Old Philadelphia Pike.” Soon, it was apparent that

HeraldPress.com • 1-800-245-7894 Learn about the Amish. FROM THE AMISH.

the Pike was insufficient to handle the increasing traffic, and in 1790, a commission to survey a new route was created. Since the cost was too much for the state to undertake, the company charged with building it was given the power to demand “reasonable” tolls from users. Investors received dividends earned from tolls collected along the gates of the turnpike. (As the toll was paid, the gate or “pike” was turned, hence the term “turnpike”).

The Act described the construction of the highway, which was to be a bed of small crushed stones on top with, rather than dirt, larger stones underneath to prevent carriage wheels from cutting into the soil. This revolutionary system of road construction is credited to a John McAdam, whose name became the term for paved or “macadam” roads. The turnpike opened in 1795 as the first long–distance, hard surfaced road in the country. Taverns and stagecoach shops grew up along the turnpike for weary travelers. Of these, the Revere Tavern, dating back to 1740 and originally called the “Sign of the Spread Eagle”, still proudly stands today. In 1841, the tavern became the residence of Reverend Edward V. Buchanan and his wife Eliza Foster Buchanan. Eliza was the sister of Stephen Foster, whose immortal songs will always be a part of Americana. Foster not only penned music at the tavern, but sent many of his manuscripts to Eliza, also a talented musician, for her approval. On the banks of the Pequea Creek, Eliza and Stephen played many of Stephen’s 200 songs, including “Way Down Upon the Swanee River” and “Oh, Susanna.”

REMINDERS for Visitors to Amish Country

Although thousands of visitors come to Lancaster County to experience a bit of the Amish lifestyle, the Amish are a private people and find the attention somewhat disconcerting. It is important to respect their feelings while you’re visiting. With that in mind, here are a few tips for fostering good relations between the Amish and non–Amish.

NO PICTURES Please! Don’t ask an Amish person to pose for a picture. Most will politely refuse. It is against our Amish neighbors convictions to have their pictures taken, except in very special situations. Please respect this belief and do not take photos without permission, just as you would like to have your beliefs respected.

HOLD YOUR HORSES Driving along area roads, you will no doubt encounter numerous Amish carriages, or “buggies,” as visitors like to call them. Do not honk your horn, because the sound may frighten the horse and cause an accident. Instead, wait until it is safe to pass and then give the buggy plenty of room. Be sure not to cut back in the lane too sharply in front of the horse. The county’s roads are generally wide enough that you should be able to pass most buggies without much of a problem.

NO TRESPASSING Do not trespass onto private Amish property for a closer look. Amish homes are not museums, and Amish people are not exhibits. Respect their property and privacy as you would like others to respect your own. You can get a good sense of Amish life at many area visitor attractions and on guided tours.

WAVING Do not be offended if the Amish do not wave back to your friendly gesture. With all the people who wave to them throughout a day, they would be waving back all day if they did!

A FINAL WORD Remember the Amish are not on vacation and are not costumed actors. They are real people going about their daily lives. They are not here to serve as tour guides or attractions for visitors. This, after all, is their home, so please respect their beliefs and lifestyle.

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Lititz

No Place Quite Like It

There is no place quite like Lititz, and everyone should plan to spend some time there while in Amish Country. Lititz Springs Park is a popular spot for locals, and the site for many community activities. Indeed, the town’s 4th of July Celebration, begun in 1818, is reputedly the oldest continuing community–wide observance in the United States. Historians say the springs are what brought Indians to the area. Spearheads have been found nearby, dating back to 6,000 B.C. A recent local journal states that “Main Street was traveled by human beings for at least 10,000 years.” When you come to Lititz, you’ll want to travel Main Street, too.

The Lititz story is tied to that of the Moravian faith in Bohemia. It was in the present–day Czech Republic that John Hus and followers founded the Moravian Church in 1457. Historians note that since this was 60 years before Luther’s Reformation, the Moravians may lay claim to being the oldest organized Protestant Church. But over the course of the Thirty Years War, its 200,000 members nearly disappeared. In the 18th century, a renewal of the Moravian Church came through the patronage of Count Zinzendorf of Saxony. He invited all those persecuted for their faith to come to his lands in Saxony.

As was the case with other persecuted religious groups in Europe,

many Moravians sought freedom by taking the perilous journey to the New World, arriving in the early 1700’s, with the main settlements becoming established in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

Missionary work was integral to the faith, and preachers were sent from the Moravian community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Zinzendorf himself arrived in America in 1742. A local resident, John Klein (Kline), was so moved by hearing Zinzendorf’s preaching that he made arrangements

to transfer his lands over to the Moravian community in 1755. It was in the following year that the town actually got the name of Lititz, the German spelling for Lidice, where European Moravian reformers had taken refuge in 15th century.

In addition to mission work, music and education were important to the Moravians. In fact, the Lititz schoolhouse erected in 1746 marked the beginnings of what was to be Linden Hall, the oldest continuously operating residence school for girls in the United States.

Cont’d on Page 29

PRETZELS GALORE

STORE

Sweet, salty, & savory gifts plus party treats

TOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

To schedule a tour, please go to www.juliussturgis.com

Come explore a variety of products in Lititz, PA, lining Main St. and Broad St. at one of the largest craft shows on the East Coast! The Lititz Rotary Craft Show, August 12, 8:00 am to 4 pm. Hope to see you there!

Amish Dairy Farmers Don’t Milk Nuts

By Clinton Martin

Milk comes from animals. Not nuts. Amish dairy farmers have animals to care for, not trees to prune. In some circles, these are “fightin’ words” but this article is truly not meant to stir up any trouble. Still, with the American public increasingly drinking less dairy, and instead experimenting with almond, oat, soy, rice, or other blends as alternatives, the local dairy industry felt the need to fight back a little.

In 2019, a local “English” (nonAmish) dairy farmer named Nelson Troutman decided to set up some signage-adorned hay bales along the road by his farm to extol the virtues of real, whole, milk. These “Bale-Boards” proved to be a real draw, with motorists taking note, honking their approval, or just commenting positively to him when seeing him out and about. A grassroots movement had inadvertently been planted.

Through organic growth, the movement caught on, and other dairy farmers began setting up “bale-boards” of their own. This included Amish dairy farmers who wanted to help get the message out that real, whole, milk has unique health benefits that nut juice just doesn’t offer.

The first official meeting of what became to be known as “97 Milk”

took place not long after, with 25 dairy farmers present. From that brainstorming session came various efforts. The first was setting up a website, www.97milk.com. Then, social media platforms followed, and eventually a full-fledged marketing campaign was launched with the farmers funding the efforts themselves.

Most recently, 97 Milk partnered with local food outreach ministry Blessings of Hope to provide Blessings with a consistent supply of whole milk for their efforts. Organizations that receive food from Blessings of Hope (food banks, homeless shelters, transitional living programs, community centers, etc.) can now receive gallon jugs of whole milk in their boxes, to be supplied to the people they serve. This milk is provided by 97 Milk, and their member-farmers, to ensure that the underserved in the community have access to the excellent health and nutritional benefits of real, whole milk.

When you do buy milk at the grocery store, if you want to know where it actually came from, here’s how to tell:

To see where your milk was bottled, check the plant code stamp on the top of the milk bottle near the expiration date. Sometimes the plant code is instead printed on the label. Plug the number into this website to see where it was bottled:  www.WheresMyMilkFrom. com. The first two numbers of the plant code represent the state. Pennsylvania is “42” so if the number starts with 42, it is PA milk.

Today, 97 Milk is run by 6 board members, with help from many dairy farmers (and other non-dairy agricultural businesses too for that matter.) The goal for 97 Milk is to share milk facts with consumers, share the dedication and passion of family-owned dairy farmers and help answer milk questions from the American consumer. Getting in touch with 97 Milk is easy. Visit their website, www.97milk.com, or follow them on social media, or write them the old-fashioned way to PO BOX 87, Bird in Hand, PA 17505.

Lititz

Cont’d from Page 26

For about a hundred years, Moravian church members were the only people permitted to live in town. A Brothers’ House and Sisters’ House were erected for the unmarried, although they did not live communally. It was not until 1855 that non–Moravians were allowed to own their own houses. The Brothers’ House played a role in the American Revolution. George Washington ordered it used as a military hospital between 1777–78. Some 1,000 soldiers were nursed here, about half of whom died and were buried nearby.

Two names are linked forever with the history of Lititz—Sturgis and Sutter. It was Julius Sturgis who opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in the New World in Lititz. The year was 1861, and the site at 219 East Main Street is on the National Register of Historic Places. A tour of the bakery is unlike any other. Inside, you get to try your hand at pretzel twisting. It’s not as easy as it looks. Guests also may see the old brick bake ovens, as well as the more modern facilities. The bakery can be reached at 717.626.4354.

John Sutter was born in Switzerland and in 1834, fleeing creditors in Europe, arrived in New York. He headed west and sailed up the Sacramento River to begin a settlement. By 1848, work was being done on a mill when some gold flakes were spotted in the water. Soon Gold Rush fever struck and Sutter’s land was overrun. Because of his need to be near Washington, D.C. while seeking reimbursement for his lost lands, the Sutters stayed one summer at the Springs Hotel in Lititz. They decided to settle there, and promptly bought a home and placed their children in school. The inn once named the General Sutter Inn, is now known as the Lititz Springs Inn. The Sutter home built in 1871 is across the street at 19 East Main St. It was in a Washington hotel room where Sutter died in 1880, still involved in unsuccessful attempts at redress from the government for his seized lands. Sutter, a Lutheran, was buried in the Moravian cemetery, normally reserved for Moravian church members.

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Intercourse

It's More Than a Name

Perhaps no other town in the entire country can claim its fame on one simple thing — its name. Harrison Ford drove a buggy past the road sign on a memorable visit in the Hollywood blockbuster hit of the movie “Witness.” For years people have postmarked “Intercourse” on envelopes, and the jokes from visitors who travel through Bird–in–Hand to Intercourse are endless. There are several theories for the name, but that which we find most plausible follows.

Around 1730, the Old Provincial Highway (now Route 340) was laid out to connect Philadelphia with Lancaster. Conestoga wagons hauled freight back and forth between the two cities. Providing rest for travelers and horses, taverns sprouted along the way, becoming centers for news, gossip, and commerce. The construction of a log tavern in 1754 at the intersection of Newport Road and the Highway took “Cross Keys” as its name.

It remained such until 1814, when the name was changed to Intercourse as part of a failed real estate scheme of a Mr. George Brungard, who had acquired 48 acres of nearby land and attempted to lay out a town site and divide it into sections for sale by a lottery, advertising “151 handsome building lots of $250 each to be drawn for by number.” Renaming the town made

sense, as intercourse had a common usage referring to the pleasant mutual fellowship and frequent intermingling which were so common in the informal atmosphere of the quiet country village.

Over time, Brungard’s scheme begat others. As recently as 1971, an enterprising soul tried to take advantage of the town’s name by selling deeds for one–inch square plots of Intercourse to visitors. Creative, but nonetheless a failure. By 1880, Intercourse had a population of 280 with a post office that actually

moved among stores or restaurants as owners hoped visits by residents would increase their business.

The local stagecoach service started around 1898 as “a single horse conveyance similar to a market wagon, with a roll–up curtain and double set of seats.” When the stagecoach driver knew of passengers beforehand, their comfort on cold days was added to with the placement of hot bricks heated in the oven, and wrapped in newspaper to preserve their warmth.

Intercourse Fire Company Steak & Shrimp Dinner Event. Saturday, August 19. For details visit www.intercoursefire.com

OPEN SUNDAYS IN Amish Country

For Plain People, Sunday is a day of rest, but there are many things to do in Amish Country on Sundays. Save some of these for your Sunday sight–seeing.

Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides

717–768–8828 | www.AmishBuggyRides.com

Amish Experience

717–768–8400 | www.AmishExperience.com

Cackleberry Farm Antique Mall

717–442–2600 | www.CackleberryFarmAntiqueMall.com

Crystal Cave

610-683-6765 | www.crystalcavepa.com

Choo Choo Barn

717–687–7911 | www.ChooChooBarn.com

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

717–898–1900 | www.DutchApple.com

Hershey’s Chocolate World

717–534–4900 | www.Hersheys.com

Jake’s Country Trading Post

(717) 687–8980 | www.JakesHomeAccents.com

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

717–626–4354 | www.JuliusSturgis.com

Miller’s Smorgasbord

800–669–3568 | www.MillersSmorgasbord.com

Renninger’s Antique Market

717–336–2177 | www.Renningers.net

Smokehouse BBQ & Brews at Plain & Fancy Farm

717–768–4400 | www.SmokehouseBBQandBrews.com

Strasburg Scooters

717–344–2488 | www.StrasburgScooters.com

Turkey Hill Experience

844–847–4884 | www.TurkeyHillExperience.com

Village Greens Miniature Golf

1444 Village Road, Strasburg, PA 17579

(717) 687-6933 | www.villagegreens.com

Water’s Edge Mini Golf

717-768-4653 | www.watersedgegolf.net

As the days of the dirt road drew to a close, so too did the stagecoach era. In 1923 a transit company was organized and bus service initiated to and from Lancaster. While “many of the Amish residents of the area were eager to see the line started, they did not want to invest in stock of the Company. Instead they bought books of tickets which were really prepaid bus fares.” Enough money was raised to buy a Mack Auto Bus for $6,800. It held 25 passengers and even had solid rubber tires!

Today Intercourse has been recognized as a “foodie” town by the Visitor’s Bureau. You’ll soon discover why walking the streets of this tiny hamlet is an absolute must–visit for everyone.

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matter in the

No more than

Bird–in–Hand Pg. 10

Intercourse Pg. 30

Paradise Pg. 22

Strasburg Pg. 36

New–Holland | Blue Ball Pg. 34

Lititz Pg. 26

New Holland & Blue Ball

The instability in Europe in the late 1600’s spawned and nurtured the pioneer interest in the deep forest lands of Pennsylvania — 60 miles inland from Philadelphia. In 1681 William Penn received his 40,000 square–mile land grant to settle King Charles’ debt to his father. Himself a Quaker, Penn had experienced religious persecution firsthand, and decided to establish his American colony based on complete religious freedom. This entire century had been one of continued misery for the peasants of the Palatinate (western Germany). The Thirty Years War had raged across the area with barbaric ruthlessness. The peasant inhabitants fled to nearby Holland for refuge. And within a decade of the end of that conflict, King Louis XIV of France started a new religious war in the same general area. These Palatinate peasants were exhausted by war’s desolation, and were ripe for a new start.

Traveling land agents for William Penn’s new colony found willing ears. In addition to religious freedom and a peaceful existence, Penn offered cheap land. The stated price was 100 English pounds for 5,000 acres. (At today’s rate exchange, this would be less than $.04 an acre). By the year 1702, a goodly number of Palatinates had immigrated to Pennsylvania, and Queen Anne, newly reigning in England, was delighted that Penn

was colonizing his immense grant without drawing off the population of Britain.

The area today called New Holland was practically covered by virgin forests. By 1728, William Penn had been dead for 10 years and his American colony, called Pennsylvania, was being

administered by a proprietary governor while the sale of land was formalized by patent deeds.

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New Holland Summer Fest is a National KCBS Certified BBQ Competition. Free Community Event benefiting the Garden Spot Fire Rescue & New Holland Community Park. August 25 & 26. For more info visit gsfr39.net

Amish VIP (Visit–in–Person) Tour

717–768–8400 | www.AmishExperience.com

Crystal Cave

610-683-6765 | www.crystalcavepa.com

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre

717–898–1900 | www.DutchApple.com

Gish’s Furniture

717–392–6080 | 717–354–2329

www.Gishs.com

Good’s Store

“Weekdays Only” www.GoodSstores.com

Hershey’s Chocolate World

717–534–4900 | www.Hersheys.com

Jake’s Country Trading Post

(717) 687–8980 |

www.JakesHomeAccents.com

Miller’s Smorgasbord

800–669–3568 |

www.MillersSmorgasbord.com

Smokehouse BBQ & Brews at Plain & Fancy Farm

717–768–4400 |

www.SmokehouseBBQandBrews.com

Village Greens Miniature Golf

1444 Village Road, Strasburg, PA 17579

(717) 687-6933 | www.villagegreens.com

Water’s Edge Mini Golf

717-768-4653 | www.watersedgegolf.net

A Town of Trains & Heritage

was John Miller. By 1717 there were two more wagons, and the first to be described as a Conestoga Wagon.

During the next half century, traffic on this road increased considerably—and Main Street Strasburg was developed. The first buildings appeared in the village about 1733. A traveler, who drove through during the second half of the 18th century, described it as a village of log houses.

The area we know today as Strasburg was first settled by Swiss Mennonites (called “Swissers”). They lived in Germany for at least a generation before arriving here and spoke the German language. After bargaining with William Penn in London, they came directly to Philadelphia from the Rhineland, arriving in September 1710, on board the ship Maria Hope— with a combined passenger and crew list of 94. Thirty-six of the leaders were granted patent deeds from Penn’s property commissioners for 14K acres

of land surrounding Strasburg. Some of the family names are familiar to locals today, including John (Hans) Herr, whose house in Lancaster County is open to visitors and remains as the county’s oldest surviving dwelling (1719).

French fur traders opened up the first path through this area from Philadelphia to the Susquehanna River—known as “Minqua’s Path.” As early as 1716, when the first wagon was used for hauling goods between Philadelphia and Lancaster County, it became known as the Conestoga Road. The first wagoner

Postcard in Every Turn

In fact, the 1769 tax returns list 19 houses—53 log, 29 brick and four stone. Strasburg was second only to Lancaster Borough in terms of relative wealth.

Strasburg flourished in the 18th century primarily because of its location along the major wagon routes between Philadelphia, Lancaster and the Susquehanna River. Strasburg was one of the principal stopping stations and, with the heavy wagon traffic, there were as many as eight or ten taverns or “ordinaries” here.

No doubt the religious nature of the first settlers was responsible for the village becoming a center for worship and education. In 1816, when the village was incorporated into a Borough, the name Strasburg was selected, undoubtedly named for the Cathedral City from which the “Swissers” came— Strasburg in Alsace.

Wealthy doctors and clergy, and an interest in worship and education, made Strasburg a cultural and educational center. The first formal school opened in 1790, a classical academy where Greek and Latin were taught.

These academic enterprises were followed during the 19th century by a flood of schools. In 1823, by an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, an Academy was established in which “the languages, arts, and sciences will be taught.”

Cont’d on Page 36

The year 1839 marked the founding of the Strasburg Academy at 37 East

Village Greens Miniature Golf

Main (the present day Limestone Inn Bed & Breakfast was the headmaster’s home and housed boarding students). The Academy gained the reputation of being one of the best academies in the country for both boarding and day students, and its students came from all

over the East Coast and as far away as Cuba and Puerto Rico.

In 1841, a classical school for girls, the “Strasburg Female Seminary,” opened at 17 East Main. Such a school for girls was quite unusual at that time.

Most of the older houses along Main Street were at one point private schools

and academies and with many of the structures still intact, the Strasburg Borough Council enacted an ordinance in 1970 that created a Historic District, in order to maintain the charm and historical significance of the Village. East Main, West Main and Miller (a continuation of West Main), plus Decatur Street constitute the Historic District, which is approximately 2 miles long, comprises 82.5 acres, and contains 193 buildings.

A significant aspect of the Historic District is the survival rate of the oldest buildings. At least 12 of the 29 oldest brick structures survive, all four of the oldest stone houses are still intact, and there are at least two dozen log houses still standing in the district, putting the survival rate of pre-1815 houses at approximately 50%.

(The Strasburg Heritage Center has created a self-guided “Strolling Tour of Strasburg’s Historic District.” Brochures are available at the Historic Strasburg Inn, and along Main Street at Merenda Zug, The Creamery, and at 140 East Main, the Strasburg News Office.)

As Strasburg flourished, so did its neighbor to the east, Philadelphia. The commercial interests of Philadelphia pressured the State Legislature to improve the transportation network into their city. As a result, an internal improvements bill passed in 1826 to construct a series of canals. The Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road was also incorporated with financing provided by the state.

With these undertakings, Strasburg residents became alarmed at the possibility of losing their commercial position and from this concern emerged the Strasburg Rail Road. In 1832 a charter was secured from the Pennsylvania Legislature to construct a rail line connecting Strasburg with the Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road main line near Paradise. Due to financial difficulties, the project was delayed until finally put in running order in 1852. But this shortline between Strasburg and Paradise was not financially successful for many reasons, until it was revived to provide rides to visitors on authentic steam locomotives, thus becoming the focal point for all of the town’s train attractions.

Strasburg (Cont’d from Page 36)

The Stories We Tell Ourselves?

By Edward Blanchette

We all have a story. Where we came from, our roots, family, environment, and the things that make us tick of who we are. But I want to go down the rabbit hole for a moment and have a thought, regarding the perception of the story we bring to our own minds. I’ve said it before, “Perception is a fine line, best driven by big feet”.

Here’s an example of what I mean, when we tell ourselves stories, but not examining the whole of the facts. I had gone into a local grocery store, about a mile or so from my office, to pick up a couple of things for my lunch. I had approached the checkout line, and there was a lady in front of me and a lady behind me in line. The woman behind me had a full cart and had been nice enough to allow me to go ahead of her, as I only had a couple of items. I thanked her for kindness.

As I stood in line, I couldn’t help but notice that the woman in front of me was a bit out of sorts. I told myself the story, as she fumbled with her money for the cashier, that maybe she was in a hurry and needed to get somewhere else. Then I told myself the story, that maybe she had concerns and anxieties about being with people or holding

up the line. At any rate, there was a moment when the woman and I had made eye contact, for a moment, as she collected her groceries, I just nodded and smiled politely. As she looked at me, she seemed to look apologetic, then went on her way.

I returned my focus to the cashier and finished our transaction. I collected my bags and headed for the exit. As I headed through the one set of doors and headed to the next to exit the store, I noticed that same woman before me at the cashier, was in the corner between the doors. Leaning against the chip display that towered above her head, she was again fumbling with her groceries, but this time I noticed some pain in her expression. I stopped by her and asked, “Are you okay?”. At that point the woman broke down into tears and had explained that she had recently lost her Mother, Father, and now most recently, her Daughter. I talked with her for a short bit to console her, I even asked if I could give her a hug. She accepted, and so I did. I told her she was not alone. Hopefully I was a bit of proof of that that day.

As I walked to my car, obviously shaken myself, I then had all of the facts of what had transpired in the store. Then I knew the real story. It was a great reminder to check the stories we tell ourselves.

Brunstetter Wanda E .

A Simple Letter Brings Hope for New Beginnings

Doretta Schwartz put away her letter writing after the death of her fiancé, and not even phone calls from friends can restore her positive attitude. Finally, she responds to William’s twin brother Warren’s steady friendship. But is her broken heart just seeking a replacement for lost love?

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