12 Fun Facts That Make Lancaster Pennsylvania Awesome

1. Lancaster is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States of America. Lancaster is located 71 miles west of Philadelphia. Along the north and west is the 444 mile long Susquehanna River.

2. From 1799 to 1812, Lancaster was the capital of Pennsylvania. For a very short time, One day to be exact (September 27th 1777) was the capital of the United States.

3. German immigrants, known as Pennsylvania Dutch (from “Deutsch” meaning German), were the first to settle in what was then known as Hickory Town. The Pennsylvania Dutch live in many parts of the United States, but the the largest settlement is in Pennsylvania, Hex signs, like the one above are a form of Pennsylvania Dutch Folk Art.

4. John Wright, a prominent citizen and businessman, gave “Lancaster” it's name after Lancaster, England where he formerly lived. Lancaster is known as the “Red Rose City” due to its link to Lancaster, England.

5. The Famous Woolworth's Five & Dime store was founded by Frank Woolworth in Lancaster in 1879, after a previous unsuccessful attempt in Utica, NY. His original store was located at North Queen and Chestnut Streets in Lancaster. Frank Woolworth later went on to establish his corporate headquarters in New York City in the skyscraper named after him.

6. Robert Fulton born in Lancaster County in 1765, developed the first successful steamboat and also designed the world's first steam warship. Fulton township in southern Lancaster County is named after him. In 1964 the home he was born and raised it was registered as a National Historic Landmark. in 1965 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the site. They restored and furnished the house to represent how the house looked during Fulton's lifetime ( 1765- 1815 ) The home is open to guests from memorial Day to Labor Day at 1932 Robert Fulton Highway.

7. Milton Hershey, whose name has become synonymous with the chocolate bar, actually started his first milk chocolate factory in 1894 in Lititz, Lancaster County, PA . Mr. Hershey decided that the building he was in was too small for the expansion he had planned and subsequently wound up in nearby Hershey where he built the famous factory in 1903 and town that was named after him in 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Hershey had tickets to board the Titanic but for some reason never did. Ponder that for a moment!

8. The Follmer-Clogg Umbrella Corporation located at West King and Mulberry Streets in Lancaster, was once the largest umbrella factory in the world. It has now been converted to residences known as The Umbrella Works.

9. James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States, moved to Lancaster after college and died there; he is buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery.

10. Also known as kissing bridges, Lancaster County has the most covered bridges in Pennsylvania. All but one of the 29 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places

11. American pioneers who traveled west relied heavily on the sturdy, broad-wheeled Conestoga wagons, which originated from Conestoga, Pennsylvania.

12. Lancaster County Conservancy’s Boyer Nature Preserve was once home to one of the largest Native American settlements east of the Mississippi.

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