Hex Signs in Lancaster County PA

Hex Signs in Lancaster County

Hex signs are the colorful round designs painted on barns across Pennsylvania Dutch Country. In Lancaster County you can see them on barns and buy them from the shops that still make them, including one in Paradise that has been silk-screening signs since the 1940s.

What is a hex sign?

A hex sign is a painted geometric design, usually a circle with a star or flower pattern inside, made by Pennsylvania Germans in southeastern Pennsylvania. Settlers from the Rhine region of Germany began arriving about 300 years ago, drawn by William Penn’s promise of religious freedom. Their descendants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Why are they called hex signs?

A common explanation is that the German word sechs (six) sounded like “hex” to English speakers, and six-pointed stars were a popular pattern. The origin of the name is debated, so treat this as the popular story, not settled fact.

What the designs mean:

• Hearts: love
• Distelfinks (goldfinches): luck and happiness
• Tulips: faith
• Stars: good luck
• Blue: protection
• White: purity
• Green: abundance
• Red: strong emotion

Many people read these as symbols of luck and faith, and some historians say the signs were simply decoration. Both views are common.

How hex signs are made

Early signs were painted by hand, which limited how many a craftsman could produce. In the early 1940s, Jacob Zook of Paradise, PA pioneered silk-screening, which let craftsmen make signs in quantity at modest cost. A silk-screened sign uses four or five colors, each needing its own screen, and takes about a week to finish because the paint must air-dry between steps.

Where to buy hex signs in Lancaster County

• Zook Family Crafts, “The Hex Place” (formerly Will-Char), Paradise, PA: the family behind the silk-screening history above.

Plan your visit

Pair a hex sign shop with a drive through Paradise and Strasburg. See our guides to gift shops, Amish country, and things to do in Lancaster County.