Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has an interesting history dating back to the 1700’s. Educational opportunities await students and adults alike who want to learn more about the history and culture of early American life.
Amish, Mennonite, Brethren, and other religious groups sought freedom from persecution in Europe and came to this country. Many settled in what would eventually become Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. To this day, Lancaster County is still known as the Amish Country. The oldest surviving homestead in Lancaster County dates back to 1719.
Three centuries of history waiting to be explored
During colonial times Lancaster was the largest inland city in America. Lancaster even served as the nation’s capital for one day during the Revolutionary War when British forces threatened the colonial capital of Philadelphia.
The Pennsylvania Long Rifle, later known as the Kentucky Rifle, was first produced here in Lancaster County in the early 1700’s. The Conestoga Wagon Was also first developed in Lancaster County to haul cargo eastward to Philadelphia and often in wagon trains across the Appalachian Mountains to Pittsburgh and Ohio. Prominent Lancastrians included Robert Fulton, the developer of the steamboat, Thaddeus Stevens, a prominent member of Congress during the Civil War, and and former President James Buchanan.
The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in 1861, is the first commercial pretzel bakery in America; and the Sturgis Family is the oldest pretzel baking family in America. Register online for a tour and learn how Sturgis’ old fashioned recipes and methods were established and how they’re still used today!
219 East Main Street
The Lancaster Museum of Art is now part of the Demuth Museum, dedicated to preserving the legacy of modernist painter Charles Demuth (1883-1935) and his groundbreaking art through unique exhibitions and educational programs. The museum works to serve a diverse community and inspire a new generation of creatives.
135 North Lime Street
Come experience life on an Amish farm. Milk a cow, feed a calf and the pygmy goats, miniature bull, and miniature chickens. Watch the pot-bellied pigs perform. All ages will enjoy this! Then tour their big garden and sample the fresh produce. Groups are welcome. Learn about Amish life from the Amish.
Old Windmill Farm – Amish Farm Tours
262 Paradise Lane
Go sightseeing by train. At America’s oldest short-line railroad, enjoy a 45-minute ride aboard an authentic steam train. Travel through 2,500 acres of breathtaking farmland in beautifully restored first-class, open-air, or coach cars. Plus, dine at the new Café 1832 or enjoy lunch onboard the train, featuring seasonal scratch-made fare from the staff at Café 1832.
301 Gap Road (Route 741 East)
Wolf Sanctuary of PA offers a lifelong safe haven for displaced wolves and wolf-dogs. The sanctuary provides quality care and enrichment for the wolves, and has grown into an educational facility, offering guided tours to provide education about wolf conservation and biology. Visit their website for more information.
465 Speedwell Forge Road
Tour the only officially designated “Heritage Site” Amish house. Explore the nine rooms as your certified guide unravels the riddles of Amish clothing and life without electricity. Sit at authentic Amish desks in the Fisher One-Room School and learn how eight grades are taught in one room.
Amish Country Homestead & One-Room School
Amish Experience
Learn about the Amish at our educational farm museum! We offer guided house tours through an old Amish farmhouse and bus tours through beautiful Amish country. Visit our Amish schoolhouse, pet our animals and ride on Amish scooters all on our 15-acre farm.
2395 Covered Bridge Drive
Experience Lancaster County’s Amish community with 3 tour options at The Amish Village. Enjoy the Farm House; 12-acre Village Tour, 90-min Backroads Bus Tour, or the Premium Package with both tour options. Plus, picnic on our grounds, see a one-room schoolhouse and play with our barnyard animals.
Amish Village: Tour an Amish House and Village
199 Hartman Bridge Rd. (Rt. 896)
Gigantic model train layout! Our 1,700 square foot train display is home to over 150 hand-created, animated figures and 22 operating model trains. Family-owned since 1961, this work of art is fun for all ages! We are much more than “just trains”! Open daily, Mid-March – December.
Choo Choo Barn – Traintown U.S.A.
226 Gap Road (Route 741 East)
Located in his former home and studio, the Demuth Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of modernist painter Charles Demuth (1883-1935) and his groundbreaking art through unique exhibitions and educational programs. The museum‘s permanent collection contains over 55 Demuth artworks from throughout the artist‘s career, which rotates on display.
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Tour America’s First Commercial Pretzel Bakery and twist your own pretzel.
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