Attractions, Jobs and Mysteries in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Conestoga Wagon, Invented in Lancaster
Pixabay
Cultural Anachronism
Settled back in 1718, Lancaster is the oldest inland city in America.
Lancaster was the American Capital of the 13 Colonies in 1777. From 1799 to 1812, it was the capital of Pennsylvania. The Conestoga Wagon that traveled to the West was created in Lancaster. Altogether, the city has been in important part of Colonial, US, and state histories.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a center for two extremes - Amish life and industry with modern 21st century technologies.
A Best Mid-Size City
The city has been recognized among the Top 25 Mid-Sized American Cities for New Jobs and Business, because of its steadily advancing technology that has brought new jobs and revenues to the area.
This designation is based upon higher numbers of new job openings occurring in high growth industries yearly, the encouraging atmosphere for small businesses, and the advance of green technologies, along with reasonable housing costs. The Greater Lancaster area is home to 500,000+ people in the mid-2010s.
The Heritage Center Museum, Lancaster PA is a place everyone who travels to Lancaster should visit. It contains a number of historical treasures as well as fine arts. One of its collections commemorates the Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis film Witness, filmed in Lancaster and involving the Amish in murder and intrigue.
Kitchen Kettle Village
The Jam and Relish Kitchen is the anchor store of this 40-business shopping area just outside of Lancaster PA. It reminds me much of Frankenmuth, Michigan (The Christmas City), but with an Amish theme. It draws visitors from surrounding states, especially during the autumn and winter holiday season.
The shops are all about homemade jams, jellies, kettle korn and free samples. Some shops are also fine art or craft outlets and there is even a Petting Zoo, along with carriage rides available though town. [see the website and jobs at Kitchen Kettle Village].
Top 10 Fastest-Growing Jobs
I combined some preliminary BLS government projections with recent hiring trends in Lancaster County and the City of Lancaster to produce this list of fastest growing jobs.
The Top 10 Job List for the Greater Lancaster Area through 2020 incorporates a varied mix of occupations in Information Technology, Healthcare, Tourism/ Entertainment, Finance, and Human Services:
- Network Systems & Data Comm. Analysts
- Managers in all Industries
- RNs and all Health-Related Aides
- Computer Software Engineers
- Veterinarians and Vet Techs
- Financial Advisors and Analysts
- Makeup Artists in Performing arts
- Medical & Dental Assistants
- Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors
- Social & Human Services Assistants
Largest Employers In Lancaster
Lancaster General Hospital is the largest employer in the City of Lancaster and the 25th largest company, by number of employees, in Pennsylvania.
Top 5 Large Employers
- Lancaster General Hospital Jobs
- Universal Health Services, Inc.
- WellSpan Health Services
- City of Lancaster Job Pages
- Armstrong World Industries, Inc.
- Lancaster County Job Pages
Southeast Pennsylvania Region
Local Job Search Services
Lancaster County CareerLink
- 1016 N. Charlotte St.; Lancaster PA 17603-2764
- Phone - 717-299-7631
Pennsylvania Conservation Corps
- 1304 L&I Building, 7th & Forster Streets; Harrisburg PA 17120
- Phone - 717-783-6385
- Toll Free in PA - 1-888-577-4722
- FAX - 717-787-9458
- E-mail - pcc@state.pa.us
Lanape Nation - The Root of Pennsylvania
- Important tribal, cultural, recreational and employment related information is provided.
- Contact Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania at PO Box 43; Saylorsburg PA 18353
- Currently, Shelley DePaul is the Assistant Chief of the Lenape Nation and also an Instructor of the Lenape Language at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore PA. The tribal cultural center and trading post are new in 2014 and located in Easton PA at the historic Bachmann House. The center has a library and a genealogical research division.
Lenape Nation Leads in Business
William Penn and Pennsylvania Native Americans
Lanape Nation Way of Life
Not so much where we have been, but where we are going.
Not so much what we have seen, but what we have missed.
Not so much what we have said, but what we have left unsaid.
Not so much have we stood against, but what we have stood for.
Not so much might what we are, but what might we be.
Not so much what we have done,
But what more can we do.
-- Chief Snake, Lenape Nation
Higher Education
- Central Pennsylvania College Lancaster Center
- DeVry University
- Elizabethtown College's Center for Continuing Education
- Franklin and Marshall College
- HACC-Lancaster Campus
- Lancaster Bible College
- Lancaster General College
- Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
- Penn State-Lancaster
Sports, Recreation, and Mystery Weekends
- Lancaster Barnstormers Baseball Club (AL) - They play near Lancaster General Hospital.
- Murder On a Train - Mystery entertainment on the Strasburg Railroad train. The railroad sponsors special events on holidays as well.
- The Lancaster QVC Outlet Store - in Rockvale Square at 35 South Willowdale Drive; Lancaster PA 17602.
- Unique Places in Pennsylvania
Hertzog Homestead B and B in Lancaster
Penn Dutch Inn Mysteries by Tamar Myers
Ms. Tamar Myers is the author of two series of mysteries, one being the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series and the other regarding antiques.
Combining her Amish and Mennonite heritage crossroads, the author portrays the owner of the Penn Dutch Inn B & B in Hernia, Pennsylvania. The Mennonite Magdalena Portulaca Yoder runs the inn while an older Old Order Amish cousin, Frennie, does all the cooking at the full board B & B.
For an extra charge, the quests can help with the daily chores as well. Meanwhile, a Fundamentalist woman cleans the inn while warning of the dangers of Satan and UFOs and such. Most interesting reading - the books even contain good recipes.
The mysteries surround townspeople, visitors, passers-through, and even famous inn guests from Hollywood. The town sheriff is inept and look like a praying mantis, although a deputy has erected a religious altar to him in the closet of her bedroom.
Interesting, funny, and not too full of blood and guts, these mystery novels are enjoyable entertainment that engage readers and keep them interested. The Penn-Dutch Mysteries are fun and provide a partial view of life among the Amish and Mennonites.
Ms. Myers has also written The Dark Side of Heaven, which portrays the difficulties and consequences of leaving the Amish community for the world of the English (outsiders).
The author grew up in Africa with missionary parents of Mennonite-Amish heritage in the Belgian Congo of the 1950s. She has written four novels that contain information she learned or experienced during a difficult childhood among headhunters and these novels - also mysteries with humor - are riveting.
Ms. Myers ate elephant, hippo, and monkey as well as other local foods and experienced harrowing adventures beyond most children's comprehension and ability to tolerate. Upon arriving in the United States afterward, she completed high school and eventually parted ways with all forms of Christianity, converting to Judaism and marrying a Jewish husband with whom she enjoys life in North Carolina.
Her several African novels teach us as much about Christian missionaries as it does about the Congolese peoples and some of the Belgians who is treated them.
Amish Interviews
Penn Dutch Vocabulary
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2008 Patty Inglish MS
Comments and Recommendations
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on August 13, 2008:
That will certainly be fun!
MrMarmalade from Sydney on August 12, 2008:
We will be going up to Alaska in the next six months.
Hopefully we might be able to throw in a little mystery trip to
Kitchen Kettle Village. Frank for the Jams and Val for the crafts.
Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on August 12, 2008:
Haha - I bet it's all natural ingredients!
Pete Michner from Virginia on August 12, 2008:
Great Hub! Another mystery: how do they make Turkey Hill ice cream so good? :)
