Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Coordinates: 40°2′23″N 76°18′16″W / 40.03972, -76.30444
Lancaster
City
Seal
Official name: City of Lancaster
Nickname: The Red Rose City
Country Flag of the United States United States
State Flag of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania
County Seal of Lancaster County Lancaster
Location Penn Square
 - coordinates 40°2′23″N 76°18′16″W / 40.03972, -76.30444
Highest point
 - elevation 368 ft (112 m)
Area 7.4 sq mi (19 km²)
 - land 7.4 sq mi (19 km²)
 - water 0.01 sq mi (0 km²)
 - metro 802 sq mi (2,077 km²)
Population 55,381 (2000)
 - urban 55,561
 - metro 494,486
Density 7,614.6 /sq mi (2,940 /km²)
Founded 1730
 - Incorporated 1818-03-10
Mayor Rick Gray (D)
Timezone EST (UTC-4)
 - summer (DST) EDT (UTC-5)
Area code 717
Location of Lancaster in Lancaster, County
Location of Lancaster in Lancaster, County
Location of Lancaster within Pennsylvania
Location of Lancaster within Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: www.cityoflancasterpa.com

Lancaster, is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the county seat of Lancaster County. With a population of 55,351,[1] it is the 8th largest city in Pennsylvania, behind Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, and Bethlehem. The metropolitan area population stands at 494,486 making it the 102nd largest metropolitan area in the US.

Locally, Lancaster is pronounced as LANK-ih-stir, rather than the more common pronunciation LAN-cas-ter.

Contents

[edit] History

Named after the English city of Lancaster by native John Wright. Its symbol, the red rose, is from the House of Lancaster. Lancaster was part of the 1681 Penn's Woods Charter of William Penn. Lancaster was layed out by James Hamilton in 1734. Lancaster was incorporated as a borough in 1742 and was incorporated as a city in 1818.[2] During the American Revolution, Lancaster was the capital of the colonies on September 27, 1777, when the Continental Congress fled Philadelphia, which had been captured by the British. After meeting one day, they moved still farther away, to York. Lancaster was capital of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1812, after which the capital was moved to the Harrisburg. Lancaster was one of the winning communities for the All-America City award in 2000.

[edit] Geography

Lancaster is located at 40°2'23" North, 76°18'16" West (40.039860, -76.304366),[3] and is 368 feet above sea level.

The city is located about 34 miles southeast of Harrisburg, 70 miles west of Philadelphia, 55 miles north-northeast of Baltimore and 87 miles north of Washington, D.C.

The nearest towns and boroughs are Millersville (4.0 miles), Willow Street (4.8 miles), East Petersburg (5.3 miles), Lititz (7.9 miles), Landisville (8.6 miles), Mountville (8.8 miles), Rothsville (8.9 miles), and Leola (8.9 miles).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.14% is water.

[edit] Architecture

Here are the main types of architecture that still dominate the city of Lancaster, with a local example of each.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 56,348 people, 20,933 households, and 12,162 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,616.5 people per square mile (2,940.0/km²). There were 23,024 housing units at an average density of 3,112.1/sq mi (1,201.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.55% White, 14.09% African American, 0.44% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.44% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. 30.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2000, 24.34% of Lancaster residents were of Puerto Rican ancestry. The city has the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as the "Spanish Rose." Lancaster celebrates its Hispanic heritage once every year with the Puerto Rican Festival.[5]

There were 20,933 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,770, and the median income for a family was $34,623. Males had a median income of $27,833 versus $21,862 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,955. 21.2% of the population and 17.9% of families were below the poverty line. 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

[edit] Economy

Lancaster suffers from high unemployment, especially in the southeastern quadrant.[6] This area, which includes census tracts 8, 9, 15, and 16, had unemployment rates of 10.9%, 10.1%, 3.5%, and 9.0% , respectively, in 1999, when the rest of the county was 4.9%. The Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board sees a persistent problem in underemployment: "People are working but surviving just on the edge of poverty." Outside the city, however, employment has increased 18% by adding 34,900 jobs between the years 1999 and 2002.

Lancaster City has been in the process of recreating itself recently with an explosion of specialty shops, boutiques, bars, clubs, and reinvestment in downtown institutions and locations.

Since 1999,[1] the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority, Penn Square Partners and the City's Redevelopment Authority have pursued a controversial plan to build a 300-room Marriott Hotel and a 220,000-square-foot taxpayer funded convention venue in and near the space formerly occupied by the Watt & Shand department store, preserving only the building's façade.[2] The project's supporters believe it would promote the revitalization of the city's center. Its opponents, however, feel it poses a significant risk to taxpayers. [3][4] This plan also includes the demolition of significant portions of other historic sites, including Thaddeus Stevens' home. [5]

There are also plans to convert an area of unused polluted industrial grounds, which were once occupied by Armstrong World Industries, into playing fields for Franklin & Marshall College. This action is expected to take up most of the former industrial site. The northeastern corner will be developed with funds from Lancaster General Hospital. The hospital plans to create a mixed-use development which will add several city blocks to Lancaster’s grid. F&M's president, John Fry, has also orchestrated the construction of new dormitories and apartments for Franklin & Marshall students along Harrisburg Pike.

[edit] Transportation

The Route 16 bus leaving Millersville inbound to Lancaster.
The Route 16 bus leaving Millersville inbound to Lancaster.

The Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) provides local bus transit to Lancaster City as well as surrounding areas in Lancaster County. RRTA is headquartered outside the City of Lancaster.

Capitol Trailways provides intercity bus transit from the Lancaster train station to King of Prussia, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Amtrak also serves the Lancaster train station, located on the northernmost edge of the city at 53 McGovern Avenue. The Pennsylvanian, with service between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, as well as the Keystone, with service between Harrisburg and New York, both serve Lancaster. Nine Keystone trains and one Pennsylvanian pass through Lancaster inbound toward Philadelphia or outbound toward Harrisburg on any given weekday. [6][7] The city is served by the Lancaster Airport, located six miles north of downtown and just south of Lititz.

[edit] Notable residents

See also: Category:People from Lancaster, Pennsylvania


[edit] Historical Landmarks

Rock Ford Plantation
Rock Ford Plantation

[edit] Sports

Main article: Sports in South Central Pennsylvania
Club League Venue Established Championships
Lancaster Barnstormers ALPB Baseball Clipper Magazine Stadium 2005 1

[edit] Baseball

Clipper Magazine Stadium
Clipper Magazine Stadium

The city of Lancaster has only one professional sports team, the Lancaster Barnstormers. After 44 years without professional baseball, the Barnstormers arrived to fill the void left by the departed Lancaster Red Roses. The Lancaster Barnstormers are named after the "barnstorming" baseball players who played exhibition games in the surrounding county, as well as a reference to the county's many farms. The Barnstormers continue a couple of traditions of the old Red Roses, as their official colors are navy blue, red, and khaki, the same colors used by the Red Roses. More importantly, the Barnstormers continue the old baseball rivalry between Lancaster and the nearby city of York, contending with the York Revolution.

The city of Lancaster is the hometown of Major League alumnus, Tom Herr. Herr played for the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Mets, the San Francisco Giants, and finally with the St. Louis Cardinals. After his time in the Majors, he coached the Black Knights baseball team of Hempfield High School for several years. Herr joined the Lancaster Barnstomers for their inaugural season in 2005 as the manager. After a dismal 2005 season, he lead the Barnstormers to their first-ever championship in 2006, against the Bridgeport Bluefish.

[edit] Lancaster amateur sports

  • Dutchland Derby Rollers, an all-female roller derby team which plays to raise money for various charities.[7]

[edit] Historical Lancaster teams

  • Lancaster Red Roses: of the Eastern Professional Baseball League from 1906-1909 and 1940-1961.
  • Lancaster Maroons: of the Eastern Professional Baseball League from 1896-1899.
  • Lancaster Red Sox: of the Eastern Professional Baseball League played in 1932.

[edit] Lancaster Classic

The city of Lancaster hosts the Tom Bamford Lancaster Classic, a professional bicycle racing event held each June since 1992. It is part of the 2006-2007 UCI America Tour and the 2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour.

[edit] Inventions

Hamilton pocketwatch
Hamilton pocketwatch
  • The first battery-powered watch, the Hamilton Electric 500, was released in 1957 by the Hamilton Watch Company.
  • Peeps, an Easter confection shaped as marshmallow chicks covered with yellow sugar, were invented by the Rodda Candy Company of Lancaster in the 1920s. In 1953, Rodda was purchased by Sam Born, the Russian immigrant who invented ice cream "jimmies", and production was moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

[edit] Colleges and universities

[edit] Media

[edit] Print

[edit] TV

  • WGAL, the local NBC affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.
  • WLYH, the local CW affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.
  • WHP, the local CBS affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.
  • WHTM, the local ABC affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.
  • WITF, the local PBS affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.
  • WPMT, the local FOX affiliate serving the Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg area.

[edit] Radio

FM

  • WFNM 89.1 FM, the student-run radio station of Franklin & Marshall College.
  • WJTL 90.3 FM, Christian Contemporary radio station serving Lancaster and surrounding area.
  • WLCH 91.3 FM, Spanish radio
  • WIXQ 91.7 FM, the student-run radio station at Millersville University.
  • WLRI 92.9 FM, Pop and adult contemporary
  • WOMA 93.1 FM, Radio Omega. Spanish radio.
  • WDAC-FM 94.5 FM, Religious radio.
  • WLAN-FM 96.9 FM, Top-40 Radio station serving the lower Susquehanna Valley.
  • WQIC 100.1 FM, Adult contemporary
  • WIOV-FM 105.1 FM, The Big I105, Country.

AM

  • WLAN-AM AM, the local radio station serving the Lancaster area, on the AM dial.
  • WADV 940 AM, Gospel music
  • WLBR 1270 AM, Adult Contemporary
  • WLPA 1490 AM, The Sporting News
  • WWSM 1510 AM, Country Western music

[edit] Sites of interest

[edit] Local Businesses

Preceded by
Philadelphia		 Capital of the United States of America
1777		 Succeeded by
York

[edit] References

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Portal
  1. ^ Lancaster (city) QuickFacts. Census Bureau. Retrieved on June 30, 2006.
  2. ^ Lancaster County History. PHMC. Retrieved on August 1, 2006.
  3. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ Puerto Rican Festival. Lancaster Online. Retrieved on September 18, 2006.
  6. ^ Workforce Profile for Lancaster City. Jobs 4 Lancaster. Retrieved on May 9, 2006.
  7. ^ Welcome! | Dutchland Rollers

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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Municipalities and communities of
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
County seat: Lancaster
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Location of the capital of the United States
1774                First Continental Congress
1775 – 1781    Second Continental Congress
Philadelphia → Baltimore → Lancaster → York
1781 – 1789    Congress of the Confederation
1789 to present    United States Congress