Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Pull over near Wheatland and you're standing near the epicenter of some of the most difficult decisions leading up to the Civil War. This was the home of James Buchanan, the 15th U.S. President. Buchanan purchased this…

Imagine standing where early inhabitants of Pennsylvania once buried their dead. This is the Park Site, also known as 36LA96, an archaeological site south of Lancaster. In 1979, archaeologists excavated this site,…

Pull over for a second and picture this: weary travelers from centuries ago, their horses tired, finally reaching a welcoming sign – Witmer's Tavern. This wasn't just a place to grab a drink; it was a vital stop on the…

Imagine a time when life moved at the pace of a horse-drawn plow. That's the world the Landis Valley Museum preserves. Brothers Henry K. Landis and George Landis, passionate collectors of Pennsylvania German artifacts,…

Step back in time at the Hans Herr House, a rare survivor from Pennsylvania's early German settlers! This isn't just an old building; it's the oldest dwelling in Lancaster County and the oldest Mennonite meetinghouse in…

Pull over for a moment and imagine this peaceful landscape as the site of a tragic end. This is Conestoga Town, once home to the Susquehannock people, also known as the Conestoga. In 1763, a group of settlers, known as…

Imagine living right here along the Conestoga River centuries ago! Archaeological digs at the Roberts Farm Site have revealed clues about early life in this area. This farm site, officially known as 36LA1, sits high…

Pull over here for a second; this old mill is more than just a pretty picture. It tells a story of how communities thrived in Lancaster County. Known as Mascot Roller Mills or Ressler's Mill, it was a key grist mill…

Ever wonder where America's pretzel obsession began? You're about to pass the spot! Founded in 1861, the Sturgis Pretzel House is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the whole country. Julius Sturgis, the founder,…

Imagine a steam engine racing an airplane! The Pennsylvania Railroad 460, now resting at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, did just that. In 1927, after Charles Lindbergh's historic transatlantic flight, newsreels of…

Imagine a time when steam ruled the rails – and the Pennsylvania Railroad ruled the East! This is the story of Pennsylvania Railroad 7002, a beautifully preserved piece of that history. Built in 1902 at the PRR's…

This isn't just a train; it's a surviving piece of the Pennsylvania Railroad's mighty fleet. Imagine the roar of steam and the chug of this locomotive as it hauled freight across the Keystone State. The Pennsylvania…

Imagine the rumble of a massive freight train echoing through these fields! That's the sound Pennsylvania Railroad 520, a Mikado steam locomotive, would have made. Built in 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, this…

Behold a relic from a bygone era, a monument to Pennsylvania's steel heart: the Pennsylvania Railroad 1223. Built in 1905 at the Pennsylvania Railroad's own Altoona Works, this D16sb class 4-4-0 steam locomotive,…

Just imagine the ground shaking beneath you as a massive steam engine rumbles past, hauling tons of freight. This area, and countless others across the Pennsylvania Railroad system, once echoed with the sounds of the H6…

Just imagine the ground shaking as a massive steam locomotive thunders past, pulling dozens of freight cars. This area, like much of Lancaster County, was once crisscrossed by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and one of its…

This spot, or one very much like it, would have been bustling with Pennsylvania Railroad B6 switcher locomotives, workhorses of the rail yard. These engines were crucial for assembling and disassembling trains.The…

Imagine a thriving village bustling right here centuries ago. This is the Murry Site, where archaeologists uncovered the remains of a large Shenks Ferry village. Excavations in 1967 revealed that the village was…

Imagine walking where people have lived for over five thousand years! This unassuming spot in Lancaster County, known as the Frey-Haverstick Site, holds secrets from several different cultures and eras. Beginning as far…

The birthplace of the Philly cheesesteak since 1930. Wiz wit or without.

Pat's rival across the street. Neon-lit and open 24 hours. The great Philly debate.

Where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. American history ground zero.

Imagine generations of people living right here, long before any of us. The Oscar Leibhart Site is an archaeological treasure trove revealing clues about prehistoric and protohistoric Native American settlements. Oscar…

Imagine a fortified village bustling with life, right here in York County. The Byrd Leibhart Site, officially known as 36 YO 170, holds secrets from the late 17th century. Artifacts hinted at a settlement as early as…

You're about to cross the Susquehanna River on a bridge with a dramatic past. This vital link between Columbia and Wrightsville has been destroyed and rebuilt more than once. Before the current Veterans Memorial Bridge,…

Step back in time at this historic hotel and brewery complex – you can almost hear the echoes of laughter and clinking glasses from a bygone era. The Central Hotel and Bube's Brewery, stand as a testament to Mount Joy's…

Imagine being the master of your own iron empire, right here in Lancaster County! Speedwell Forge was the heart of that dream. Built around 1760, the mansion was home to the ironmaster. Around 1795, they expanded it,…

A piece of Lancaster County history went up in flames right here. The Risser's Mill Covered Bridge, also known as Horst's Mill Covered Bridge, once gracefully spanned Little Chickie's Creek. On 2002, tragedy struck. An…

Imagine this: cannons being forged just over there, helping to win the Revolutionary War. That's the legacy of the Stiegel-Coleman House, also known as Elizabeth Farms. Built in 1757, it was later expanded in 1780 by…

Imagine a time when iron ruled, and this very spot was the heart of a sprawling industrial empire. Mount Hope Estate, now known for its Renaissance Faire, was once the center of the Grubb family's iron dynasty in the…

Pull over here for a minute. This is Cameron Estate, and it was once a hotbed of political activity. Simon Cameron, Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War, called this place home. From 1872 to 1959, the Cameron family used…

Pull over for a second, because you're looking at a potential legend: the oldest distillery building in the whole US! This is Bomberger's Distillery, more recently known as Michter's. Production here has been documented…

Imagine the roar of fire and the clang of hammers – this unassuming spot was once at the heart of iron production for the colonies and the young United States. In 1742, Peter Grubb established Cornwall Furnace. His…

Ever imagine the world without steamboats? It all started here. Robert Fulton, the man who revolutionized water transportation, was born in this very area in 1765. Fulton, born on a farm near what is now Quarryville,…

Pull over here for a second; this spot was once a major hub for iron production! Poole Forge, right here in Lancaster County, played a vital role in supplying iron for decades. The forge was established in 1790 by the…

Ever wonder where those old-timey cigar boxes came from? This factory in Red Lion, built in 1921, was a major producer. The Consumers Cigar Box Company, later known as Red Lion Woodcraft, expanded in 1925 and again…

This unassuming bridge tells a tale of rural railroading and how it connected communities. The Muddy Creek Bridge was built around 1909 by the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, often called the "Ma & Pa." It allowed…