Lititz, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Lititz, Pennsylvania
Borough
125 E. Main Street
Etymology: A Bohemian castle
Motto(s): "The Heart of Lancaster County"
Location in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lititz, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Lititz, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Lancaster
Settled	1710
Founded	1756
Area
• Total	2.33 sq mi (6.02 km²)
• Land	2.32 sq mi (6.01 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km²)
Elevation	381 ft (116 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	9,369
• Estimate (2019)	9,465
• Density	4,076.23/sq mi (1,573.84/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	17543
Area codes	717 Exchange: 625,626,627
FIPS code	42-43816

Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, 9 miles (14 km) north of the city of Lancaster. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 9,369.

History
Geography
Demographics
Sister city
Sites of interest
- Public services
- Museums and historic sites
Transportation
Notable people
Images for kids
See also

History

Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756 and was named after a castle (mentioned form of name is German; Czech name of this castle is Litice) in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had been founded in 1457. The roots of the Moravian Brethren's Church date back to the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church.

For a century, only Moravians were permitted to live in Lititz. Until the middle of the 19th century, only members of the congregation could own houses; others were required to lease. The lease-system was abolished in 1855, just five years before the beginning of the Civil War. More information can be found in the book A Brief History of Lititz Pennsylvania by Mary Augusta Huevener, published in 1947.

During a part of the American Revolution, the Brethren's House, built in 1759, was used as a hospital. A number of soldiers died and were buried here. Lititz is also home to Linden Hall School, the oldest all-girls boarding school in the United States. Located adjacent to the Moravian Church on 47 acres (19 ha) of land, Linden Hall School was founded by the Moravians in 1746, a decade before the borough was incorporated.

Lititz has been holding a town-wide celebration of Independence Day since 1813. This annual spectacle attracts many tourists and former residents that return for the annual Queen of Candles Pageant and fireworks display in Lititz Springs Park. The park itself is decorated each year, rather extravagantly, with wooden beams and trestles placed from side to side of the stone-walled stream and stretching nearly the entire length of the park. The trestles are fitted sockets for white candles to be placed and lit during the celebration. The first candle has traditionally been lit by the year's Queen of Candles pageant winner. Musical performances by such groups as "Flamin' Dick and the Hot Rods" then follow. The park also hosts festivities for children and a plethora of food offerings comparable to those at a county fair. The 4th of July parade is sponsored by Lititz Lions. Another summer event is the annual art show sponsored by the Village Art Association of Lititz and the craft show sponsored by the Lititz Rotary Club, which extends from the Lititz Springs Park out into Broad Street (PA-501) and Main Street (PA-772). Annually, the Saturday before Columbus Day is Chocolate Walk, a much-anticipated downtown event hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area.

During 2006 a year-long celebration was held commemorating the 250th anniversary of the naming of the town. Some of the major events included a service and commemoration ceremony in Lititz Springs Park on Sunday June 11, the official naming ceremony on Monday June 12, a fountain show in the park called "Symphonic Springs" during August 20–26th, and a New Year's celebration.

Lititz is often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Intercourse, Blue Ball, Mount Joy, Bareville, Bird-in-Hand and Paradise.

In 2013, Lititz was announced the winner of Budget Travel's "America's Coolest Small Towns" competition from among 15 other finalists.("America's Coolest Small Towns 2013").

Geography

Lititz is located at 40°9′17″N 76°18′12″W / 40.15472°N 76.30333°W / 40.15472; -76.30333.

Pennsylvania Routes 772 (Orange and Main Streets) and 501 (Broad Street) run through the town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,113	—
1890	1,494	34.2%
1900	1,637	9.6%
1910	2,082	27.2%
1920	3,680	76.8%
1930	4,363	18.6%
1940	4,840	10.9%
1950	5,568	15.0%
1960	5,987	7.5%
1970	7,072	18.1%
1980	7,590	7.3%
1990	8,280	9.1%
2000	9,029	9.0%
2010	9,369	3.8%
2019 (est.)	9,465	1.0%
Sources:

As of the census of 2000, there were 9,029 people, 3,732 households, and 2,407 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,884.0/sq mi (1,499.6/km²). There were 3,827 housing units at an average density of 1,646.2 per square mile (636.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.23% White, 0.44% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.

There were 3,732 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $40,417, and the median income for a family was $52,028. Males had a median income of $36,126 versus $25,997 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,601. About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Sister city

A Sister City relationship between Lititz and Kunvald (Czech Republic) was established on June 11, 2006, during the celebration of the 250th anniversary naming of Lititz. The ceremony took place in Lititz Springs Park. Their Pennsylvania sister city is Emmaus.

Sites of interest

Public services

Warwick High School is located in Lititz and operates in the Warwick School District
The Lititz Public Library is a member of the Library System of Lancaster County.

Transportation

Pennsylvania Routes 772 (West Orange and East Main streets) and 501 (Broad Street) run through the town. PA 772 leads east 6 miles (10 km) to Brownstown and west 5 miles (8 km) to Manheim, while PA 501 leads north 16 miles (26 km) to Myerstown and south 9 miles (14 km) to Lancaster, the county seat.

The Reading and Columbia Railroad operated passenger service through downtown Lititz until 1952. Norfolk Southern continues to operate freight service to Lancaster, while the line between Lititz and Ephrata has been converted into a rail trail. A replica of the Lititz Depot was constructed at its former location in Lititz Springs Park in 1999, along with a small museum in a Reading caboose.

Bus service in Lititz is provided by Red Rose Transit Route 10, the successor of the Conestoga Traction Company trolley line to Lancaster along the Lititz Pike.

Notable people

Roy Clair and Gene Clair; founders of Clair Brothers, an audio manufacturer and sound reinforcement company
John Fass (1890–1973), book designer, printer, photographer
Matt Greiner, metalcore drummer for August Burns Red
Mary Penry (1735–1804), Moravian sister
Richard A. Snyder (1910–1992), Pennsylvania state senator
Johann August Sutter (1803–1880), pioneer of California
Louise Adeline Weitzel (1862–1934), poet
Joey Welz (born 1940), musician; former pianist for Bill Haley & His Comets
Andrew Wenger (born 1990), Hermann Trophy winner and professional soccer player for the Philadelphia Union
The Districts; indie rock band