Anthony D. Fredericks - Lancaster and Lancaster County: A Travelers Guide to Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Travel to Lancaster County and enjoy the vacation of a lifetime!

T he history of transportation in Lancaster County is rooted in its Native American pastspecifically the foot paths Native Americans used to travel across this rich and varied landscape. Most of the foot travel through forests and fields was for the purpose of tradethe exchange of goods and food between and among the scattered and often isolated villages.

The primary village (in what is now Lancaster County) was Conestogaa central trading outpost located about 4 miles southwest of the present-day borough of Millersville. Conestoga (meaning at the place of the immersed pole) was a critical center of trade and foot traffic from approximately 1690 to 1740. Not only was the village a central point for Native Americans, it was also a popular trade center for settlers, explorers and the early pioneers to this region shortly after the territory was opened up by William Penn.

Conestogas importance lay in the fact that it was at the convergence of six or seven foot paths, each of which led in a different direction throughout present-day Pennsylvania. One of the primary foot paths into and out of Conestoga was the Great Minquas Patha 17th-century trade route that arched eastward through vast wooded lands and across numerous tributaries toward the Schuylkill River and the European settlements of Philadelphia and Chester. This 80-mile trail was so significant that Dutch, English, and Swedish settlers fought over it continuously for many years. That this route was an important transportation artery is reflected in the fact that long segments of todays US-222 and PA-741 follow the same lines in Lancaster County as did the original Great Minquas Path (also known as the Great Trail).

Many first-time visitors to Lancaster County inquire about the viability of the Susquehanna River as a transportation artery. Indeed, one might imagine that this 464-mile river, which forms the western boundary of Lancaster County, would be a logical and natural transportation artery.

The Susquehanna River forms the western boundary of Lancaster County

Unfortunately, the Susquehanna is noted for a large number of rocks, hidden rapids, and very shallow expanses. As such, it now has the distinction of being the longest non-navigable river in the United States (it is also the 16th-largest river in the U.S.). Commercial boat travel up and down the Susquehanna was not only impractical, it was impossible.

The first railroad to pass through Lancaster County was the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (in 1834), which connected the city of Lancaster with the Susquehanna River town of Columbia. Soon after in 1836, the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy and Lancaster Railroad constructed a connecting line from Mount Joy to Dillersville. This was followed by the Strasburg Railroad, which was completed in 1837. The Strasburg line is still in operation today as a tourist railroad (well visit it later in this book) and is one of Lancaster Countys most popular visitor attractions.

Todays travelers to Lancaster County can come and go via several transportation optionsair, rail, bus, or car. Although mass transportation outside the city limits of Lancaster is somewhat limited (with the exception of the always popular and always well-traveled Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-76), there are still many ways of getting around. The best is by cara sprinkling of delightful small towns, the rich and awe-inspiring vistas, the quaint and delightfully rural back roads, and the singularly unique culture of Lancaster County almost demands the use of a car. Yet however you travel and wherever you go throughout the county, you will be rewarded with an array of visual delightsmuch as the early pioneers were as they traipsed along well-worn foot paths from village to village.

A Strasburg Rail Road historic steam locomotive.

Although Lancaster and Lancaster County may be considered rural and remote by many, there is still a wide diversity of transportation options available for visitors. Getting here and getting around is remarkably easy. Consider the following options.

There are three primary airports. They are listed here in order of proximity to Lancaster.

Harrisburg International Airport (888-235-9442; www.flyhia.com; 1 Terminal Drive #300, Middletown, PA 17057). Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is a mere 32 miles from downtown Lancaster. It is a very easy airport to get in and out of (I use it almost exclusively when I travel). It is served by a number of carriers including Air Canada, Allegiant, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, and American/USAirways. These airlines provide daily, nonstop service to 14 destinations, along with one-stop connections to numerous cities throughout the world.

Baltimore Washington International Airport (800-435-9294; www.bwiairport.com; P.O. Box 8766, BWI Airport, MD 21240). Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) lies 90 miles south of downtown Lancaster. The drive from BWI to Lancaster is relatively easyexcept if you arrive during rush hour, during which your journey around Baltimore (on I-695) will be much slower than you would like. Every major carrier flies in and out of BWI, and you can get non-stop flights from all major U.S. cities into Baltimore.

Harrisburg International Airport (HIA)

Philadelphia International Airport (215-937-6937; www.phl.org; 8800 Essington Ave Philadelphia, PA 19153). Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is the largest airport in the region. It is situated approximately 92 miles east of Lancaster if you use the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) for most of your journey. Travel in and around the airport is frequently congested and confusing and the infamous Schuylkill Expressway, particularly during rush hour, can slow you down considerably. PHL is serviced by all major (and several minor) airlines.

The airport websites provide valuable information on ground transportation and security.

Harrisburg International Airport. The airports website (http://flyhia.com/ground_transportation) has complete information about a wide variety of ground transportation options. These include car rentals, buses, Amtrak, public transit, hotel shuttles, limo and car service, taxis and their Multi-Modal Transportation Facility (MMTF).

Baltimore International Airport. For information on ground transportation out of BWI check the Ground Transportation page on the airports website (www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation). The page contains information about taxis, vans and shuttles, rail travel, buses, and car rental phone numbers. Keep in mind, however, that several transportation services do not go beyond the Maryland border into Pennsylvania.