Introducing Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The core of Pennsylvania Dutch Country lies in the southeast region of Pennsylvania, in an area about 20 by 15 miles, east of Lancaster. The Amish (ah-mish), Mennonite and Brethren religious communities are collectively known as the ‘Plain People.’ All are Anabaptist sects, persecuted in their native Switzerland, who from the early 1700s settled in tolerant Pennsylvania. Speaking German dialects, they became known as ‘Dutch’ (from ‘Deutsch’). Most Pennsylvania Dutch live on farms and their beliefs vary from sect to sect. Many do not use electricity, and most opt for horse-drawn buggies – a delightful sight, and sound, in the area. The strictest believers, the Old Order Amish, wear dark, plain clothing, and live a simple, Bible-centered life – but have, ironically, become a major tourist attraction, thus bringing busloads of gawkers and the requisite strip malls, chain restaurants and hotels that lend this entire area an oxymoronic quality, to say the least.
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Last updated: Oct 3, 2010
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RE: Gettysburgh and Lancaster
by ianw6705 01 August 2011
I'll ignore your second paragraph (touching on contentious history and racial politics I shan't get involved in), but I can address your…
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RE: East coast trip in 2012
by VinnyD 14 June 2011
Assuming you give up on the idea of Niagara, as you should, think about getting a bus or train from NY to Philadelphia and renting a car…
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East coast trip in 2012
by PJW1970 14 June 2011
Hi folks, We are planning a 3-4 week holiday to the east coast of the USA next May. There will be my wife and I and three kids (14, 11…
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