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Blue Ball, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Along US 322 approaching PA 23
Along US 322 approaching PA 23
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania is located in Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania is located in the United States
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Lancaster
Township East Earl
Area
 • Total 1.19 sq mi (3.09 km2)
 • Land 1.19 sq mi (3.09 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
441 ft (134 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 1,031
 • Density 864/sq mi (333.4/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
17506
Area code(s) 717 Exchange: 354
FIPS code 42-07208
GNIS feature ID 1169864

Blue Ball is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in East Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. Blue Ball lies approximately 2 miles (3 km) east-northeast of the borough of New Holland at the intersection of US 322 and PA Route 23. As of the 2010 census the population was 1,031.

Name and origin

The name originates from the Blue Ball Hotel, built more than two hundred years ago, which stood on the southeast corner of the PA 23-US 322 crossroads. The inn was torn down in 1997. In the early 18th century, John Wallace built a small building in Earl Town at the intersection of two Indian trails, French Creek Path (Route 23) and Paxtang (Route 322). He hung a blue ball out front from a post and called it "The Sign of the Blue Ball." Locals soon began calling the town "Blue Ball" after the inn. In 1833, Earl Town officially changed its name to Blue Ball. During Prohibition, the inn changed its name to Blue Ball Hotel.

Trivia

The town's name is suggestive, alluding as it does to the slang term "blue balls"

  • Anderson, William Charles (1979) Home sweet home has wheels: or, Please don't tailgate the real estate
  • Henry Louis Mencken, Raven Ioor McDavid (1963) The American language: an inquiry into the development of English in the United States, Volume 1
  • Museums Association (2006) The Museums journal, Volume 106, Issues 1-6, Indexes to papers read before the Museums Association, 1890–1909. Compiled by Charles Madeley.
  • Paul Krassner (1963) The Trial of Eros Magazine in The Realist No.44, pp. 1, 11-23
  • Rand McNally and Company (1978) Vacation & travel guide

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Blue Ball para niños

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