Lititz, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lititz
Borough
125 E. Main Street
Flag
Etymology: A Bohemian castle
Motto(s):  "The Heart of Lancaster County"
Location in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lititz Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Lititz 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  (2020)
• Total	9,381
• Density	4,040.05/sq mi (1,559.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	17543
Area codes	717
FIPS code	42-43816

An aerial view of 125 East Main Street, the first house in Lititz

The Welcome Center at Lititz Train Station

Aerial View of Lititz, PA

Lititz Spring Park

Lititz is a small town, also called a borough, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is about 9 miles (14 km) north of the city of Lancaster. In 2020, about 9,370 people lived there.

History of Lititz

Houses on Main Street in Lititz

Lititz was started in 1756 by members of the Moravian Church. This church group was named after Litice Castle in Bohemia (which is now part of the Czech Republic). The Moravian Church is a successor to an older church founded there in 1457. Lititz was one of four important Moravian towns in Pennsylvania. The others were Bethlehem, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

For 100 years, only Moravians were allowed to live in Lititz. Until the mid-1800s, only church members could own houses. Others had to rent. This renting system ended in 1855.

During the American Revolutionary War, a building called Brethren's House was used as a hospital. Many soldiers from the Continental Army were treated there. Some soldiers died and were buried in Lititz.

Lititz is also home to Linden Hall School for Girls. This is the oldest all-girls boarding school in the United States. It was founded by the Moravians in 1746, even before Lititz became a borough. The school is next to the Moravian Church.

Geography and Climate

Lititz covers about 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²). A small part of this area is water. Lititz Run is a stream that flows through the town's center. It starts at Lititz Springs Park and goes towards the Conestoga River, about 6 miles (10 km) away.

Lititz has a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. The average temperature in January is about 30.1°F (-1.1°C). In July, it's about 74.7°F (23.7°C).

Population Information

In 2000, there were 9,029 people living in Lititz. Most people were White (97.23%). There were also smaller groups of African American, Native American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino people.

About 29.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (52.9%) were married couples. The average age of people in Lititz was 40 years old.

Economy and Businesses

Lititz is home to several interesting companies.

• Woodstream makes mousetraps under the Victor brand. They have been making mousetraps in Lititz since 1899.
• Sensenich Propeller started in 1932. They make propellers for small airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and airboats. They are known for their wooden propellers.
• Rock Lititz is a company that helps produce big rock concerts. They have a large stage in Lititz where international artists prepare for their tours.
• The White House Gift Shop is now based in Lititz. It is an online store that sells gifts related to the White House and U.S. presidents. It started in 1946 during the Truman administration.

Arts and Culture

Lititz has many fun annual events:

• An Independence Day celebration. It started in 1813 and includes a Queen of Candles Pageant and fireworks.
• A summer art show where local artists display their work.
• A microbrewery festival for adults.
• The Fire and Ice Festival in February. This event features food trucks, entertainment, and beautiful ice sculptures.

The Lititz Public Library is part of the Library System of Lancaster County.

Museums and Historic Places

Lititz has many places where you can learn about its history:

• Gravesite of John A. Sutter
• Heritage Map Museum
• Johannes Mueller House
• Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery (where pretzels were first made in the U.S.)
• Lititz Springs Park
• Wilbur Chocolate Factory and Candy Americana Museum
• John Beck's Boys Academy
• Johann Agust Sutter House
• William Werner House
• Lititz Moravian Historic District

Education in Lititz

Lititz is part of the Warwick School District. This district also includes Elizabeth and Warwick townships. Here are some of the schools in Lititz:

• Warwick High School
• Warwick Middle School
• Lititz Elementary School
• John Beck Elementary School
• John R. Bonfield Elementary School
• Kissel Hill Elementary School
• Linden Hall School for Girls (a private school)

Transportation

Train station

Major roads in Lititz include Pennsylvania Routes 772 and 501.

A train line used to run through Lititz. Passenger service stopped in 1952. Now, Norfolk Southern uses the line for freight. The part of the line between Lititz and Ephrata has been turned into a rail trail for walking and biking. A copy of the old Lititz Depot (train station) was built in Lititz Springs Park in 1999. It has a small museum inside a train car called a caboose.

Bus service in Lititz is provided by Red Rose Transit Route 10.

Notable People from Lititz

Many interesting people have lived in Lititz, including:

• John Fass (1890–1973), a book designer and photographer.
• Matt Greiner, a drummer for the band August Burns Red.
• Curtis Cregan, a former member of the TV show Hi-5 USA.
• Mary Penry (1735–1804), a Moravian sister.
• Richard A. Snyder (1910–1992), a Pennsylvania state senator.
• Johann August Sutter (1803–1880), a famous pioneer in California.
• Louise Adeline Weitzel (1862–1934), a poet.
• Joey Welz (born 1940), a musician who played piano for Bill Haley & His Comets.
• Andrew Wenger (born 1990), a professional soccer player.

Sister Cities

Lititz has a special connection with another town called Kunvald in the Czech Republic. They became sister cities on June 11, 2006. This happened during the celebration of Lititz's 250th anniversary. Lititz also has a sister city in Pennsylvania, which is Emmaus.

See also

In Spanish: Lititz para niños