Making friends in Lancaster County (Philadelphia, Chester: fit in, transplants, buying a home)

[christianjunglegirl]

My fiance and I are considering buying a home in Lancaster County. We are currently looking at houses in Denver, New Holland, Ephrata, Leola, etc.

I am concerned about whether we will be able to fit in and make friends, especially after reading forum posts. He has lived in the area for years and I have spent a lot of time with him there, but we've never really connected socially. Although we try to get involved in his church, we don't really feel welcome there.

Pluses for us fitting in - we have German heritage and last names, we are both white and Christian.

Minuses for us fitting in - we are both from big cities originally (Philly and Baltimore/Washington). We are college-educated, intellectual types. We are both divorced with college-aged kids who don't live with us. We are engaged but will be living together unmarried for several years because I have excellent pension benefits from my ex-husband, and I will lose that if I remarry before I'm 55.

Are there any liberal/progressive Lutheran or Episcopal churches around? Do we have to go to downtown Lancaster to find one?

Any photography or model airplane clubs?

Any particular towns that we should focus on or avoid?

Thanks so much!

[lititzman2003]

Originally Posted by christianjunglegirl

My fiance and I are considering buying a home in Lancaster County. We are currently looking at houses in Denver, New Holland, Ephrata, Leola, etc.

I am concerned about whether we will be able to fit in and make friends, especially after reading forum posts. He has lived in the area for years and I have spent a lot of time with him there, but we've never really connected socially. Although we try to get involved in his church, we don't really feel welcome there.

Pluses for us fitting in - we have German heritage and last names, we are both white and Christian.

Minuses for us fitting in - we are both from big cities originally (Philly and Baltimore/Washington). We are college-educated, intellectual types. We are both divorced with college-aged kids who don't live with us. We are engaged but will be living together unmarried for several years because I have excellent pension benefits from my ex-husband, and I will lose that if I remarry before I'm 55.

Are there any liberal/progressive Lutheran or Episcopal churches around? Do we have to go to downtown Lancaster to find one?

Any photography or model airplane clubs?

Any particular towns that we should focus on or avoid?

Thanks so much!

Of the cities you listed, start with Denver. Seems to be more open-minded residents there. Not a fan of Ephrata. New Holland is okay but getting congested, same for Leola. AVOID LITITZ!! If I may, downplay your big city background; Philadelphians are frowned upon West of the Chester County line. Despite your heritage you will always be considered an outsider in the county. They will hear "I'm here to destroy your way of life" no matter what you say.

Sorry but I can't help you with the rest of your questions.

Best of luck and I hope you find happiness here.

[christianjunglegirl]

Thanks, Lititzman. Hoping to hear from more people soon.

Trying to get a sense of Denver - seems like it's a pretty far drive to get to much of anything. Any sense of why people might be more open-minded there? More transplants who commute on the turnpike towards Philly?

Someone told me that Denver gets a little more snow there than in New Holland. True? I don't want any more snow than necessary.

Add in "model rocket" clubs to my question.

We're hoping to look at some houses as soon as our realtor can line it up. Excited but nervous too.

[Icy Tea]

There is a sort of weather phenomenon around the Berks/Lancaster border. It was commented on years ago by a local meteorologist who said the area is extremely tricky to predict and gets more extreme weather than areas just around it. From Morgantown to Cumru they get more snow. Precipitation gets channeled from the flat valleys south and west and then hit the colder higher elevations( not mountains but some big hills). Morgantown has a record for snow about 5 feet like 50 years ago in a single storm. It acts as a kind of barrier to summer storms as well so areas just north and east of the same area get a break from violent weather.

[knit]

Stevens, Adamstown, Reamstown all good towns. People ARE friendly in Lancaster county. WE visit often and have not met a rude person yet. Of course the Amish are quiet but they will talk when you talk to them. Schools in Reamstown area seem to be very good. The downside is that the county is a tourist attraction , so on the weekends and summers it does swell with "outsiders" like myself. I am sure some can be rude and thus the locals don't want to see us But it is a great place...would love to move there myself

[bnepler]

The people pf Lancaster county aren't the problem, as usual, it's the people that moved there from other cities or areas.