Lancaster Community? (York, Ephrata, Lititz: school district, income, quality of life)

[xanadu]

Originally Posted by jeb412

What about Lebanon county, just north of Lancaster county? Does anyone have any opinions about the towns of Cornwall, South Lebanon? I know Lebanon city may not be great, but what about the surrounding communities?

Lebanon has the same ethnic mix as Lancaster it seems to me (mainly PA Dutch, some Hispanic) but the people are more friendly and laid-back - not as in-your-face about religion and other issues as they can be in Lancaster.

Lebanon industrialized early and was for decades a big steel-producing city - probably accounts for the cultural differences from Lancaster. Lebanon Co. has a Democratic US Rep. - Lancaster is of course solid GOP.

Lebanon City is like your average outer-boroughs NYC neighborhood plopped down in the middle of the countryside - not great, but not as bad as people say.

[jeb412]

Thanks Xanadu. My husband took a job in Lebanon, and we will be moving there this summer. At first, I was only looking to move to Lancaster Co. (Lititz, Manheim). But I've been doing my homework, and the outskirts of Lebanon seem pretty good too. There are a lot of nice communities, good schools (Lebanon-Cornwall), and decent real estate. Not that Lancaster Co. is out of the running, but I think parts of Lebanon Co. look pretty good too. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge of the area.

[effelove]

I was raised in Lancaster County, and my parents still live there. I attended the Manheim Township School District which is widely recognized as being the most wealthy district in the area as well as one of the best public schools in the area. I loved growing up in Lancaster, and always look forward to my visits home. I truly enjoy the city of Lancaster, several surprisingly hip restaurants and hang outs that I wish my area where I now reside had to offer. If it were possible for my family to move there we would. It is only 1-1/2 hours from Philadelphia, and about 2 1/2 from NYC. The train in Lancaster is an easy option for travel to and fro. As for what areas the "wealthy" reside in... I would say that an area referred to as Mondamin Farms houses many of the areas doctors, lawyers and "upper income" folks, as well as School Lane Hills, and the areas near the Lancaster Country Club. As for the Lititz borough, there is a country club there named Bent Creek. Many relatively newer homes have been built there that are quite nice. This location is also served by the Manheim Township School District. Hope this helps.
Effe

[Willow42]

I think it's a 'doppler effect' around major cities. I live in NJ and the waves of people coming from NY is turning our once semi-rural area into a mini-Manhattan. We, in turn, seek a better life and venture outside of our familiar dens...creating a wave of 'outsiders' in someone elses' cozy little den, and so on.

I would love to find a nice little farmette in a community with good schools in PA (Lancaster or Lebanon Co.?) I have a 9 yr old son & 2 horses. Affordable would be the key word. We can't touch anything in our area in our price range. It's sad that we're all being pushed out of the places where we grew up. I'm sick of the development. All of our horse trails are disappearing. Huge McMansions or condos going up all over. Ugh! I'd just like a little patch of green. Some rolling hills. Peace & quiet!

Not all NJ/NY'ers are the evil, loud, heavy accented, opinionated, gum snappers that are portrayed on TV. Unfortunately, there are alot of them (hence the stereotype!). But there are people like myself & my family that just want to find a nice place to live, where we can slip quietly into the background and live happily ever-after. I wish I could apologize for all the rude "Easterners" invading your area.

[pspdick]

If you ever get sick of the development in lancaster, and long for the lancaster of old, move to Bedford. Best kept secret in America. You can live and work in town, and walk out the back door to fish for some of the best tasting bass in the world during lunch. You have to build your own home because there aren't many homes period. If you keep a sharp eye out, and use speed dial, you can find a home to buy. Bedford is what lancaster was about 50 years ago. Raystown lake is nearby, rivers run through town, skiing is within minutes, shopping is available, good food and restaurants.
Bedford is PA's treasure. Wal-Mart has a distribution center there and unemployment is low. hunting and fishing is world class. if you miss lancaster of old, come to bedford. it will still be good in 50 years. If you want to live in heaven on earth, buy a home around raystown lake. Saxton,jamestown,three springs, huntington.etc.

[PhillyPhan]

the best community in lancaster couty would be the manheim township area.

[carney55]

I am a New Yorker but from the Hudson Valley region. I am looking for similar communities in the manheim/lancaster region. No interest in being with escapees from NY insanity but am looking for a welcoming community. Is there a newspaper I can subscribe to ? I have been reading a lot of great posts about Manheim so I would guess that's where I'd like to start.

[lunadiluna]

Originally Posted by covenant77

The upper class, or those who pretend to be such, are widely dispersed throughout the county in their McMansions, patronizing their strip malls that were once farm land, but they are concentrated roughly in the middle. Columbia would not be good enough for them, and their stomachs are not strong enough for the manure wafting gently from the from cardinal directions, whence are concentrated what few farms remain.

You know, in my short time on these boards it has become readily apparent to me how ridiculous some people can be on these boards. I always knew Bostonians has an inferiority complex with NYC, but to hear some of you people whine about the influx of people from more financially affluent states is pathetic. Some of the people that get bashed on these boards are not moving b/c they can't afford NYC or their current situation, but are looking for a genuine change of lifestyle, a change of pace and scenery. What do they get? They get some ******* with a chip on his shoulder b/c the old movie theater where he used to feel up his girlfriend in 8th grade was closed down to put up a Starbucks.

People need to get over themselves and understand that places change, with or without an influx of people from the East, major corporations will always look to push themselves into newer areas to spread their corporate *****.

It is just very sad to see, repeatedly, the lack of respect people can have for one another. I am thankful that I know native Pennsylvanians enough to know that the idiotic rants of a few small minded fools does not stand for the entire population.

I sincerely hope that you will direct your anger/frustration towards the people who allow your beloved towns to be raped by corporate America. Send your angry rants to your elected officials, direct your tirades towards them for allowing zoning laws to change, historical buildings to be razed, communities to be cluttered. It is more their fault (and yours) than it is these innocent people who are looking to find a better way of life.

[amsm196]

Lunadiluna,

Wow! Awesome! I agree with you 100%. People need to wake up! This is America, we the people can move to any town,city or state we wish at anytime.And of course some will have bad attitudes, some wont! Thats people for ya.

I'm currently living in Las Vegas and i'm in the casino/hotel industry, now i deal with people from everywhere. And i find people with bad attitudes from the North, south, east & west! But to be honest i found that most of the time the people from NY & NJ are the easiest and warmest.

Anyway the country is growing, so deal with it!

Stay safe everybody!

Originally Posted by lunadiluna

You know, in my short time on these boards it has become readily apparent to me how ridiculous some people can be on these boards. I always knew Bostonians has an inferiority complex with NYC, but to hear some of you people whine about the influx of people from more financially affluent states is pathetic. Some of the people that get bashed on these boards are not moving b/c they can't afford NYC or their current situation, but are looking for a genuine change of lifestyle, a change of pace and scenery. What do they get? They get some ******* with a chip on his shoulder b/c the old movie theater where he used to feel up his girlfriend in 8th grade was closed down to put up a Starbucks.

People need to get over themselves and understand that places change, with or without an influx of people from the East, major corporations will always look to push themselves into newer areas to spread their corporate *****.

It is just very sad to see, repeatedly, the lack of respect people can have for one another. I am thankful that I know native Pennsylvanians enough to know that the idiotic rants of a few small minded fools does not stand for the entire population.

I sincerely hope that you will direct your anger/frustration towards the people who allow your beloved towns to be raped by corporate America. Send your angry rants to your elected officials, direct your tirades towards them for allowing zoning laws to change, historical buildings to be razed, communities to be cluttered. It is more their fault (and yours) than it is these innocent people who are looking to find a better way of life.

[covenant77]

Originally Posted by lunadiluna

They get some ******* with a chip on his shoulder b/c the old movie theater where he used to feel up his girlfriend in 8th grade was closed down to put up a Starbucks.

Once again, it would appear that to have an opinion, as opposed to caving in to a weak-kneed, feeble-minded inclusiveness is to brand one as an extremist. Perhaps the poster needs profanity and other vulgarity because to derrogate one's opponent is the sign of a mind that cannot otherwise comprehend any intellectual depth. To make a remark like the above is only to show a lack of breeding, so that person may be comforted in joining the majority in this regard.

What has happened in the Poconos in terms of turning the beauty of God's creation into a cesspool of urban filth, or pardon me, "values," may happen again anywhere. It seems to be an affliction of many urbanites to trod upon what is found to be unspoilt, and force an iteration of their glorious world of wonderful trendy "shoppes" and disgusting "dream" homes that are large because they have been cursed to pay too much for "large" apartments, and want the cookies that have been denied them in the jar. Maybe they should have left their urban world earlier in life before they let it become so engrained in their psyche that they cannot part with it--otherwise they wouldn't push it off on areas where it has no business in being. These people are hardly "innocent," if I'm not mistaken that would be the people who settled here to escape religious persecution, and I'm so sure that the Anabaptists LOVE having all the urban English here. Sure, the Amish will be so cute for about forty-eight hours to you, but then you'll honk at them for their "slow" buggies, and you could care a rap less about their conscious choice to avoid much, I did not say ALL here for you Amish-debunkers, of what our culture puts forth.

The above-quoted message also showed feebleness by suggesting the example of a drive-in. A drive-in? We are talking about some of the best farmland and secenery in this state!! And we are to welcome others to blacktop over it?? I suppose this person would also say that to have 600,000 people on this county is not enough, that we must have more, and hoi-polloi if preferable, because these metros will certainly spruce up the county's image. In the eyes of the world and of this vain culture, they might, but compared with the beauty of acres and acres of lovely farms, produce growing in the fields, stands of trees, country roads with no one driving on them, and methods of agriculture that date to a simpler day, all that any urban culture has to offer pales woefully in comparison. But, that wouldn't be understood, would it? Clear the field, put up the cookie-cutters, get rid of the manure smells!! This is 2007, and curses to anyone who thinks otherwise, as we must progress (regress). Progress is not measured by population increase, development, a plethora of amenities, or adaptation to "today's world."

Just look at the first post on this thread, mentioning the middle to upper class. Who cares where they live in Lancaster? Are others below that socio-economic status beneath you? From my experience in life, the "better sort" have a great tendency to resemble vermin in their way of life. From such pestiferous influence this area should be spared as much as possible, while it still can. In the same way that illegal Vandal hordes dilute an area of its character, so this area will only become if further havoc (development) is wrought upon what was never intended to be more than farmland.

I can only say that if other localities would have protested as loudly as they did against the proposed Drumore shopping center that this state would not be such a woeful contradiction of its supposed agricultual "heritage." Outsiders should at least respect the latter, but they couldn't make the equation as to where their food comes from, they just want the store to buy it at.