Center of Pennsylvania Dutch country, Lancaster is a county seat of Lancaster County. The community was named after Lancashire, England. Its symbol is the the red rose, from the house of Lancashire.

Lancaster is located near the Susquehanna River 34 miles southeast of Harrisburg, 70 miles west of Philadelphia, 55 miles north-northeast of Baltimore and 87 miles north of Washington, D.C. It is known as “the Red Rose City”.

Lancaster covers a total area of 19.2 km² (7.4 mi²) of which 19.2 km² (7.4 mi²) is land and 0.14% is water. The average low temperature of Lancaster is 30 degrees F while the average high is 80 degrees F.

Elevation: 368 feet

Land area: 7.4 square miles

Latitude: 40.04 N,

Longitude: 76.30 W

Population: 54,757 as on 2005

Local festivals include:

• Pig Iron Fest - Sept. 24, 2006

Attractions:

• Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park
• Central Market
• Demuth Museum & Garden
• Discover Lancaster County History Museum
• Heritage Center Museum
• Landis Valley Museum
• Wheatland (James Buchanan House)
• Lancaster Museum of Art