Five Fun Facts about Lancaster:
• There's free wine every month at First Friday downtown!
• Bird-in-Hand, Blue Ball, Intercourse, and Virginville are all towns in Lancaster County.
• The movie Witness was filmed here, and many locals were extras.
• The Central Market is one of the oldest farmer’s markets in the country.
• Students often see the Amish walking around Lancaster, and some shopping centers even offer “buggy parking.”
Famous People from Lancaster:
James Buchanan – Fifteenth president of the U.S.
Benjamin Rush – Early surgeon and physician
Andrew Wyeth – Artist
Local Slang:
Lancaster is in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, and all of these expressions are heavily influenced by the version of German that the local Amish and Mennonites currently speak, though these words are not limited to the Plain Folk.
All – Empty. “This can is all! Get me another, please.”
Awhile – While you wait, a waitress might say, “Can I bring you a Coke awhile?”
Coke – Any fizzy beverage. “What kind of Coke do you want?”
Dassent – Dare not. “I want to break the rules, but I see a cop, so I dassent.”
English – A non-Amish person, whatever his or her actual nationality is.
Fasnacht – Dough fried in fat. The day before Ash Wednesday is known as Fasnacht Day in Lancaster County, and fasnacht is served in the dining hall.
Het up – Emotional, shaken up, riled. “I was about to start a fight, I was so het up!”
Mind on – Recall. “Do you mind on that nice college boy who used to come by here?”
Outen the lights – Turn off the lights. “Would you outen the lights when you leave, please?”
Plain Folk – The Amish, who shun electricity and other modern conveniences. You can frequently see their horse-drawn buggies around Lancaster County.
Redd up – Tidy up, clean; put a room in order. “Monday is redd-up day, so get your things in order.”
Wants on – To like somebody and want to hook up with them. “He’s looking at me; I bet he wants on.”