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Bird-in-Hand is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, in East Lampeter Township. The "Bird in Hand" ZIP code extends east from the CDP into Leacock and Upper Leacock townships. The community has a large Amish and Mennonite population.

History

The area's first inhabitants were Native American Shawnee and Susquehannock people.

The earliest European settlers of what was to become Bird-in-Hand were Quakers and Swiss Mennonites. James Smith was the first of the Quakers known to have settled in the area, arriving by the year 1715. William and Dorothy McNabb were pioneer landowners and the owners of the original Bird-in-Hand Hotel. The Quakers built a meetinghouse and two-story academy, which stands today, next to the present-day Bird-in-Hand fire company.

In 1968 the Smucker family opened a small 30-room motel called the Bird-in-Hand Motor Inn, with an adjacent coffee shop, in hopes of capitalizing on the growing tourist trade in the area.

In 1976 the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market opened adjacent to the Bird-in-Hand Motor Inn.

The town is home to the Bank of Bird-in-Hand, the first bank in the United States to open following the passage of the Dodd Frank Act.

Geography

Bird-in-Hand is in central Lancaster County, on the eastern edge of East Lampeter Township. Pennsylvania Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike) runs through the center of town, leading west to Lancaster, the county seat, and east to Intercourse.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bird-in-Hand CDP has a total area of , of which , or 1.11%, are water. The area drains westward to Mill Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Conestoga River, part of the Susquehanna River watershed.

Demographics

Economy

Tourism is very important and many businesses cater specifically to tourists. Many of these businesses have an Amish theme, such as horse and buggy rides and crafts.

Museums and historic sites

  • Amish Country Homestead
  • Lampeter Friends Meetinghouse

Churches

  • Bird-in-Hand United Methodist
  • Stumptown Mennonite
  • Weavertown Amish Mennonite Church

Notes

References

  • Anderson, William Charles (1979) Home sweet home has wheels: or, Please don't tailgate the real estate
  • Henry Louis Mencken, Raven Ioor McDavid (1963) The American language: an inquiry into the development of English in the United States, Volume 1
  • Museums Association (2006) The Museums journal, Volume 106, Issues 1-6, Indexes to papers read before the Museums Association, 1890–1909. Compiled by Charles Madeley.
  • Rand McNally and Company (1978) Vacation & travel guide
  • Ward's quarterly, Volume 1, 1965
  • Bird-in-Hand History "Connect With Our Past", timeline of Bird-in-Hand history.
  • Bird-in-Hand visitors website