Lancaster County, PA, Part 1

We took three days to visit Lancaster County.

We first visited the Mennonite Visitor’s Center, which has a scale model of the Biblical Old Testament Tabernacle. It was built in the 1940‘s by a Baptist Minister in Florida. Mennonites later purchased it and joined it to their center. We could only take pictures of the outside. This was the outside courtyard of the display, with the white linen fence and multicolored linen where the priests entered. It was really very interesting to envision what the Tabernacle actually looked like. And the fact that they would take it down and move it was quite a feat.


It was built based on instructions found in Numbers 3 and 4.

Down the road a way were a couple of unique shops, the Dutch Haven, where we had our first sample of Shoo-fly pie.

and the Outhouse, a very unique, off the wall shop,

We got a map of the area and decided to check out the country side.
We saw a couple of Amish schoolhouses, but only got this picture,

an old mill, Mascot Roller Mills, which was open for tours. This was one of those unexpected delights! We saw the buildings as we approached and were thrilled to find out we could tour them!



The earliest grain mill on this site was established in 1730’s. This building was built in 1820, with three generations of Ressler family operating it from 1865-1977. A very interesting place!
It included an old post office


Strasburg is just south of Lancaster, and is known for its railroad station,



You can take a train ride into the countryside, but we are going to wait until New Hampshire for that!

and the state railroad museum, which was fascinating



It is going through renovations (notice the blue plastic...part of renovation is roofing)right now, but we were able to see everything. There is an intesive inside collection,




Paul was very patient while he waited to get into this seat!


And outside


including a roundtable,


and an education center with model trains set up,

toy set ups, including Geotrax,

legos,

plus a small Thomas set. All interactive!

I was going to do one blog for the week we spent in this area, but as you noticed on the last blog, the blog on Hershey was long enough to make one! So this one and the next cover the rest of the week, which we spent in Lancaster County.