My earliest memories go back to when I was a year old, but it's not always clear whether a memory was collected from what my eyes saw in the moment, or if it was reinforced by the family photos and home videos I looked through over and over growing up. Questionable narcissistic tendencies aside (let's call it self-awareness), a lot of my vivid memories have undoubtedly been strengthened by our family archives.
My dad used to document every inch of my childhood, from eating oranges in a high chair to family trips. Some of my favorite photos, and my favorite memories, took place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, an area known for its Amish population and rolling countryside. I remember running through corn mazes, sitting on burlap to zip down a giant slide, and shaping soft pretzels with my brother (who was only 4 at the time and mixed his thank you with "you're welcome" as he gave a knotted mass of dough to the host). Lancaster was getting a sugar rush from shoo-fly pie, being mesmerized by Noah's Ark at Sight and Sound Theater, and getting up and close with a herd of Holsteins.
It's been eighteen years since I last visited, and after reading a recent article about its refugee population, it was time to explore parts of Lancaster that we hadn't before, like Lancaster City, its diverse cuisines, architecture, art, and thrift stores. Of note, the thrift stores are impeccably well organized, reasonably priced, and abundant (hello nearly new Everlane jeans for $5).
Our trip was short but satisfying. My mom brought home a big haul of plants, and my dad and I got to see a lot of animals. We visited new and old places, experiencing the comfort of some things that hadn't changed, while stopping to reevaluate long held perceptions of Lancaster. Curiously, a place known for its preservation of heritage could be considered progressive in its commitment to resettling the displaced and proceeding towards the commercial with the new Cartoon Network Hotel. Its bucolic image of homesteading in the middle of nowhere sits side by side (quite literally) next to national household names, like Tyson, Turkey Hill, Hershey, and Wilbur Chocolate. To make matters more complex, PASA Sustainable Agriculture is based 30 minutes away in Harrisburg. Interesting, huh?
If you haven't been to Lancaster County, I highly recommend visiting, preferably between Thursdays to Sundays, when more places are open for tours and activities. Though it's known for being family friendly, I genuinely think anyone of any age would enjoy a few days here. It's not as remote as the prairie grasslands of Wyoming, but the pace of life is a breath of fresh air and the people are really nice.
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