Ephrata, Pennsylvania Article Index for
Ephrata
Website Links For
Ephrata
 

Information About

Ephrata, Pennsylvania





GENERAL INFORMATION

  • Zip code: 17522

  • Area code: 717

  • Local phone codes: 721, 733, 738



HISTORY

Ephrata is noteworthy chiefly on account of having been formerly the seat of the Mystic Order Of The Solitary , a semimonastic order of Seventh-Day Dunkers . The community, which contained both men and women, was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel in 1732 .

Many of the members were well-educated; Peter Miller, second prior of the monastery, translated the Declaration Of Independence into seven languages, at the request of Congress. At the period of its greatest prosperity the community contained nearly 300 persons.

:::Consult:
  • Gibbons, ''Pennsylvania Dutch and Other Essays'', (Philadelphia, 1872)

  • Sachse, ''The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania'', two volumes, (Philadelphia, 1899-1900)



GEOGRAPHY

Ephrata is located at 40°10'51" North, 76°10'57" West (40.180744, -76.182427).

Like the rest of the county, it is mostly flat land suitable for farming.

According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 9.3 Km&2 (3.6 Mi&2 ). 9.3 km&2 (3.6 mi&2) of it is land and 0.28% is water.


DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the Census of 2000, there were 13,213 people, 5,477 households, and 3,565 families residing in the borough. The Population Density was 1,417.1/km&2 (3,672.7/mi&2). There were 5,672 housing units at an average density of 608.3/km&2 (1,576.6/mi&2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.10% White , 0.64% Black or African American , 0.26% Native American , 1.06% Asian , 0.14% Pacific Islander , 0.82% from Other Races , and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,477 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were Married Couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $41,550, and the median income for a family was $48,213. Males had a median income of $35,095 versus $22,782 for females. The Per Capita Income for the borough was $19,659. 6.2% of the population and 3.7% of families were below the Poverty Line . 5.5% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.


ECONOMY

Ephrata has a mix of large and small businesses of many types.


LAW AND GOVERNMENT

Ephrata is both a Borough and a Township .


SITES OF INTEREST

  • Services

  • ---Police Department


  • --124 S State St


  • --(717)738-9200

  • ---Ephrata Area Rescue Service


  • --609 N. State Street


  • --(717)738-0115

  • ---Ephrata Community Hospital


  • --169 Martin Ave., P.O. Box 1002


  • --(717)733-0311


  • --http://www.ephratahospital.org

  • Museums and Historic Sites

  • --- Ephrata Cloister

  • ---Ephrata Hospital -- The old site is no longer occupied but can still be viewed from Main Street

  • ---Main Theater -- Recently reopened after years of being closed.

  • ---Mountain Springs Hotel/Hampton Inn-- The Mountain Springs Hotel, unoccupied for a long period of time, was torn down in 2004. A Hampton Inn now stands at the site. The Hampton Inn opened in September 2005. An Applebee's Restaurant was also built and there are plans for a future office building. A small portion of the original building was preserved and renovated. It will be used as a conference center and, possibly, as a museum. The site of the former Mountain Springs stands at the corner of Main Street (Route 322) and Spring Garden Avenue.

  • Attractions

  • ---The Artworks at Doneckers

  • ---Ephrata Area Community Theater

  • Restaurants

  • --- Doneckers - The Restaurant

  • ---Jimmy's Place

  • ---The Tea Room (At Ten Thousand Villages )

  • --- Lily's on Main

  • Lodging

  • ---Clearview Farm Bed and Breakfast

  • ---Doneckers - The Inn

  • ---Jacob Keller House

  • --- Kimmel House Bed and Breakfast Inn

  • ---Martin House Bed and Breakfast

  • Shopping

  • ---Doneckers

  • --- Ten Thousand Villages



SISTER CITY

- Ephrata has one Sister City , as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI) :


EXTERNAL LINKS