Ephrata, Pennsylvania
| Ephrata | |||
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 Main road |
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| Location in Pennsylvania | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Foundation : | August 22, 1891 | ||
| State : | United States | ||
| State : | Pennsylvania | ||
| County : | Lancaster County | ||
| Coordinates : | 40 ° 11 ′ N , 76 ° 11 ′ W | ||
| Time zone : | Eastern ( UTC − 5 / −4 ) | ||
| Residents : | 13,213 (as of: 2000) | ||
| Population density : | 1,420.8 inhabitants per km 2 | ||
| Area : | 9.3 km 2 (about 4 mi 2 ) of which 9.3 km 2 (about 4 mi 2 ) is land |
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| Height : | 109.1 m | ||
| Postal code : | 17522 | ||
| Area code : | +1 717 | ||
| FIPS : | 42-23832 | ||
| GNIS ID : | 1174287 | ||
| Website : | www.ephrataboro.org | ||
| Mayor : | Ralph E. Mowen | ||
 Main theater |
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Ephrata is a borough with a population of 13,213 in Lancaster County in the US state of Pennsylvania .
The name of the city is derived from the biblical place Efrata .
geography
Ephrata lies between Lancaster (25 km southwest) and Reading (30 km northeast). The area around Ephrata is flat and suitable for agriculture. The area of the place is 9.3 square kilometers.
history
In 1900 Ephrata had 2,452 people, in 1910 there were 3,192, and in 1940 the place had 6,199 inhabitants.
Ephrata is known nationally for the Ephrata Cloister , which is located very close to the historic city center. It was founded in 1732 by Johann Conrad Beissel (1690–1768), a pietist from the Electorate of the Palatinate from Eberbach , as the center of a religious commune. The double monastery for men and women is one of the most remarkable settlements of religious utopianism . From this settlement, the place developed, which received the status of a borough in August 1891.
religion
Ephrata is said to have the highest Amish population in America.
education
There is both a high school, a middle school and five elementary schools. The high school orchestra ( Ephrata High School Orchestra ) is considered to be the best in the entire state. The Ephrata High School is also considered a sport school.
particularities
In addition to numerous cafes and restaurants, the city also has a cinema. Another attraction is the weekly market on Fridays called Green Dragon , where products from local farmers are for sale.
Fire station
farm
Town twinning
Eberbach in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) is twin town of Ephrata because of the origin of the monastery founder Johann Conrad Beissel.
literature
- Jeff Bach: Voices of the Turtledoves: The Sacred World of Ephrata . University Park / PA (Pennsylvania State University Press) 2003.
- Helmut Schmahl: Radical Pietists in the Atlantic World: The Emigration of the Gimbsheim "Awakened" to Ephrata / Pennsylvania in 1749 and 1751 . In: Mitteilungsblatt zur Rheinhessischen Landeskunde, NF 7 (2005), pp. 17–36.
Web links
- Ephrata Area Chamber of Commerce engl.
- Ephrata Cloister engl.