History and small-town charms just north of Lancaster
Situated in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Lititz is a little borough whose size is outweighed by its surprising charms. “Lititz is a small town with a lot of historic tradition behind it, and that’s what makes it so cool,” says Gerry Meck, a borough council member. Jason Burkholder, a broker who leads the Jason Burkholder Team at Hometown Property Sales, agrees: “One of our mottos is ‘where preservation meets progress’ because we’re maintaining the history while keeping with the times.” Although the city began as a Moravian community, it now welcomes people of all backgrounds and creeds; in fact, its population has been climbing slowly but steadily to nearly 10,000 people. About 10 miles north of Lancaster, Lititz has been put on the map in recent years for its eclectic local businesses and picturesque streets, drawing in homebuyers looking for a slice of slow-paced, small-town life that’s still close to city amenities. “It’s the kind of place where people smile and say hello when they see you walking down the street,” Burkholder says.
Lititz Springs Park is a privately run park offering regular concerts as well as a playground.
The Lititz Caboose Museum gives the visitor a glimpse into the community's rail road heritage.
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Historic chocolate and pretzel shops in downtown Lititz
Residents can stroll down Main and Broad Streets to find countless cafes, restaurants and shops. Wilber Chocolate has served homemade chocolate to the town for over 125 years, originally setting up shop right next to the train station. Wilber Buds are their specialty, designed to look like flower buds. Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery opened in 1861, making it the first pretzel bakery in the country. Today, they sell soft and hard pretzels, as well as plenty of chocolate-covered options. Housed in a quaint Queen Anne building, Tomato Pie Café offers plenty of sandwiches and eggs for breakfast or lunch. “Rosey’s Lunch Wagon shows up to Lititz Springs Park on Saturday mornings,” says Realtor and former Lititz resident Keith Shaub with Berkshire Hathaway Home Sale Realty. “You can find a line wrapped around the corner just waiting to get a hamburger. Anyone who knows Lititz knows Rosey’s Lunch Wagon.” When shopping for groceries, the Shoppes At Kissel Village features Giant and Target.
Wilbur Chocolate in Lititz has served homemade chocolate to the town for over 125 years.
The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery was opened in 1861 and is still run by the same family.
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Festivals featuring ice sculptures and craft beer in Lititz
In the winter, the Fire and Ice Festival features 10 days of ice sculptures lit with colorful lights and fire shows with people juggling the flames. “They have a Saturday farmers market in the warmer months, where it brings together a lot of local farms,” Shaub says. “You drive around the more local areas, you see a lot of produce stands. It’s a great way to bring them together.” Every September, Lititz Craft Beer Fest offers samplings of local and national brews, with the proceeds dedicated to various charities. Rock Lititz showcases the world’s largest performers to prepare for upcoming tours. Stars like Taylor Swift, BTS and Ariana Grande descend on the appointment-only production facilities just before launching a national or worldwide tour. “You name a musical talent, and there’s a very good chance they came through Lititz,” Shaub says.
Spectacular displays can be seen at the fire shows at Lititz Fire and Ice.
Lititz Fire and Ice is a ten day event that brings the town of Lititz together.
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Queen Anne houses and twin homes around Lititz
Houses in Lititz are as eclectic as its shops. Historic farmhouses line Main Street, along with some apartments over the storefronts. Queen Annes with spires and wrap-around front porches are another popular style. As people move further from the town center, twin homes are more standard, lining the streets in bunches of twos. Houses typically sit closer together, leaving no room for driveways, but back and side streets feature detached garages. Some people park along the street, but not too many, so the streets feel overcrowded with cars. Backyards stretch out behind the homes, very long but also very thing. “It does seem like there is always a demand for Lititz homes,” Shaub says. “For the townhomes, we’re seeing $200,000 to $300,000 and $300,000 to $450,000 to start for single-family homes.”
Queen Anne–style homes are scattered throughout the residential streets of Lititz.
Twin homes are a popular and affordable style of house in Lititz.
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Students take CTE classes through Warwick High
Lititz Elementary School serves grades kindergarten through sixth. Students then progress to Warwick Middle School for seventh and eighth grades. Niche grants both schools a B ranking. Warwick High School earns a B-plus from Niche and offers technical career education (CTE) classes through Lancaster County Career and Technology Center (CTC).
Lititz Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through 6th grade.
Warwick Senior High School received an overall grade of B+ from Niche.
Warwick Middle School received an overall grade of B from Niche.
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Stroll through Lititz Spring Park's ambling pathways
Right by downtown Lititz is Lititz Spring Park — an oasis of trees and walking paths, with a pond in the center for watching the ducks and a playground for kids. The old train station used to be here, but today functions as the community’s welcome center. An old red Reading Railroad rail car sits here, highlighting the town’s past. On the far side of town, residents can access the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail, which offers 7.1 miles of hiking and biking, with options for skiing in the winter.
Lititz Springs Park is a perfect place for a stroll will furry friends and loved ones.
Ducks gather along the creek at Lititz Springs Park, a favorite spot for families fun.
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Sidewalks connect all of Lititz
With sidewalks throughout Lititz, residents can walk from their homes to downtown and the park. “Almost anything in the borough is walkable,” Shaub says. “You can connect anywhere you need to go via sidewalk.” When driving beyond the town, I-76 connects the community the 41 miles to Harrisburg and 76 miles to Philadelphia. Harrisburg International Airport is the nearest airport, just 31 miles away. Just over 2 miles from downtown, UPMC Lititz is the closest medical center, accessed along Broad Street.
Lititz has a pedestrian friendly main street filled with a variety of shops and restaurants.
Downtown Lititz features local boutiques and specialty shops along its historic sidewalks.
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Written By
Elliot Schorr
Photography Contributed By
Justin Schmidt
Video By
Joan Wall
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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an experienced agent in this area.
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On average, homes in Lititz, PA sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Lititz, PA over the last 12 months is $461,572, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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