Amish population in York County, Pa., continues growth spurt
An Amish farmer makes his way through a Lower Chanceford township field while plowing with a team of horses along Rt. 24 in a York (Pa.) Daily Record/Sunday News file photo). The Amish population in York County’s southeastern sector has been growing in recent years. (See related photo below.) Also of interest: Amishman: ‘We are making a commitment to forgive’ and Background posts: Who was Norman Wood (of bridge fame)?, Horse, buggy, one-room school make county comeback.
Amish are spreading out from Pennsylvania across the United States, according to a recent Associated Press story.
York County, traditionally not a hearth for this Pennsylvania Dutch group, is the recipient of some of the Amish dispersion.
The best estimates for Amish population in York County have been between 300 and 500 people, mainly located in the area around the Norman Wood Bridge… .
These Amish buggies on exhibit at Miller Carriage and Wagon Museum, Codorus Township museum, formed from Jim Miller’s personal collection of historic wagons, buggies and carriages. It is open by appointment, 717-235-3673.
That bridge connects southeastern York County with Amish-rich Lancaster County.
York Daily Record/Sunday News reporter Melissa Nann Burke queried the source of the AP story – Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College – about any revised York County numbers.
She found that the number of Amish church districts have grown from two to three since 2008 and the estimated numbers from 450 to 720.
For more information, check out Melissa’s Yorkblog post: More Amish moving to York County.
Also of interest:
Amishman: ‘We are making a commitment to forgive’.
Markets of Shrewsbury vendor: “Amish Mafia” doesn’t sound like any Amish she knows.
Widely circulated Amish newspaper: ‘Awhile ago Steve was up at Sam Peachey’s for some lumber’
