Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Cultivator, I&J Manufacturing, Gap, Pennsylvania

Having been up in Lancaster County last December, I have been very intrigued about the maintenance of a thriving local economy there ever since. Of course, this is centered around the Amish and Mennonite agricultural economy.

But I was surprised to see so many locally owned supermarkets and hardware stores and the like. (With great prices too.)

Last week, I went to a farmers conference in Hershey, and on the way we stopped at I&J Manufacturing to buy a cultivator (not for me). The Amish-owned business had a display offering free Lancaster County business directories. It's a big thick volume, full of locally owned businesses, including woodworking studios and other manufacturers.
Lancaster County Business Directory display
It occurs to me that the Amish could manufacture work bicycles...

Anyway, I am thinking that an interesting dissertation could be created around the study of the local economy of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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