Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Ephrata is a borough of 13,772 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Why visit Ephrata
Townapedia lists 18 museums and landmarks, 27 parks and trails, 58 places to eat, 10 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Bitzer's Mill Covered Bridge, Bridge in West Earl Township, Ephrata Cloister and Ephrata Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Ephrata
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ephrata
Ephrata ( EF-rə-tə; Pennsylvania German: Effridaa) is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located 42 miles (68 km) east of Harrisburg and about 60 miles (97 km) west-northwest of Philadelphia and is named after Ephrath, the former name for current-day Bethlehem. In its early history, Ephrata was a pleasure resort and an agricultural community.
From the Wikipedia article Ephrata, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Bitzer's Mill Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Bridge in Pennsylvania, United States
Bridge in West Earl Township
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks18
Ephrata Cloister
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic monastery in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, USA
632 West Main Street, Ephrata
We-Sa 09:00-16:00; Su 12:00-16:00
Ephrata Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Bucher's Mill Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Bridge in Pennsylvania, United States
Connell Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Erb's Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Covered bridge in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Hibshman Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Jacob Keller Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Keller's Mill Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Bridge in Pennsylvania, United States
Mentzer Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Pennsylvania, United States of America
Mountain Springs Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Hotel in Pennsylvania, United States of America
Peter and Catherine Reyer Farmhouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States
Eby Shoe Corporation buildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
6 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds27
15 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes58
3 Sisters' Chicken
Restaurant · Chicken · 1.1 mi
1025 South State Street, Ephrata
Mo-Sa 10:30-20:30; Su 11:00-18:00
Applebee's
Diner · American · 0.5 mi
320 East Main Street, Ephrata
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
China Taste
Restaurant · Chinese
8 East Main Street, Ephrata
Mo,We-Th 11:00-21:00; Tu off; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
Ephrata Asian Bistro
Restaurant · Asian · 1.5 mi
848 East Main Street, Ephrata
Mo,We-Th 11:00-21:30; Tu off; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:30
JD's Pazzo Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.9 mi
325 South Reading Road, Ephrata
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Javateas
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.9 mi
1 Dutchland Avenue, Ephrata
Mo-Tu 06:00-17:00; We-Fr 06:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-21:00; Su 08:00-16:00
Mama's Famous Pizza & Grill
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.5 mi
848 East Main Street, Ephrata
Mo-Th,Su 10:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:00
Nara Cafe Asian Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 0.6 mi
415 East Main Street, Ephrata
Mo off; Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-19:00
Pancake Farm
Restaurant · Breakfast · 1.1 mi
1032 South State Street, Ephrata
Mo-Sa 05:30-20:00; Su 07:00-14:00
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.8 mi
320 North Reading Road, Ephrata
Mo-Th,Su 09:30-24:00, Fr-Sa 09:30-25:00
Roma Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza
15 West Main Street, Ephrata
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 11:30-21:30
46 more on the map.
History
Ephrata is noteworthy for having been the former 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.
The Ephrata Commercial Historic District, Ephrata Cloister, Eby Shoe Corporation buildings, Connell Mansion, Mentzer Building, and Mountain Springs Hotel are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Ephrata, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay10
Hampton Inn & Suites Ephrata - Mountain Springs
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
380 East Main Street, Ephrata
Churches and places of worship21
Bethany United Church of Christ
Church · United Church Of Christ · 0.4 mi
140 East Main Street, Ephrata
Shopping15
Gas and EV charging10
Schools, colleges and libraries25
Healthcare7
LG Health Physicians Family Medicine Lincoln
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.9 mi
895 East Main Street, Ephrata
Map of Ephrata
197 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 22°F | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.2 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 31°F | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 40°F | 3.3 in |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 3.4 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 4.2 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 62°F | 3.5 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 4.7 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 3.1 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 27°F | 3.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lancaster Ap (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lancaster County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2020-03-30: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-03-23: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2014-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2011-09-12: Tropical Storm Lee (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lancaster Airport (LNS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Columbia 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Elizabethtown 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Coatesville 23 mi southeast, about 38 min by car
- Colonial Park 34 mi west, about 55 min by car
- Hockessin 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Pike Creek Valley 40 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Newark 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Bel Air North 45 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Wilmington 46 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Allentown 47 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2547 - Ephrata - Fair 2007, Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Ephrata National Bank PA, Smallbones, CC0
- Hibshman Farm LanCo PA, Smallbones, CC0
- Bitzer's Mill Covered Bridge Side 3008px, Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Erb's Covered Bridge Side View 3000px, Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Kellers Mill Covered Bridge Side View 3000px, Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Connell Mansion Ephrata PA, Smallbones, CC0
- Bridge in West Earl Township PA, Jet Lowe, Public domain
- Mountain Springs Hotel 12, Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Reyer Farmhouse LanCo PA, Smallbones, CC0
- Mentzer B LanCo PA, Smallbones, CC0
- JACOB KELLER FARM, LANCASTER COUNTY, PA, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bucher's Mill Covered Bridge Full Side 3008px, Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5
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