Why visit Gap
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 4 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include White Chimneys and Rough and Tumble Historical Association.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 24°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Gap
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Gap
Gap is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated community in Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a ZIP code of 17527. The population was 1,931 at the 2010 census. U.S. Route 30 passes through the town, which is also the terminus for four Pennsylvania highways: 772, 741, 897, and the heavily used 41, which leads toward Wilmington, Delaware.
From the Wikipedia article Gap, Pennsylvania (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
White Chimneys
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Building in Pennsylvania, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes4
Brass Eagle Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant · American, Greek · 1.8 mi
5725 Lincoln Highway East, Gap
Mo-Sa 06:30-22:00; Su 06:30-21:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop
5360 Lincoln Highway, Gap
05:00-20:00
History
Gap was named for its location at a low pass through Mine Ridge. Gap has a history which can be dated as far back as William Penn's first visits to the area. Isaac Taylor erected the first house in what would become Gap in 1747. The area around Gap had a copper mine and what at the time were the only nickel mines in the United States.
From 1792, the Rising Sun Tavern stood on the Philadelphia–Lancaster Pike (which is now U.S. Route 30) and had a small village with blacksmith shop. Most of the buildings stood until circa 2020–2021, when they were removed for redevelopment; the site now contains a large convenience store and gas station. Although there was interest among locals to preserve the buildings, the real estate was valuable commercial frontage and funding for preservation was not available.
A stretch of railroad line was laid through the pass in the 19th century. Today the same railroad right-of-way carries Amtrak trains on the Keystone service.
In the mid-19th century there was a group of men known as "The Gap Gang". They would engage in raids and robberies of citizens traveling the Lancaster Philadelphia Turnpike. They were notorious for kidnapping free blacks and escaped slaves and selling them to slave traders in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The Gap Gang were most noted for their involvement in the Christiana Riot.
From the History section of Gap, Pennsylvania on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare2
Map of Gap
32 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 24°F | 3.3 in | 10.3 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 25°F | 2.8 in | 10.6 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 32°F | 4.1 in | 5.5 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 42°F | 3.6 in | 1.2 in |
| May | 73°F | 53°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 62°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 65°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 58°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 47°F | 4.6 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 36°F | 3.2 in | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 43°F | 29°F | 3.7 in | 4.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for New Holland 2 Se (6 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
Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (CTH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Atglen 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Paradise 5 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Intercourse 6 mi northwest, about 9 min by car
- East Earl 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Blue Ball 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Westwood 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Coatesville 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Terre Hill 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Caln 13 mi east, about 20 min by car
- Lancaster 15 mi west, about 25 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
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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
- Gap, Lancaster Co, PA 1, Smallbones, CC0
- White Chimneys, Smallbones, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.