Elizabethtown is a borough located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the population of the borough is 11,887.

General Information

• Zip code: 17022
• Area code: 717

History

There are two stories about the origin of this town's name. In one version it is named after Elizabeth Reeby, wife of Michael Reeby who sold the first building lots here in about 1795. Another version has it named after the wife of Captain Barnabas Hughes who purchased a tavern here in 1750.

Geography

Elizabethtown is located at 40°9'12" North, 76°36'2" West (40.153207, -76.600431).

The borough has a total area of 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²). 6.7 km² (2.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.38% is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 11,887 people, 4,271 households, and 2,703 families residing in the borough. The population density is 1,765.2/km² (4,567.4/mi²). There are 4,483 housing units at an average density of 665.7/km² (1,722.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 96.32% White, 0.90% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 4,271 households out of which 28.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% are married couples living together, 8.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% are non-families. 30.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 2.88.

In the borough the population is spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 18.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 78.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough is $42,752, and the median income for a family is $52,214. Males have a median income of $35,764 versus $26,316 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $18,384. 5.2% of the population and 3.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 6.7% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Colleges and universities

• Elizabethtown College

Attractions

• Masonic Homes -- A retirement community which provides tours.
• TJ Rockwell's -- A tavern/restaurant that is well-known throughout the area. Rockwell's boasts an impressive array of beer on draft, and an even more expansive array of bottled beer. Wine selections are limited, and mixed drinks are adequate. Prices are reasonable and comparable with other establishments in the area. The atmosphere is fun, safe, and inviting. The deck is huge, and Rockwell's has a number of seafood nights with steamed crabs, shrimp, etc. Eating out of a bucket doesn't terribly appeal to this author, but it sure seems popular! The author has been a regular here for a number of years, and has determined that the boneless buffalo wings, the pretzel sandwich, the rhino fries, and the campfire smores are his favorites and highly recommended. Try the imports on draft; while tasty, chances are that they won't be there for long, no matter how enjoyable you find them. Their website is http://www.tjrockwells.com. WARNING TO NEWBIES: All evenings from Thursday to Sunday are PACKED! Do not even bother showing up between the hours of 6 and 9 on those days. The parking lot is full, the cones will be blocking ingress, and the nice men in yellow shirts will ask you to come back in ten minutes. Repeat that process till 9PM.
• LC Jordan's -- A decent alternative to TJ Rockwell's (and a thirty-second drive if the parking lot is full); simply follow Mount Gretna Road in the direction that heads towards Elizabethtown, and it's on the right after about a quarter mile. Outstanding soups, overly decent munchies, and a far more relaxed atmosphere than Rockwell's.

Lodging

• Elizabethtown Inn
• Holiday Inn Express
• West Ridge Guest House, LLC

Shopping

• Cramer's Posie Patch
• Flowers in the Attic
• Country House
• Barry's Trains

See also: other Elizabethtowns

External links