Эфрата, Пенсильвания: История и современность города

Ephrata's population has steadily grown over the last century. In 1900, 2,452 people lived there, and by 1940, the population had increased to 6,199. The population was 13,818 at the 2020 census. Ephrata is the most populous borough in Lancaster County. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated.

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.

Ephrata is located in northeastern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania at (40.17870, −76.17744). U. S. Route 322 passes through the center of the borough as Main Street; it leads northwest 28 mile (45 km) to Hershey and southeast 35 mile (56 km) to West Chester. Pennsylvania Route 272 passes through the northwest side of Ephrata, leading northeast 8 mile (13 km) to Adamstown and southwest 13 mile (21 km) to Lancaster, the county seat. Like the rest of the county, the surrounding land is mostly flat and suitable for farming. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.4 square miles (9 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0 km2), or 1.27%, are water. Cocalico Creek flows through the borough just north of the center of town; it is a southwest flowing tributary of the Conestoga River and part of the Susquehanna River watershed. Ephrata has a hot summer humid continental climate (Dfa), and average monthly temperatures range from in January to in July. The hardiness zone is 6b.

As of the census The pool is the oldest continuously operating swimming pool in Lancaster County, finishing its 84th year of operation in September 2015. A newly remodeled pool, opened on May 26, 2012, contains zero depth entries, flume slides, and climbing walls, among other features.

Akron borough council cut the line item for the Ephrata Public Library from its $1.9 million proposed general budget for 2023. It has not yet voted to ratify that budget.

Schools in Ephrata are part of the Ephrata Area School District.

Ephrata has a diverse mix of churches and faith groups, primarily Christian. The countryside surrounding Ephrata is home to a large number of Amish and Old Order Mennonite families.

The Ephrata Public Library, on South Reading Road, is a member of the Library System of Lancaster County.

The U. S. Route 222 freeway passes 2 mile (3 km) southeast of Ephrata, heading southwest to Lancaster and northeast to Reading and Allentown. US 222 meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) at the Reading interchange 6 mile (10 km) northeast of Ephrata. U. S. Route 322 passes northwest–southeast through Ephrata along Main Street, with an interchange at US 222 east of the borough. Said interchange was converted to a diverging diamond interchange in 2021. Pennsylvania Route 272 passes southwest–northeast through Ephrata along Reading Road, heading through the western part of the borough. The Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) provides bus service to Ephrata along Route 11, which operates from the Walmart in Ephrata through the downtown area and south to downtown Lancaster. There is a park and ride lot at the now former Kmart in Ephrata that is served by RRTA. The Reading and Columbia Railroad operated passenger service through downtown Ephrata until 1952. The East Penn Railroad continues to operate freight service from Ephrata north to Reading on the Lancaster Northern line, while the line between Ephrata and Lititz, to the southwest, has been converted into a rail trail.

The Borough of Ephrata Electric Division provides electricity to most of Ephrata, with Allentown based PPL Corporation providing electricity to part of it. The Borough of Ephrata Electric Division dates back to 1902, when the borough purchased it from the Lancaster Valley Electric Company for $7,000. The borough operated a small generating plant on South State Street before the Ephrata Borough Electric Plant was built on Church Avenue in 1924. The electric plant operated until 1965, when increased demand for electricity led the borough to purchase power from outside sources. The Borough of Ephrata Electric Division provides 140 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually and has $18.6 million in sales. The Ephrata Area Joint Authority (EAJA) provides water to Ephrata along with Ephrata Township and Clay Township, serving 8,222 customers. The agency provides 700 million gallons of water annually, with water coming from the Cocalico Creek and groundwater wells. The EAJA operates a filtration treatment plant and has three wells and four storage tanks to store water. Trash and recycling collection in Ephrata is provided by the borough through a contract with Eagle Disposal or residents may choose to have a contract with another trash hauler. Natural gas service in Ephrata is provided by UGI Utilities.

WellSpan Health operates the WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital in Ephrata, which serves the borough and surrounding areas in northern Lancaster County. The hospital has 133 acute care beds and eight acute rehabilitation beds and offers an emergency room, a cancer center, and a maternity unit, among other inpatient and outpatient services.

Ephrata is a borough. The mayor is Ralph Mowen. "Ephrata" is also used to refer to the surrounding Ephrata Township.

Ephrata Fair, the largest street fair in Pennsylvania. The fair dates back to October 1919, when local businessmen organized a one day festivity to commemorate World War I veterans. Over the following years, the fair grew to include farmers celebrating the harvest; and it also grew in duration by several days. The popular parade was added in 1932. The fair is presently held for five days each September and attracts tens of thousands of visitors.

On March 29, 2009, a strong storm briefly swept through Ephrata. On March 31, the National Weather Service confirmed that it was an EF1 tornado. Strong hail came with it. Although there were no fatalities, 30 homes were damaged and eight mobile homes destroyed. Many vehicles could be seen on their side afterwards, and holes were put in houses from the hail.