Good morning, Lancaster County.
Partly sunny and 75 today, with a light northwest wind.
The week keeps warming from here.
Wednesday is mostly sunny and 79 once the morning fog lifts, and Thursday and Friday are both mostly sunny and 84.
In today's Lancaster Local:
A book of Lititz-area postcards, and the history of every local post office inside it
Tonight at Rock Ford: the prison camp built because Lancaster's was too full
A glass pumpkin you make yourself, if you sign up by Wednesday night
A consignment crawl with 100% of ticket proceeds going to Anchor Lancaster
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Lititz area, one postcard at a time.
Cory Van Brookhoven, president of the Lititz Historical Foundation, has his latest book out, Postcards of the Lititz Area.
The Foundation announced it's now available, and on Thursday, October 1, he'll be signing copies at the Foundation.
The idea behind it, in the Foundation's words, is to "step back in time to an era when receiving a postcard through the mail was special" — to share the news of the day, or to send a love note.
Those cards have become collectibles, and the Foundation says collectors seek them out for their glimpses into everyday life and for the colorful images printed on them.
Here's what's in it:
More than 200 pages and more than 500 images — over 375 of them in color
The history of each post office in the Lititz area
Coverage of Lititz borough, Warwick Township and Elizabeth Township
It's a coffee-table size, 8½ by 11 inches, and copies are $27.95 plus tax.
The signing runs 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Lititz Historical Foundation, 145 East Main Street, Lititz. The Foundation describes it as mainly a book-pickup night, with extra copies for sale that evening while they last.
Light refreshments, too.
If you can't make it, the Foundation will ship copies — and says every book is signed before it goes out.
Allow one to two weeks for delivery.
Orders also go through the Foundation at 717-627-4636 or [email protected].
It's a fitting year for it.
The Foundation has been noting that 2026 marks its 65th anniversary, alongside America's 250th and Lititz's 270th.
EVENTS
🏚️ The History and Preservation of Camp Security — Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster.
Today, Tuesday, September 29, 6:30 p.m.
Camp Security, in eastern York County, was set up in the summer of 1781 to relieve overcrowding at the prisoner-of-war facilities in Lancaster.
It held British privates and noncommissioned officers, and their families, captured at Saratoga and Yorktown.
Jonathan R. Stayer, who has researched the camp for more than 40 years and taken part in several of its archaeological excavations, covers its history, the efforts to preserve it, and what the most recent excavations turned up.
Plan on about two and a half hours.
$10, or $5 for Rock Ford members.
And if one evening at Rock Ford isn't enough, there's a second lecture Wednesday at 6:30 on Thompson's Pennsylvania Rifle Battalion of 1775.
🎭 Ragtime — Fulton Theatre, 12 N. Prince Street, Lancaster.
Wednesday, September 30, through Sunday, October 18.
The musical adaptation of E.L. Doctorow's novel, following three families chasing the American Dream at the start of the 20th century.
This week's first performance is Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., with a 7:30 show that evening.
🎃 Introduction to Glassblowing: Glassblown Pumpkins — Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, 335 N. Queen Street, Lancaster.
Thursday, October 1, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Glass artist Michael Peluso takes beginners into the hot shop to shape molten glass into a pumpkin, from adding color to adding the curled stem.
You leave with the one you made.
Materials and tools are provided; wear closed-toe shoes.
$105, or $95 for Guild members.
Ages 10 and up, and anyone under 16 comes with a parent or guardian.
Sales close Wednesday, September 30, at 11:55 p.m.
🛍️ Lancaster Consignment Crawl — 11 consignment boutiques around Lancaster County.
Friday, October 2, through Sunday, October 4.
A self-paced shopping weekend with no set route.
Your ticket unlocks VIP perks at all 11 featured shops, and 100% of ticket proceeds go to Anchor Lancaster. This is the crawl's second run, expanded to three days after the first one.
🦇 Wildlife Wednesday: Bats — Adamstown Area Library, 110 W. Main Street, Adamstown.
Wednesday, October 7, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All ages.
Lancaster County Parks and Recreation on why bats matter to the local habitat, including the dangerous insects they eat, and the threats bat populations face.
🌲 Mountain Springs Recreational Preserve: Public Meeting — Brossman Building, 3rd floor event space, 124 E. Main Street, Ephrata.
Thursday, October 8, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The draft design plan for the preserve goes public for the first time.
YSM, the landscape architecture firm Mainspring of Ephrata hired, will walk through it, and residents are invited to give feedback that shapes the final proposal.
✍️ Write Now Lancaster — Lancaster Public Library, 151 N. Queen Street, Lancaster.
Thursday, October 8, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
For anyone writing with the goal of having their work seen.
It's not a critique group — they call it an adult study hall with potluck food and soft drinks.
Walk-ins welcome.
Partly sunny and a high near 75 today, with a northwest wind at 3 to 7 mph.
Tonight is partly cloudy and down around 57, with patchy fog after 10 p.m.
Wednesday brings areas of fog before 9 a.m., then mostly sunny and 79.
Thursday and Friday are mostly sunny and 84.
Have a good Tuesday.
— The Lancaster Local