Manheim Township townlively.com
JULY 12, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXIX • NO 7
Saluting the flag BY JEFF FALK
The crossroads of Lititz Pike and Petersburg Road/Valley Road is one of the busiest intersections in Neffsville.
Neffsville played crucial role in development of Manheim Township BY JEFF FALK
ancaster County is home to 50 unincorporated communities, or villages, similar to Neffsville. But none are quite like Neffsville. Located in north central Manheim Township, 3 miles north of the city of Lancaster, Neffsville is a historic unincorporated community. It grew up and evolved around the Lititz Pike, and because Neffsville’s boundaries are undefined, it is hard to know exactly how many citizens reside there. “It starts at Blossom Hill and runs all the way up to the (Lancaster) Airport,” said Ben Webber, president of the Manheim Township Historical Society. “I would say that it’s more narrow than it is long; it’s only a couple of blocks wide. Over the years, urban sprawl has extended Neffsville in almost every direction. It’s really steeped in a lot of history and character.” Today, Neffsville is known as much for what’s located there as its rich history. In addition to the Lancaster Airport, Neffsville hosts some of the main buildings of the Manheim Township School District, Brethren Village Retirement Community and the Manheim Township Athletic Complex.
with the introduction of the airport. Now all those fields are gone and developed into something else.” Webber said during the century prior to 1950, Neffsville didn’t grow all that much. He also said the population of Neffsville in 1940 was about 800 residents. “I think history is important,” said Webber. “I find it exciting to think about what our community used to be, mark its progress over time and see where it’s gone. We’re charting the future and leaving a legacy behind. And I find that hopeful.”
See Flag Day pg 2
Taps being played at Neffsville Terrace’s Flag Day celebration
Taking a swing against poverty BY ANN MEAD ASH
More than 25 years ago, HOPE International, a Christ-centered global nonprofit that equips men and women to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their community, gave out its first micro loan in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Just recently, Jeff Rutt, founder of HOPE International, recounted the story of a Ukrainian blueberry farmer named Anastasiya. “Anastasiya decided not to let the war cause her to leave, which is a big deal,” said Rutt. “She had gotten a loan from HOPE prewar for seedlings for her blueberry farm,
and in 2022, she was able to secure a second loan for irrigation to increase her crop.” Last year, Anastasiya and her family harvested their first blueberry crop. HOPE has given out a total of $1.2 million in Ukraine since the war began. HOPE recently surpassed $1.6 billion in micro loans with the goal of restoring dignity in families’ lives. To raise funds to reach such goals, HOPE holds a yearly golf tournament. This year’s fundraiser will take place in three locations: Turf Valley Resort, Ellicott City, Md., at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14; Iron Valley Golf Club, Lebanon, on Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.; See HOPE International pg 4
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At the corner of Lititz Pike and Valley Road, where a Turkey Hill now resides, a general store once stood, and before that Fiddler’s Green hotel. “Neffsville is a very special place. It’s unique,” said Webber. “It’s something that’s been given to us by our ancestors at almost no cost.” “It’s nestled next to Blossom Hill, and at one time it had productive fields all around it,” Webber added. “The fact that it had a major route going through it helped it become a fruitful community. It’s probably one of the most distinguishable unincorporated communities in Lancaster County. It’s a friendly community.” Neffsville’s history predates its settling by John Christian Neff and his descendants in the late 1700s. Prior to that, it was the site of a large Native American settlement. Since its settling by Neff, Neffsville has always been a thriving place, with churches, commerce and various modes of transportation. “At one time, it was a small hub with agrarian fields around it,” said Webber. “Then, beginning in the 1950s, you started to see suburbs and urban sprawl expanding Neffsville to the west and north,
Red, white and blue. Grand old flag. Star-spangled banner. Old Glory. The United States of America’s flag is a symbol of freedom and honor and patriotism. It reflects our ideals and stands for all that we hold dear and the people who have defended our beliefs. At Neffsville Terrace, 6 Terrace Drive, Lancaster, Flag Day is held in high esteem. “Flag Day is an important day, and I think sometimes it gets overlooked,” said Kristi Haines, the director of social services for Neffsville Terrace. “In my opinion, it’s a day of independence. W hen I was younger, I didn’t appreciate the flag as much as I do now. When I look at the flag now, I see the veterans who fought for it.” In the middle of June, Neffsville Terrace celebrated Flag Day with a bang. Some 30 residents - about half of whom were veterans - and family members gathered at the Manheim Township independent living facility to express what the old “stars and stripes” meant to them.