Lancaster and York, the "Red Rose City" and "White Rose City" respectively, are situated in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, where pre-industrial Amish and Mennonite communities thrive alongside a diverse manufacturing-based economy that churns out everything from modern hydro-power water turbines to Harley-Davidson motorcycles to microwave electronics and mine-resistant armored vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps.
The two cities sit amid the picturesque countryside of South Central Pennsylvania, where quality of life is improving through projects like York's Codorus Corridor, a 20-year plan to link developments along Codorus Creek in order to enhance their collective impact and create a dynamic, walkable waterfront.