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Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's online News, Opinion, Arts and Entertainment information archive, serving the PA Capital Region. |
 One-Tank
GetawayTry A Little Intercourse! By Charles Turner |
| Last weekend my wife and I had spring fever, and she suggested that we take a weekend excursion into Amish Country. You know, eat some good German food, do some antiquing, and look for signs of spring in the countryside. So early Saturday morning we decided to head eastward. We took I-83 South from Harrisburg to SR283, and then just before Lancaster we took SR772 East. We knew SR772 would be the scenic route. I drove for a change, which made my wife the “map guy.”
Our first stop in Intercourse was the local coffee shop, the Kia-Ora Gallery, meaning “forever welcome” in Mowery. They serve soups, bagels, and specialty apple pumpkin muffins baked on the premises. We really enjoyed the spicy Chai tea. While nibbling on muffins, we gathered information and mapped out our plan for lodging. There were many choices: camping (which needed some planning time), Bed and Breakfasts, The Travelers Rest Motel, and the local Best Western. There were many B&B’s to choose from but we chose the Carriage Corner Bed and Breakfast. This turned out to be a great choice. Gordon Schuit, no
relation to nearby Gordonsville, was our gracious and informative host at Carriage Corner.
It is difficult to say what was more interesting, the shops, the shopkeepers, or the name of the town. One of our missions was to find out how Intercourse got its name. We stopped at the Amish Mennonite Information Center and spoke with Benjamin K. Beiler, a soft-spoken, rather shy New Order Amish gentleman. Benjamin told us that there are many theories on how Intercourse got its interesting name. The most popular theory centers around an old racetrack which existed just east of town. There was a sign at the entrance of the racecourse that read “Enter Course.” It is believed that Enter Course gradually evolved to Intercourse, which became the name of the town in 1814.
Benjamin taught us many things about the Amish culture. Through him we found out that New Order Amish do not mind having their picture taken. Old Order Amish do mind because they believe that it is violating the second commandment in the Bible. Sometimes Old Order Amish will let you take pictures of their children because they have not joined the church yet, but always ask permission before taking any pictures. And if it doesn’t make you tired just reading about all of the things you can do, remember Intercourse is closed on Sundays. Well, at least the shops are closed. This is due to respecting the Amish faith. There are many churches you can visit on Sunday, but beware, Amish and Mennonite Churches are very community oriented and friendly; it is highly likely that you will be eating at a church member’s house for Sunday dinner if you attend one of their services.
There were eleven guests altogether, and it was suggested by Gordon that we leave $12.50 per person at the door. The meal was fantastic. The first course consisted of homemade bread, homemade jam, applesauce, pickled beets, and broccoli and cauliflower bacon salad (Charles and Dave fought over that). The second course consisted of barbecue meatballs, baked chicken, mashed potatoes with brown butter, creamed corned and creamed peas. Desert consisted of chocolate cake, butterscotch pie, halved peaches (canned themselves), and homemade vanilla ice cream. The meal was delicious. The company was heart warming. Dave and Pheenie worked hard together throughout the meal. Dave made interesting conversation, and for half of the meal my wife thought that the children were not allowed to talk during dinner. It turns out the children only speak Deutch but could sing English songs. Dave and Pheenie sang church songs and played the harmonica after dinner. It was a beautiful ending to a wonderful experience. DIRECTIONS
WHERE TO STAY
PLACES TO EAT
THINGS TO DO
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Along the way there were many quaint little country towns with
great little antique shops for those who like to collect. The shopkeepers were friendly
and informative and the parking was cheap. After driving awhile, I mentioned that I was
getting a little hungry. My wife suggested Intercourse. You know … Intercourse,
Pennsylvania. I smiled and said, “I’m up for that.” Just before entering
town, we spotted one of the sure signs of spring — lambs! Black lambs, white lambs,
and twin lambs! But, as you can see, the camera guy scared them away. 
Through Gordon, we found that there is a little
something for everyone to do in Intercourse. There are over 100 shops selling items
ranging from tacks, quilts, redware pottery, fine woodworking, jewelry, antiques and
collectibles, cottage crafts, candle making, furniture, and cabinetry. There were also
good food outlets, a farmers market, the Intercourse Canning Company, and the Mount Hope
Wine Gallery. You can take buggy rides, bus tours, and visit the Illustrations Art Gallery
or The American Edge Weaponry Museum. When your stomach tells you that it is time to eat,
there are fine food restaurants, you can twist your own pretzels at the Pretzel Factory,
or you can eat at the many local Family Style Restaurants.
The second most popular theory is that two famous
roads crossed here. The Old Kings Highway from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh ran east and
west through the center of town. The road from Wilmington to Erie intersected in the
middle. The joining of these two roads is claimed by some to be the basis for the town
“Cross Keys,” or eventually Intercourse. Be forewarned — do NOT joke about
the name Intercourse, in Intercourse.
Saturday night, Gordon introduced us to one of the
best-kept secrets in Intercourse. We had the privilege of eating dinner at Dave and
Pheenie’s. This was the highlight of our One-Tank Getaway. Dave and Pheenie are a
young Old Order Amish couple with four beautiful children ages six and under. Dave and
Pheenie offer dinner in their home on Thursdays and Saturdays evenings with reservations.
They serve a traditional Amish feast, and everything’s done without electricity!
There were gas lamps for lighting, and a propane-powered stove for cooking.