York County (population 339,574) was created on August 19, 1749 from part of Lancaster County and named either for the Duke of York, an early patron of the Penn Family, or for the city and shire of York in England. York, the county seat, was laid out in 1741, incorporated as a borough on September 24, 1787 and chartered as a city on January 11, 1887.

With more than 250 years of tradition, historic York County blends charming local customs with the beauty one of Pennsylvania's richest farm regions. The county, nestled in the rolling farmlands of south central Pennsylvania, offers activities for every interest, from golf and museums to cultural attractions and wineries and from factory tours to great shopping for antiques, hand-made crafts and fantastic bargains.

Historically, York served as America's first capitol-home to the Continental Congress from September 1777-June 1778. Area museums provide glimpses into areas such as timekeeping, weight lifting agriculture, Native American life and the unique world famous Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Museum. But, if history doesn't interest you there are plenty of other things to see and do. Check out our three state parks where you can hike, fish, swim, picnic or just relax.

The nearby Susquehanna River makes York County one of the top boating and board-sailing areas in Pennsylvania. Or try golfing at any of our numerous golf course. We have skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating and almost every other recreational activity you can think of.

For the shopper in the family we offer bargains as well as one of a kind artifacts. Discount outlets have great prices on York County-manufactured products such as pewter, pottery, woven fabrics, wines and handcrafted specialties. And antique shops can be found throughout the county.

Whatever you do, whatever you like there is something here for everybody here in...YORK COUNTY, Pennsylvania.