Lancaster Township Municipal Building is located at 1240 Maple Avenue, Lancaster PA 17603.
Phone: 717‑291‑1213.
Neighborhoods
Lancaster Township [†] was formed in 1729 as one of Lancaster County’s original townships, and it later lost a two-mile-square section to create Lancaster City. Its history is closely tied to the growth of Lancaster City, expanding from early settlement in 1717 into a center of trade, politics, and craftsmanship.
Early growth
Settlers began arriving after the 1717 “new surveys,” and the area drew merchants, physicians, and lawyers once Lancaster became the county seat. By the mid-1700s, the township’s land was being divided into residential lots with planned street patterns, showing how strongly city development shaped the township.
Colonial importance
Lancaster became an important colonial hub by 1760, and in 1744 it hosted treaty-making sessions involving the Six Nations and the colonies of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The town’s skilled artisans, merchants, and industries supported military supply needs during the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and later westward expansion.
Transportation era
As commerce grew, Lancaster Township was crossed by major roads, canals, and rail lines, including the Philadelphia/Lancaster Turnpike, the Conestoga Navigation Canal, and the Millersville and Quarryville railroads. Taverns such as Deering’s Ford and Graeff’s Landing served travelers moving through this expanding transportation network.
Later change
Population growth was gradual before 1900, and over time industrial land use declined while residential use increased. That shift helped define Lancaster Township as a primarily residential municipality.
† Adapted from: www.twp.lancaster.pa.us, accessed May, 2026.
Nearby Towns: Conestoga Twp • East Lampeter Twp • East Petersburg Boro • Lancaster City • Manor Twp • Millersville Boro • Mountville Boro • Pequea Twp • Providence Twp • West Lampeter Twp •