Intercourse (population: 1,274 as of 2010 census) is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in Leacock Township, Lancaster County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, 10 miles (16Â km) east of Lancaster on Pennsylvania Route 340. Intercourse is a popular site for tourists because of its location in "Amish country" and its sexually suggestive name. The movie Witness was filmed in Intercourse as well as other parts of the surrounding area, and For Richer or Poorer was set there, though not filmed in Intercourse. Because of the town's unusual name, the sign posts for the town are frequently targeted by thieves.
Economy
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Tourism and farming are major industries in the area. Small businesses sell Amish crafts, food, and give horse and buggy rides. The town thrives on thousands of tourists who visit the region each year. Most of the land surrounding the town is farmland.
History
Intercourse was founded in 1754. The community was originally named Cross Keys, after a local tavern. Intercourse became the name in 1814. The village website gives several theories for the origins of the name.
Another theory concerns two famous roads that crossed here. The Old King's highway from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh (now the Old Philadelphia Pike) ran east and west through the center of the 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'. A final idea comes from the use of language during the early days of the Village. The word 'intercourse' was commonly used to describe the 'fellowship' and 'social interaction and support' shared in the community of faith, which was much a part of a rural village like this one.
In popular culture
The village's name is often the subject of jokes relating to sexual intercourse. Along with that of Blue Ball, Pennsylvania, the publishers of Eros Magazine sought mailing privileges from the postmasters of the town. Intercourse and Blue Ball are often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Gap, Fertility, Mount Joy, Lititz, Bareville, Bird-in-Hand and Paradise. A gag on The Cleveland Show imagined the town as the location for a spin-off show centred on the libidinous Glenn Quagmire. The British motoring show Top Gear featured the town's sign while passing through Pennsylvania in a race to New York City during the show's sixteenth series. The Ellen DeGeneres Show had a What's Wrong with These Photos? Picture of a Welcome to Intercourse sign for the subject. Kay Lenz's titular character in the 1973 film Breezy reveals that she is from Intercourse ("I've heard all the jokes," she tells William Holden, "and you have to pass through Faithful to get there.") It was also mentioned in The Simpsons episode "The Old Man and the 'C' Student" where it was revealed that Superintendent Chalmers lived there.
Sites of interest
- Museums and Historic Sites
- American Military Edged Weaponry Museum
- People's Place Quilt Museum
- The People's Place
Notes
References
- Anderson, William Charles (1979) Home sweet home has wheels: or, Please don't tailgate the real estate
- Henry Louis Mencken, Raven Ioor McDavid (1963) The American language: an inquiry into the development of English in the United States, Volume 1
- Museums Association (2006) The Museums journal, Volume 106, Issues 1-6, Indexes to papers read before the Museums Association, 1890â€"1909. Compiled by Charles Madeley.
- Paul Krassner (1963) The Trial of Eros Magazine in The Realist No.44, pp. 1, 11-23
- Rand McNally and Company (1978) Vacation & travel guide
- Ward's quarterly, Volume 1, 1965
External links
- History of Intercourse
