We’re interrupting our reader-written blog entry schedule to share some exciting news with you here on the Ice Cream Journal. Today, at around 10:30 a.m., Turkey Hill held a special ground breaking event to officially mark the start of construction of a brand new Lancaster County attraction called the Turkey Hill Experience. (That’s an artist’s rendering of the future Turkey Hill Experience above.)
The Turkey Hill Experience is a project several years in the making and we’re all VERY excited about it. It will be based in Columbia, right here in Lancaster County, and will feature 26,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, a café and retail space and will pay homage to Turkey Hill’s history while highlighting its ice cream and iced tea-making processes. Visitors will also learn about Lancaster County’s heritage and farming traditions in the Mid Atlantic region.
One of the cooler features of the Turkey Hill Experience will be an exhibit that allows visitors to experience what it’s like to be a Turkey Hill Dairy ice cream maker for a day, including the opportunity to create his or her very own ice cream flavor!
If all goes according to plan, the Turkey Hill Experience will open its doors to the public in the spring of 2011.
What’s cool about the Turkey Hill Experience is that it will be housed in an historic silk mill that has been renovated after being empty for more than 25 years. As many of you know, preserving the history and culture of Lancaster County is very important to Turkey Hill, which is what makes this new location so fitting for us.
We’ll post more about the history of the silk mill in an upcoming blog entry and we’ll also post construction updates at least once a month here on the Ice Cream Journal. For now, below is a video of the banner being unveiled at today’s big event. Also, if you live in the central Pennsylvania/Lancaster area, be sure to watch your local news tonight because all four local TV networks (WGAL, WHTM, WPMT and WHP) came out to today’s event to capture the story for the evening news!
Tags: experience, ice cream, iced tea, lancaster, museum, turkey hill
Loading ...
If you’ve got a technical question about the ice cream making process or some other inquiry about the nuances of America’s favorite treat, chances are Ernie has the answer. He might not be able to answer all questions, but he’ll try his best and some may be featured on the Ice Cream Journal.
How exciting- I am moving to Elizabethtown, PA in August, so I will be able to see the museum sometime! I love museums, and so does my dad!
In all my years i have never seen a busines so clean and run so well by that of the Hometown Tamaqua store on clairmont ave and rt 54 intersection. They are freindly and helpful to all customers. Mark Keip 108 Lafayette AVe 2nd fl Tamaqua PA 18252
this really looks nice , I hope I can get there to visit it.
maybe there will samples of all the ice cream made
Oh wow! I can’t wait to visit it!
Sounds like a great plan! Wishing you every success with it.
Wow, this is a wonderful surprise. I will make the trip, this is a definite for the summer of 2011. Looking to forward to the updates and news on this new “experience”
I’m looking forward to 2011!! It looks like it will be neat.
This is really exciting. I have visited Lancaster County many times and have always asked why we couldn’t visit the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Plant. I am looking forward to visiting when its finished. It will be terrific!! Thank you again.
What exciting news! I cannot wait to bring my family there next summer. The Turkey Hill Experience is bound to be a huge hit!!!!
This is super exciting, and I hope the the place does open on its expected time, because I will be in Lancaster County in April 2011 for a church convention, and I will definitely be stopping by. (And if I can get a portable freezer unit, I will be stocking up on all the flavors that I love that my local grocery store does not carry). I hope this place is a huge success, and more facilities that pay homage to Turkey Hill, and the productions of its wonderful food will pop up around the country. I’m in central NY, which isn’t far from Lancaster County, and just across the NYS/PA border, so hopefully my town could be the next one.
I also can not wait till 2011 to enjoy the Turkey Hill Experience
We come to Lancaster at least one or twice per year and will be stopping to enjoy the Turkey Hill Experience Can’t wait, can’t wait, hurry, hurry, hurry
Since my family and I started enjoying Turkey Hill ice creams many years ago, I have wanted to see it being made. The Turkey Hill Experience sounds like the answer to my “want” if I can get the “how” answered.
I will definitely check it out when the time comes!
Very exciting news, indeed!
interesting come to Buffalo, NY and do the same
We love to take a trip to Amish country from NE PA. The Turkey Hill experience will be on the agenda of things to do.
Congratulations on your expansion plans. Now we’ll have a new destination to explore in beautiful, gentle Lancaster County.
SOUNDS GREAT TO ME. LOVE THE AMISH COUNTRY, THERE ARE SUCH GOOD COOKS.TURKEY HILL TRIP AND THEN SOME SAMPLES OF THE GREAT ICE CREAM SOUNDS REALLY SUPER TO ME. NOT TO FAR AWAY EITHER,FROM PHILLY. GOOD LUCK
I am Turkey Hill’s biggest fan, but for those that love good ice cream, another cool spot to check out is LAPP VALLEY Farms. You can see the cows, watch how they make it (never saw it, we just grabbed our chocolate milk, ice cream and ran), and then buy some for the road. Their Chocolate Milk is to die for as well.
Their ice cream is just as amazing (if not better), but they only have a few flavors (not as many as Turkey Hill). Just another quaint cool little gem in Lancaster County. It’s a 5-7 minute drive from Kitchen Kettle Village, definitely worth the trip!
Can’t wait for more updates on this place, I love me some Diet Mojito Green Tea!
Can’t wait to visit – It’s a great trip to take my grandkids camping and get to visit Turkey Hill at the same time. I’ve put it on my calendar. Hope there are no construction delays. Great idea.
As a local, I look forward to bringing our scout troops to enjoy the experience. Great idea to recycle a silk mill in Columbia. That will be easier to get to than the plant. I don’t know how many people realize that the plant is really on scenic Turkey Hill.
It sounds like it will be a great experience for the tyoung and old. I have 2 grandsons in berks county and it seems like a special place to go for a field trip.
wow great . love turkey hill
Boy was the silk mill gutted. It looks like all that is left is the walls (floors also removed). I like then touch of one of your cows on top of what looks like will be the elevator shaft. We go to the Lancaster area almost every spring so we hope to see it. Our problem will be we wouldn’t be able to buy some TH there since it would be soup by the time we got back home.
Just one more reason to leave the Frozen North for the Sunny South–PA that is!
Yeeeeeaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!
sounds great!
WOW!!! This is so exciting!. I am looking forward to being there for the opening. It looks like an amazing building. My hats off to Turkey Hill; once again you are head and shoulders above the rest.
This new experience sounds better than any tour you could have provided. This must have been in the works for some time. You kept this secret well. Hopefully, it will be completed on time for everyone to put it on their list of places to go in the summer of 2011.
So happy to finally see the old silk mill gone. What an improvement to the area. Also, can’t wait to see the finshed product, building and ice cream.
Hopefully this will be “the star attraction” of the Chamber of Commerce. If I ever have the chance of being down to PA, this will be on my “must see” list. Congratulations on your new venture.
Happy to hear the news of the Turkey Hill Experience. We visit the Amish Country in Lancaster frequently. Can’t wait till Spring of 2011. Good Luck with your project. I’m sure it will be great.
God Bless.
YES!!!!!! Exciting news. Hopefully we can get down to see it sometime!
GREAT use of the old silk mill. It has stood neglected for far too long! Can’t wait to see how this all unfolds – I go by there everyday so will be watching. GREAT JOB, Turkey Hill – LOVE your diet green tea!!! YEA!!!!
Sounds like a great vacation destination!
Wow, how exciting! I would like to see it in person someday. Good luck Turkey Hill.
This is really exciting news. I know if my husband were still alive he’d enjoy seeing it and sampling lots of Turkey Hill. He enjoyed lots of Turkey Hill Ice Cream and different iced teas. I love the idea about creating a new flavor.
What wonderful news! My oldest son will be attending Villanova in the fall & we’re all ready planning a return trip to visit him nest year. We always visit Lancaster County when we’re in Pennsylvania and will be sure to make this one of our first stops when we arrive. I’m looking forward to reading the updates while the work is being done. Thanks for the great news!
Sounds fun!
Wow! I am so excited I can’t wait till it opens. I look forward to visiting!
Congratulations!! Please keep us posted on your progress!!
Looking forward to visiting this site as we enjoy Turkey Hill products all of the time…
Come on Spring 2011.
I just finished renovating a bathroom and thought that was a big deal, but I’m so excited to read your news. Wonderful that you’re adapting an existing building instead of building from scratch – thank you for your collective wisdom!
I hope that “Coffee Almond” or “Coffee Pecan” is the 1st flavor to come off the assembly line and that Giant Foods here in the D.C.area will have the sense to continue putting TH on sale frequently. You have many fans here in Columbia, Md.
What exciting and fun news! I can’t wait for it to open!
Sounds like a lot of fun. We haven’t been out to Lancaster in quite a long time and this will definitely be on our agenda next trip. We’ve toured a potato chip factory, tea making factory, olive oil plant, and a blueberry farm. It is always so cool to see how the products we use get to us.
Cool…Herr’s potato chip factory for lunch, Turkey Hill Experience for dinner. Love the interactive idea.
I’d never even heard of Turkey Hill ice cream until a few years ago, when our supermarket started carrying it. Now I see it everywhere…
I can’t wait to see it!
Wow this was a great thing to read about!!! Someone had just asked in the comments recently if you could tour Turkey Hill . Now look at this great experience being built. We used to go to Lancaster on a regular basis to visit but are way past due to visit again. Think maybe next year so TH will be 1 of our stops Can’t WAIT!!!!
I saw this on WGAL tonight and think it will be a great addition for Lancaster County. It’s definately a place I will want to see and somewhere to take my out-of-town guests when they are visiting.
As a resident of Columbia, I am thrilled to see The Turkey Hill Experience being built! Thank you for making good use of the old silk mill. We love your ice cream and look forward to being neighbors. Welcome!
OMG! How exciting! That is so cool! I so want to visit the Turkey Hill Experience when it’s finished! They better have some free samples! What a great excuse to visit Pennsylvania!
Sounds like it will be a really awesome experience!!
How exciting for Turkey Hill and the lucky people who live in Lancaster County.
That`s one place I`m sure to visit ! Sounds GREAT !!
Wow, not only will it be a great attraction, but now the history of Turkey Hill will be permanently etched into their rightful ranking of America’s Finest! I think I will have ice cream for lunch today:)
Sounds like a great attraction. One more good reason to visit Lancaster County! I live in Indiana but was born in Lebanon County a few years ago. I haven’t been back for 4 years. Hope I can make it next year. I love history and ice cream!!!
Very exciting! I have been waiting and waiting to see what would happen with that old building! After months of rumors – I’m so happy to see Turkey Hill doing something awesome with it!
I think all the icecream journal folks should meet up when its finished….just a thought!!!!
I can’t wait!!
Hi,I logged on to your website today for the 1st time. This was after I had gone to (4) grocery stores to find a limited edition called Southern Lemon Pie. I realize you make the flavor in yogurt which is what my husband and I eat. But my (5) children LOVE the ice cream. So right now they are not happy, because I am totally out of the ice cream “limited edition”. But when we found out you are building a factory that will be doing tours next Spring, oh my they just can’t wait to visit. So we will be doing some planning for next Spring to make sure we can visit their favorite Ice Cream Factory. I really like your website too.
Sounds Exciting!
2011 – here is another reason to visit lancaster pa
WOW!!! CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GROUND BREAKING!!! I’m an icecreamaholic and fan of Turkey Hill!!! Will be visiting Lancaster when the Turkey Hill Experience is finished. Hope I can be invited to the grand opening!!! Please keep me posted on the progress of the project!!!-THANK YOU!!! Nancy
Sounds really great! We were in Lancaster this past week, but we couldn’t find out where your place is. We only saw gas stations with mini store attached. Not even signs with Turkey Hill on them. I was so disappointed that we couldn’t find it. Please tell me where you are located.
Wonderful!! I lived in Columbia for 6 years and knew that building had tremendous potential! Thanks for investing in Lancaster County!
lOVE TH, BEST ICE CREEAJ
The turkey hill project is the crown that
fits right on top of Columbia’s new river
park,beautifull market house,and numerous
new antique shops and art galleries.Columbia
already has some great eateries with more on
the way.And the watch and clock museum must
make COLUMBIA,PA. RIVER TOWN U.S.A.
Actually it’s located in Columbia,PA and will be next to a fast food restaurant(Burger-King),I know this because i live in Columbia,PA, and yes it is in Lancaster,PA. I am so excited to be able to go to a museum/restaurant/ice cream shop not that far away. Columbia,PA I believe will be known for Turkey Hill ice cream, and its historic past. Wow first there is Hershey World, now Turkey Hill!
What a great time for Turkey Hill and Columbia!!!! 2011 won’t get here fast enough! We’re looking at drawing people into our beautiful little town and employment opportunities!! How exciting!!
Love,Love,Love your products, I just found out about your new building and cannot wait to tour it. My mother is a red-hatter and they are planning to take a tour too.concerned,
The Experience will become a great Mecca for all who love the great products of Turkey Hill. It’s like a window into the world of Turkey Hill Dairy and all the fun we have there.
This will be worth our drive from Pittsburgh! We are big fans and have fond memories of the fundraiser you used to do for the libraries of Lancaster County.
And thank you, by the way, for making Blitzburgh crunch. All the Way Black and Gold!!!