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Lancaster County, PA > Shopping Directory > Hex Signs

Hex Signs

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About 300 years ago, groups of peasant farmers from the Rhine region of Germany migrated to southeastern Pennsylvania. These settlers came to take advantage of religious freedom being offered by William Penn. They included settlers of plain dress -Amish and Mennonites - and others of more "worldly" or "fancy" dress - Lutherans and other Reformed groups. Over time, these settlers became known as "Pennsylvania Dutch".

Likeother immigrants, they brought their old world language, dress, traditions and art to their new home. Mystical bird and floral designs graced their birth and marriage certificates, family Bibles, quilts, and some furniture. The "fancy" farmers also decorated their large German style bank barns with colorful geometric patterns. Six-pointed star designs were very popular. The German word for six, "sechs", sounded like hex to their English-speaking neighbors. In time these "hex" patterns became commonly called hex signs. This custom persists today.

These bright, colorful designs had meanings or legends. Families selected a hex sign based on color, design and its meaning. Some of the more popular symbols included: hearts for love, birds (called distelfinks) for luck and happiness, tulips for faith, and stars for good luck. The colors used for painting were also carefully chosen because of their added meaning. Blue conveyed protection, white purity, green abundance and red strong emotion. The hex symbols were individually hand painted for many years. This approach, naturally very time consuming, limited hex sign use and enjoyment even in the Dutch Country.

In the early 1940's, Jacob Zook, an 11th generation Pennsylvania Dutchman living in the village of Paradise, PA successfully pioneered the hand "silk screening" of hex signs. Here, a "silk screen" is used to apply each of the design's bright colors to a carefully prepared signboard. Four or five colors are usually used; each color requires it's own carefully designed screen. With air-drying between steps, a design usually takes about a week to complete. Silk screening, performed by skilled craftsmen, allowed hex signs to be made in quantity at modest cost. Interest in hex signs blossomed once they became readily available. Today, hex signs can be found throughout the world. In many homes, they have been enjoyed for almost three generations.

Several of Jacob Zook's original hex signs are shown below with their meanings:

Joy & Prosperity	Home Welcome	House Blessing

This History of Hex Signs information has been provided by the folks at Zook Family Crafts - "The Hex Place©",
(formerly Will-Char) 3056 Route 30 East, Paradise, PA 17562, 717-687-8329

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There are a number of businesses throughout the Pennsylvania Dutch Country that sell Hex Signs and related merchandise. Here is a listing of many of these businesses: DUTCH HAVEN 2857A Lincoln Highway East, (U.S. Route 30), Ronks, PA 17572, 717-687-0111 Lancaster County's original Amish craft store, with a section of the store dedicated to hex signs. Plus, distinctive local Amish-made furniture, jams and jellies, gifts, souvenirs, and a wonderful selection of Amish Country T-shirts. All at the place that made shoofly pie famous. Open evenings & Sundays. Can ship anywhere.     AMISH STUFF STORE Amish hats, furniture, collectibles, dolls, quilts, t-shirts, souvenirs. 2359 Lincoln Highway East, (U.S. Route 30), Lancaster, PA 17602 717-291-4661 GOOD 'N PLENTY RESTAURANT Route 896, Smoketown, PA 17576 717-394-7111 MILLER'S SMORGASBORD COUNTRY STORE 2811 Lincoln Highway East, Ronks, PA 17572 717-687-6621 OLD VILLAGE STORE Old Philadelphia Pike (Rt. 340), Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505 717-397-1291 PLAIN & FANCY FARM COUNTRY STORE 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike (Rt. 340), Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505, 717-768-4400 WHITE OAK CAMPGROUND White Oak Rd., P.O. Box 90, Strasburg, PA 17579 717-687-6207     JAKE'S COUNTRY TRADING POST 2954 Lincoln Hwy. East. (Rt. 30), Gordonville, PA 17529 717-687-8980 THE OLD CANDLE BARN 3551A Old Phila.Pike, Intercourse, PA 17534 717-768-3231 THE OLD WOODSHED Route 340 & 772, PO Box 240, Intercourse, PA 17534 717-768-3926 STRASBURG RAIL ROAD SHOP P.O. Box 96, Rt. 741, Strasburg, PA 17579 717-687-7522 THE VILLAGE PEDDLER Intercourse, PA 17534

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