3 Butler County Towns Every Traveler Should Visit in America's Most German State
German-Americans make up one of the nation’s largest ancestry groups, with nearly 45 million people claiming German roots. But if you want to see where that heritage runs deepest, the latest Census data points to one clear answer: Pennsylvania.
by Megan DeMatteo for Experience Butler County PA
German-Americans make up one of the nation’s largest ancestry groups, with nearly 45 million people claiming German roots. But if you want to see where that heritage runs deepest, the latest Census data points to one clear answer: Pennsylvania. The state has more residents who identify as “German only” than any other—about 1.1 million, according to the 2020 Census.
Broaden the lens to include people who list German ancestry alongside other backgrounds, and the total climbs to roughly 2.8 million, which is the largest German-American population out of any state. Nearly one in four Pennsylvanians has German roots, a fact worth noting as Oktoberfest kegs start flowing and Christmas markets pop up across the U.S. this fall and winter.
Pennsylvania has been a hub of German settlement for more than three centuries. William Penn encouraged immigrants from the Rhineland to settle in the Quaker state during the late 1600s, and by the eve of the American Revolution some 65,000 Germans had arrived through Philadelphia. They founded towns, farms and traditions that still endure. Today, Pennsylvania is still dotted with pretzel bakeries, Christkindlmarkts, and even New Year’s celebrations timed to midnight in Germany.
To see how those roots live on, Experience Butler County spoke with local historians and community leaders. Their stories, alongside snapshots from other German-founded destinations like Bethlehem, Kutztown, and Pittsburgh’s Deutschtown, paint a portrait of the places where Pennsylvania’s German heritage is still alive today.
In This Blog
German roots and heritage
Most of Harmony’s first residents were farmers, weavers, and carpenters from Württemberg, a hilly region in southwest Germany near Stuttgart. “They were craftspeople. They were able to do everything,” Luek explained.
After a decade, the Harmony Society moved west. Their place was taken by Mennonites, a German-speaking Christian community known for pacifism, large families, and simple living. Their arrival in 1814 kept German language, foods, and traditions alive in the town long after the original settlers left.
Unique history
In 1807, the group adopted celibacy, a decision that made Harmony stand out even among Pennsylvania’s many minority faith communities.
With no children of their own, the group welcomed orphans, widows, and new converts to keep their community strong. Luek said celibacy also opened the way for women to take on greater responsibilities. “They taught both boys and girls to read and write because they wanted everyone to be able to read the Bible,” she said. Even without children of their own, the Harmonists were industrious producers. They imported some of the first merino sheep into western Pennsylvania and built a reputation for high-quality cloth as early as 1810.
“Wine, whiskey, woolen cloth, and rope—those were their big exports,” Luek explained. At the same time, they made everything else they needed themselves: shoes, hats, barrels, and furniture. Whiskey was especially practical. As Luek noted, everyone in western Pennsylvania distilled their extra grain because whiskey was easier to store and ship than raw grain, and it held its value over long distances.
Faith in Harmony was never far from mystery, either. Leader George Rapp was fascinated by alchemy and meditation, and Harmony once had a walking labyrinth meant for quiet reflection. “A labyrinth, not like a maze, you would follow a path and it would bring you to the center,” Luek said. The original is long gone, but the story still intrigues visitors.
That sense of spiritual symbolism extended even to death. Luek said Harmonists believed God knew every soul’s resting place, so today, if you visit their cemetery, you’ll see no headstones. Instead, a stone wall and revolving gate still mark the site, the gate symbolizing passage to the next life.
(early November): A German Christmas market with traditional artisans, traditional dancers, mulled wine and more.
Silvester (December 31): Harmony’s New Year’s Eve party takes its name from St. Sylvester’s Day—what Germans call December 31. More than 25 years ago, locals decided to mark midnight in Germany instead of waiting until midnight at home. The tradition stuck, and today families gather for a 5K, live music, fireworks, and a 6 p.m. ball drop synced to Germany’s time zone. “It really has become a very popular thing,” said Luek.
What to look for on a short visit
Start in the town square, where the Harmonists laid out their most important buildings. The original church, storehouse, and brick homes still frame the square. Pop into the Harmony Museum, which displays artifacts from the Harmonists, Mennonites, and later residents.
If you have time, head downstairs into the wine cellars beneath the warehouse and storehouse. “People love going in there,” said Luek. The cellars still carry that damp, earthen smell and give a sense of how the Harmonists stored and sold their wine in the early 1800s.
Finally, don’t miss the Harmonist cemetery, a walled enclosure with no headstones. A revolving gate still marks the entrance, symbolizing passage into the next life.
German eats
Just off the square sits The Harmony Inn, a stately brick building originally constructed in 1856 as a private residence for railroad executive Austin Pearce. Look up at the upper façade and see something playful: two windows that resemble eyes and a mustache painted or installed just below them, making the building seem to gaze down like a friendly (or slightly mischievous) face.
After the railroad venture failed, Pearce sold the home to the Zeigler family, descendants of Harmony’s Mennonite community, who converted it into a hotel and tavern. Over time it became a gathering place for locals and travelers alike.
Today the Inn proudly presents both its past and present. Diners can choose from cozy rooms upstairs or sit in dining rooms with vintage woodwork and period details. The menu leans into the town’s German heritage: you’ll find mouthwatering blueberry strudel, hearty spätzle (a soft egg noodle) and authentic soft pretzels.
German roots and heritage
Not far behind were the Buhls, another family of German origin who settled in Zelienople in the 1810s. Their home, built in 1819, still stands today. Together, the Basse, Passavant, and Buhl families formed the foundation of the town: Basse provided the land and vision, the Passavants gave plots for churches, schools, and a cemetery, and the Buhls became early civic leaders.
While Zelienople’s founding families were largely German Lutherans, there were plenty of English and Scottish neighbors in the mix. Basse was German; his son-in-law, Philip Passavant, was a French Huguenot who lived in Germany before coming to America. The town stayed small, but its story received an infusion of fresh energy in the late 1800s when Route 19 went up Main Street and the railroad arrived in 1879.
Previously, Harmony was the center of business early on,” said Tom Nesbitt, local historian and author of the Zelienople edition of the “Images of America” book series. “When the railroad and Route 19 came [to Zelienople], commerce shifted,” Nesbitt said.
Industry followed the rails. Soon, the town would produce cast-iron fixtures, scaffolding, glass, and copper tubing, and waves of Eastern European workers joined the activity around 1900. “We even had a Romanian club and a Hungarian club,” Nesbitt said.
Unique history
Zelienople’s descendants shaped western Pennsylvania: Lutheran minister William Alfred Passavant founded hospitals and charities across the state, and the Buhl family later endowed Pittsburgh’s Buhl Planetarium.
What to look for on a short visit
Start at the Passavant House (1808) and Buhl House (1819) for docent-led tours and artifacts tied to Zelie and Philip Passavant and to Christian and Dorothea Buhl. Pick up the Historical Society’s Main Street walking tour brochure to match buildings with their first owners—names like Strohecker pop up on early banks and storefronts. Kaufman Tavern, check the wall-length mural that lays out the town’s timeline from frontier village to small-town hub.
German eats
Zelienople isn’t a themed German enclave, but you’ll find nods across town, especially during festival weeks when restaurants run Old World specials, or during special events like the Zelienople Historical Society’s Christmas House Tour.
Good to know
The population of Zelienople holds near 4,000, but visitor numbers swell for festivals. The Historical Society offers tours on event nights and by appointment. “People come for a tour and have lived here their whole lives, and they still want to know why it’s called Zelienople,” Casker said. Now you’ll have the answer.
German roots and heritage
Saxonburg was founded by German immigrants and still leans into that identity in quiet, everyday ways. The traditional German Presbyterian church anchors one end of Main Street. Many early family names remain on building plaques. As May put it, “People are very proud of Main Street.”
Unique history
Roebling’s wire-rope shop: In Roebling Park, the 1836 shop where the wire rope was invented still stands. A small replica bridge is currently on display in front of the building. Locals are raising funds to move the replica elsewhere in the park so the historic façade and plaque can be fully shown again.
A “grandma’s attic” style museum: The 6,000-square-foot Saxonburg Museum is arranged like period rooms, filled with donated household items, tools, textiles, and toys. “It’s a living museum,” May said. Admission is by donation. Hours are by appointment and during town events. A former Smithsonian staffer who grew up here is helping with collections work, and a simple iPad guide is in the works for self-tours.
German eats
May says festival events bring potato pancakes, hot pretzels, and delicious sausages to Main Street. Several microbreweries rotate taps at big events. A local favorite for provisions on the go is Batch at 230 Main Street. “You won’t get out without a bag of stuff,” May said, noting the shop’s pepperoni rolls sell out on Thursdays. (Pepperoni rolls aren’t German, but rather a Western Pennsylvania classic. Imagine a soft, yeasted bread roll baked with sticks or slices of pepperoni with cheese so the spicy oils melt into the bread. They started as a portable coal-miner lunch and are now enjoyed by all.)
In late fall, May says to watch for apple butter cooked in a large copper kettle by a town resident. “That copper gives it a crisp taste,” May said.
Good to know
Saxonburg is small—about 1,200 residents—but it swells on event nights. “Our Main Street is more of an event venue than a Main Street,” May said, explaining that people come to Saxonburg for that small-town, Hallmark-movie appeal. Volunteers keep much of it running: council, the museum, and fundraising for preservation projects. The museum welcomes group appointments and opens during major town events.
Related
218 Mercer St. Harmony, PA 16037 (724) 452-7341 Website
217 Mercer St. Harmony, PA 16037 (724) 452-6780 Website
230 Mercer St. Harmony, PA 16037 (724) 452-5124 Website
243 S. Main St. Zelienople, PA 16063 (724) 452-9457 Website
P.O. Box 51 Zelienople, PA 16063 (724) 473-3734 Website
147 N. Rebecca St. Saxonburg, PA 16056 724-352-1400 x3 Website
210 Horne Ave. Saxonburg, PA 16056 (724) 352-3300 Website
150A Kaufman Dr Butler, PA 16001 Website
230 W. Main St. Saxonburg, PA 16056 (724) 604-0197 Website