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All the United States Pennsylvania Lititz Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

Don't get it twisted: This is the oldest pretzel bakery in the United States.

Lititz, Pennsylvania

Added By
Brandon Emkes
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Pose with a giant pretzel outside the landmark bakery.   Millie Cruz
The exterior of the 1784 building.   bemkes / Atlas Obscura User
Some of the antique items visitors encounter during a bakery tour.   Adam Cooperstein
Twist a pretzel, get a certificate.   Adam Fagen
The plaque makes it official.   Amber Rien / CC BY-SA 4.0
Pretzel stencils for uniformity.   Adam Cooperstein
Times, and pretzel-making technology, have changed.   Adam Cooperstein
  jyackabonis / Atlas Obscura User
Diorama   Planetpinto / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque   Planetpinto / Atlas Obscura User
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
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About

At the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, bread is historic, salted, and loopy. The establishment is the first commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. And it just so happens that the Sturgis family is the oldest pretzel baking family in the country, as well.  In 1861, German immigrant Julius Sturgis was a spry 26 when he purchased a stone house at 219 E. Main Street in the little town of Lititz. The building, which dates to 1784, soon became both the Sturgis family home and their bakery. There, Julius twisted the first pretzels in the country. His recipe is apparently timeless—it's still used today. The Sturgis family still runs its namesake bakery. Beyond buying twisted bread (in both soft and hard versions), visitors can take a guided tour of the bakery and its antique machinery, then learn how to sculpt the perfect pretzel with a hands-on activity.

Related Tags

Food Pretzel Bakery

Know Before You Go

Bakery tours are popular, especially in the warmer months. It's best to book ahead.

Community Contributors

Added By

bemkes

Edited By

travelsyte, Ella Morton, blimpcaptain, jyackabonis...

  • travelsyte
  • Ella Morton
  • blimpcaptain
  • jyackabonis
  • Planetpinto

Published

January 21, 2022

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  • https://juliussturgis.com/
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
219 E. Main Street
Lititz, Pennsylvania, 17543
United States
40.156512, -76.301263
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Nearby Places

Lititz Historical Foundation

Lititz, Pennsylvania

miles away

Albert Glatz Tobacco Shop

Lititz, Pennsylvania

miles away

Landis Valley Museum

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lititz

Lititz

Pennsylvania

Places 3

Nearby Places

Lititz Historical Foundation

Lititz, Pennsylvania

miles away

Albert Glatz Tobacco Shop

Lititz, Pennsylvania

miles away

Landis Valley Museum

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lititz

Lititz

Pennsylvania

Places 3

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