Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Blue Ball is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in East Earl Township, Lancaster County. It sits about 2 miles east-northeast of New Holland at the intersection of U.S. Route 322 and Pennsylvania Route 23.
As of 2020, about 1,084 people live in Blue Ball. The area covers 1.20 square miles in total, with 1.19 square miles of land. The town sits at an elevation of about 441 feet. The ZIP code is 17506 and the area code is 717.
Origin of the name: Blue Ball gets its name from the Blue Ball Hotel, which stood at the southeast corner of the PA 23–US 322 crossroads more than 200 years ago. A sign featuring a blue ball was placed at the site, and the town eventually adopted the name Blue Ball in 1833 when the nearby Earl Town changed its name. The old inn was torn down in 1997.
Geography and roads: PA 23 (Main Street) runs northeast to Morgantown and southwest to Lancaster. US 322 crosses PA 23 in the town center and heads northwest to Ephrata and southeast to Downingtown. Shirks Run flows through Blue Ball toward the Conestoga River.
Climate and notes: Blue Ball has a humid continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Average January temperatures are around 30°F, and July averages around 75°F. The area is part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, known for its charming towns with names like Intercourse, Mount Joy, Bird-in-Hand, Paradise, and more.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:08 (CET).