Blue Ball is an unincorporated community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...

 near 40°N 76°W. Blue Ball lies approximately 2 miles east-northeast of the town of New Holland, Pennsylvania

New Holland, Pennsylvania

New Holland is a borough in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,092 at the 2000 census. New Holland was settled in 1728 by John Michael and John Phillip Ranc . Before it became known as New Holland, it had been called Hog Swamp, Earltown and New Design...

 at the intersection of US 322 and PA Route 23.

Name and origin

The name originates from the Blue Ball Hotel, which stood on the southeast corner of the PA 23-US 322 crossroads. The inn is no longer standing; it was torn down in 1997 after more than 200 years In the early 18th century, John Wallace, an Irishman, built a small building at the intersection of two Indian trails - French Creek Path (Route 23) and Paxtang (Route 322). He hung a blue ball out front and called it "The Sign of the Blue Ball." Locals began calling Earl Town Blue Ball, after the inn. So in 1833, Earl Town officially changed its name to Blue Ball. Years later during Prohibition, the inn changed its name to Blue Ball Hotel. Coincidentally, the town of Blue Ball is situated approximately 8 miles northeast of the town of Intercourse, PA.

Trivia

The name is often considered sexually suggestive, for its closeness to the slang

Slang

Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...

 term "blue balls

Blue balls

Blue balls is a slang term for the condition of temporary fluid congestion in the testicles and prostate region, accompanied by acute testicular pain, caused by prolonged and unsatisfied sexual arousal in the human male. The term is thought to have originated in the United States, first appearing...

" (1916), which refers to the male sexual condition of temporary testicular and prostate

Prostate

The prostate is a compound tubuloalveolar exocrine gland of the male reproductive system in most mammals....

 fluid congestion, due to prolonged and unsatisfied sexual excitement. In 1962, the postmaster

Postmaster

A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...

 of the town, along with that of Intercourse, Pennsylvania

Intercourse, Pennsylvania

Intercourse, Pennsylvania is an unincorporated village in Leacock Township, Lancaster County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, ten miles east of Lancaster on PA 340. As with the nearby towns of Bird-in-Hand, Blue Ball, and Paradise, Intercourse is a popular site for tourists because of its...

, was asked by the publishers of the Eros Magazine for mailing privileges. Intercourse and Blue Ball are often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Mount Joy

Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Mount Joy is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,765 at the 2000 census.-Name and origin:Mount Joy is often named in lists of "delightfully-named towns" in Pennsylvania Dutchland, along with Intercourse, Blue Ball, PenisPallooza, Amish Land, Dick-in-Hand...

, Lititz, Bareville, Bird-in-Hand and Paradise

Paradise, Pennsylvania

Paradise is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States with a zip code of 17562. The population was 1,028 at the 2000 census....

.