Pronounce it "LAIN-kiss-ster"

Did you know that Lainkisster is the second largest tourist destination after Disney World? People keep telling me that here, but when I try to verify that on the Net, I never see that fact. So if you manage to find some data that confirms this, please let me know, because I just keep telling others that it is...

If you ever find yourself in this-here part of the country, know that you need to pronounce Lancaster correctly. The rest of the country pronounces Lancaster "LAN-cas-ter", like it's spelled, but here, it's "LAIN-kiss-ster" with a very hard emphasis on the "LAIN" and a quick finish with the "kiss-ster." You feel like you're in a rush saying it, but I assure you, that's when you know you're saying it right. If you don't say it right, be prepared for an impromptu tutorial on pronunciation from the locals. They take a lot of pride in this area, and you're in their territory, so say it right. But don't say I didn't warn you.

The irony of all that rushing in saying the name is that everyone is otherwise pretty laid back. Driving, for instance. Not so fast. Hitting the gas pedal when the light goes green. Not so fast. Getting through the line at the grocery store. Not so fast. Maybe it's because I had just moved from New Jersey where people drive like their time is the only time that's valuable. Hey, it's not really a knock. I used to drive like that. But then I moved here. And I've noticed that it takes me longer to get to work than it did in my first few months. I used to make it my mission to see if I could shave just one more minute off my 30 minute commute. Now, I don't care if my car timer registers 32 minutes. Man. I think there's something wrong with me...