He didn't invent the pretzel. But Julius Sturgis did help it take a leap forward.

The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, located at 219 E. Main St. in downtown Lititz, is part museum, part local attraction, part gift shop, and part living history. But it's all about pretzels, all the time.

The local landmark celebrates the tasty, salty snack, while paying homage to its heritage. Over the years, the original site of Sturgis' pretzel bakery has evolved into a must-see destination for both locals and tourists alike.

"We're America's oldest pretzel bakery," said Kurt Van Gilder, general manager of Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery. "We have history written all over our building. We consider ourselves an anchor of Lititz. But to me, it's just a fun place to be."

The bakery treats guests - nearly 350,000 annually - to a 25-minute tour of its modest facilities, then rewards them with a complimentary bag of pretzels at the conclusion. Included with the tour is an instructive hands-on session, where visitors are taught the fine art of twisting pretzels.

Sturgis' famous soft pretzels are still made on-site, daily.

"Most people have no idea, but you'll never look at pretzels the same way again," said Van Gilder. "They walk in not knowing they're going to get a learning experience. It's a fun family adventure where kids will learn and adults will learn."

In the 1850s, Julius Sturgis was employed at a Lititz pretzel bakery cleaning up the day's leftovers, which at the time were either thrown away or fed to livestock. Sturgis approached his boss with the idea of selling the leftovers commercially, and after he was twice turned down, Sturgis went into business for himself.

"In 1861, he opened his own bakery," said Van Gilder. "He had 14 children and put them to work here. It's the American Dream, because he was turned down twice. His first building burned down, but he was persistent and the rest was history.

"Pennsylvania produces 80% of the consumable pretzels in the country," added Van Gilder. "We're (central Pennsylvania) at the heart of it. We started selling them commercially. Obviously, it was successful because the business is still family-owned."

In the early 1950s, the Sturgis pretzel-producing operation was shifted to Reading, and then 20 years later moved to its current location in Shillington. Maintaining its original location in downtown Lititz is a way for Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery to remain true to its roots.