Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
By Joe McClure In about 250 days, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. Community groups and counties throughout the country — and in central Pennsylvania — are getting ready. The Harrisburg Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is among them. Members are researching 250 patriots who are buried in Dauphin County cemeteries, stretching from as far north as Erdman in Lykens Township to as far south as Middletown. Using resources such as Find a Grave, Fold3.com and the NSDAR’s database, the Harrisburg chapter has compiled information on more than 100 patriots so far, says Teri Fegley, regent of the Harrisburg chapter. “We’re research nerds,” says Fegley, who also co-chairs the chapter’s America 250 committee. The Harrisburg chapter counts “patriots” as men who participated in any of the following types of service during the Revolutionary War: Military service. Patriotic service (paying the supply tax to raise money for the Continental Congress to fund the war or signing an oath of allegiance to the new nation). Civil service (serving in the government in support of the revolution). Some did all three, Fegley says. This year, the Harrisburg chapter helped dedicate markers honoring Revolutionary War patriots at Wenrich’s Cemetery near Linglestown and at Stroh’s Cemetery in Middle Paxton Township. The Harrisburg DAR chapter’s research is one of many events and projects in central Pennsylvania connected to America’s semiquincentennial. Celebrating the 250th The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, or America250PA, has been planning and developing events for the past few years. Among the projects are planting liberty trees; dedicating permanent bronze bells at historically significant locations in the state and fiberglass liberty bells in all 67 counties; and providing grants to community groups to expand programming related to the anniversary. Here’s a sampling of 250th anniversary-related events that have taken place or are scheduled in central Pennsylvania. Cumberland County: This month, a liberty tree was planted at Hampden Township Veterans Park. Earlier this year, the Army Heritage Center Foundation in Middlesex Township was awarded a $5,000 semiquincentennial grant to support the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center’s exhibit on 250 years of Army history. The county will hold an anniversary kickoff event from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Old Courthouse in Carlisle. In the days leading up to the event, there will be a concert, a lecture, a movie presentation and special events or tours at historical sites. Dauphin County: Last month, a fiberglass liberty bell replica painted with a Hershey theme was unveiled at Chocolate World. The Pennsylvania Farm Show, slated for Jan. 10 to 17, will have a 250th anniversary theme. The Lower Paxton Township Historical Commission, which has been leading an effort to restore Newside Cemetery on Newside Road, plans to rededicate the burial ground May 16. Twenty-six veterans, including those who fought in the Revolutionary War, are buried at Newside. The Historical Society of Dauphin County is planning at least one 250th anniversary-themed event or program each month starting in December. Plans, some tentative, include the 30th annual Deck the Halls gala at 6 p.m. Dec. 4, a presentation on the role of African Americans in the Revolutionary War on Feb. 22, a historical whiskey tasting and program on June 20, a reading of the Declaration of Independence from the front porch of the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion on July 4 and a costume ball at the Peter Allen House in Middle Paxton Township on July 5. Lebanon County: The Lebanon Quilters Guild is crafting a quilt for the 250th anniversary, LebTown reports. The quilt will be displayed at events leading up to the county’s celebration of the 250th anniversary. This month, the county unveiled a mosaic consisting of about 1,000 tiles depicting the American flag and fireworks at the North Hall of the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds. Visit Lebanon Valley is launching a program in which visitors to 12 sites can collect commemorative wooden nickels, LebTown reports. The sites are the Annville Free Library, Cornwall Iron Furnace, Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, the Isaac Meier Homestead in Myerstown, the Lebanon County Historical Society, the Lebanon Farmers Market, the Mount Gretna Historical Society, the Myerstown Library, the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Museum at Fort Indiantown Gap, Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats in Palmyra, Visit Lebanon Valley in Lebanon and Wertz Candies in Lebanon. Perry County: This month, community members, students and groups dedicated a liberty tree and Liberty Flag at Millerstown Area Community Park. The county 250th committee is planning a celebration in Newport for April 19. The committee is also planning to continue 250th anniversary educational programs in county elementary schools. York County: In July, America250PA unveiled a permanent bronze bell at Camp Security Park in Springettsbury Township, near the site of a Revolutionary War POW camp. Recently, six local artists were commissioned to create designs for fiberglass liberty bell replicas that will be placed throughout the county, WGAL reports. The York County History Center is holding a sneak peek of Ken Burns’ documentary “The American Revolution” followed by a panel discussion from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Nov. 6 at 121 N. Pershing Ave. in York. Articles of Confederation Day, with children’s activities and historical interpreters, will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 15 at the history center’s Colonial Complex at 157 W. Market St. in York. ‘Their story lives on’ The Harrisburg DAR chapter’s project to collect biographical information on 250 Dauphin County patriots will culminate in a book, Fegley says. The book will be released during an event at the Historical Society of Dauphin County on May 16. The chapter also hopes to post its research on a website. “The more that people say their names and talk about these men,” Fegley says, “the more their story lives on.”
