Bicentennial
Lebanon County Bicentennial 1813–2013
In February, 2013, Lebanon County will mark its 200th year. The Lebanon County Historical Society will play a major role in the Bicentennial Celebration. We invite you to be a part of the celebration!
Upcoming Bicentennial Celebration Events in 2013
Various historic groups are hosting a series of celebratory events through out the year, spearheaded by the Society’s February event at the Expo. Dates and times are subject to change. Events are still being added and subject to change, please check back for more listings or contact the event sponsor info provided for more details. For a downloadable list, click on Bicentennial Events brochure or stop by the Society and pick up a printed brochure.
Bicentennial Calendar of Events
April – December 2013
April
Sunday, April 21st 1:30PM
Tour Tabor United Church of Christ
124 South 10th St, Lebanon, PA Bob Etchberger 717-273-0058 www.taborucc.org
Monday, April 29th
“Lebanon County Bicetennial Sports Extravaganza”
Dinner celebrating the History of Lebanon County Sports
5:30PM – 6:15PM
Cash Bar and Hors D’Oeuvres, 6:30PM Dinner
Prescott Banquet Hall 300 Prescott Rd. Lebanon, PA$35/person
Tickets available now at the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce
604 Cumberland St. Lebanon, PA 17042 717-273-3727 info@lvchamber.orgMay
Saturday, May 4th 1-4PM
Open House at Lights Fort
Light’s Fort 11th and Maple Streets, Lebanon, PA Friends of Light’s fort, Sandy Jones 717-270-0853 www.lightsfort.org lightsfort@yahoo.com
Saturday, May 4th 1-4PM
Open House at Chestnut St. Log House
Chestnut St. Log House 1110 Chestnut St., Lebanon, PA Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County info@lebanonhpt.orgAdditional Open House dates:
Each Wednesday, July & August 1-4PM
Saturday, May 4th 1-4PM
Open House at Monroe Valley Chapel
Monroe Valley Chapel 449 Monroe Valley Dr., Jonestown, PA Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County info@lebanonhpt.orgAdditional Events:
Open House, October 6th, 2-4PM
German Christmas Program, Dec 7th 7PM & Dec 8th 2PM
Saturday, May 18th 10AM -7PM and Sunday, May 19th 10AM – 5PM
Union Canal Days
Union Canal Tunnel Park 25th St. and Union Canal Drive (north of Lebanon Valley Mall) Lebanon County Historical Society www.LCHSociety.org 717-272-1473 or office@lchsociety.org Friends of the Union Canal Tunnel Park Jim Schucker 717-272-6949Additional Union Canal Park event click here.
June
Saturday, June 1st 12PM
The Timelessness of Gov. Dick Park/Mt. Gretna
Presentation and walk
Clarence Schock Memorial Park Environmental Center at Gov. Dick Park 3283 Pinch Road, Lebanon, PA The Environmental Center 717-964-3808 governordick@hotmail.com
Saturday, June 8th 9AM – 2PM
Historic Old Annville Day, 25th Anniversary
Main Street, Annville, PA Friends of Old Annville Owen Moe moe@lvc.edu
Saturday, June 9th 2-4PM (Rain Date: June 16th Sunday)
Walking Tour of the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery
Mt. Lebanon Cemetery 235 Maple Street, Lebanon, PA Sponsored by Mt. Lebanon Cemetery Board of Directors Presented by Gerald Collins and Michael Trump mtrump@clsd.k12.pa.usSaturday, June 22nd 10AM – 2PM
Play with Friends
Free entertainment and activities and participate in the skill and race games plus bounce house. Food available for purchase.
Colman Memorial Park 1400 West Maple Street, Lebanon, PA 17046 www.colemanmemorialpark.org 717 272-7271 or friends@colemanmemorialpark.orgSunday, June 23rd 1-3PM
Walking Tour of Schaefferstown
Historic Schaefferstown info@hsimuseum.org 717-949-2244 For additional Schaefferstown events visit www.hsimuseum.org
Monday, June 24th 6:30PM
Genealogy Night at the Courthouse
Lebanon County Recorder of Deeds Room 107, Municipal Building 400 South 8th Street Lebanon, PA Registration required Donna Lutz 717-228-4447July
Saturday, July 13th 9AM – 3PM
Annual Garden Tour
Featuring Myerstown area gardens For Tickets and more info: Historic Preservation Trust of Lebanon County info@lebanonhpt.org
Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21
Fort Indiantown Gap
PA National Guard Military MuseumBldg. T-8-57
Fort Indiantown Gap
Annville, PA 17003-5003 The 2nd Regiment United States Sharpshooters Co. C will be presenting a Living History (Encampment) with firing and tactical demos at Fort Indiantown Gap behind the PA National Guard Military Museum on July 19th – 21st. (set up evening of 19th – leave afternoon of 21st) http://www.pngmilitarymuseum.org/
Saturday, July 20th 10AM
Walking Tour of Lebanon County History
Starting from
Lebanon County Historical Society 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon, PA Registration required, $5 per person 717-272-1473 office@lchsociety.orgFriday, July 26th 7:30PM
Mt. Gretna’s Special Place in Lebanon County’s History
Chautauqua Trail Meeting The Chautauqua Community Building Mt. Gretna, PA PA Chautauqua pachautauqua@gmail.com 717-964-1830August
Saturday, August 17th 3-8PM
Community Picnic Fireman’s Park
Grant and Spruce Streets, Palmyra PA Palmyra Area Heritage Assoc. Beth Shearer feisty3176@gmail.com 717-304-9069September
Saturday, September 28th 9AM – 4PM
County Fair
Isaac Meier Homestead
520 South College St., Myerstown Isaac Meier Homestead 717-866-4480October
Saturday, October 5th (Rain Date: October 6th Sunday) 10AM – NOON
Tour of Historic Cornwall
Historic Cornwall Iron Furnace
94 Rexmont Road Cornwall, PA Cornwall Iron Furnace 717-272-9711
Saturday, October 12
PA Deitsch Versammling
Ono Fire Hall 10805 Jonestown Road Ono, PA www.onofire.com For tickets please call Vernice by Oct. 2nd at 865-4742December
Sunday, December 1st 12-4PM
Colonial Christmas
Light’s Fort 11th and Maple Streets, Lebanon, PA Friends of Light’s Fort Sandy Jones 717-270-0853 www.lightsfort.org lightsfort@yahoo.comAdditional Events Still To Be Announced:
City of Lebanon
City of Lebanon tentatively plans a celebration event in conjunction with the 10th Street Bridge opening in August or September, 2013. A more specific date will be provided closer to the event.
The Time Capsule
- Donated by Met-Ed, FirstEnergy Foundation, the time capsule was displayed at the Feb. 16th Expo event. It is currently on display in the Society’s Gift Shop. Time and place for the time capsule burial is still to be determined.
Bicentennial Celebration at the Expo
On Saturday, February 16, 2013, the Lebanon County Historical Society, along with the Lebanon County Commissioners, presented the official bicentennial celebration event at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center, from 11AM to 5PM, with main program beginning at 1:30PM. It was free to the public; compliments of the Expo Center.
The Main Program was modeled after the Centennial celebration of 1913, with various dignitaries and guest speakers from neighboring counties. Performing during the program included the Perseverance Band—the oldest, continuously operating musical organization in Lebanon County (est. 1857). Many historic groups and local businesses was represented at the event with food, souvenirs and other gift items for sale.
For the entire schedule of the day, click here.
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- Bill Ames, Lebanon County County Commissioner (left) and Don Rhoads, Jr., Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee.
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- West Hall
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- Lebanon County Historical Society’s Booth. Tina Valgenti, Office Coordinator and Brian Kissler, Archivist.
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- Quittapahilla Audubon Society Booth
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- Ray Maillet our MC for the event.
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- Chaps Paul Fullmer Friends of Old Annville
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- County Commissioners Phillips, Ames and Litz (left to right)
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- Perseverance Band, directed by Wayne Fox
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- MT Gretna Campmeeting Booth with Bruce Gettle
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- Larry Bowman, President of Lebanon Valley Chamber
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- Ricki Herb and Lee Moyer
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- The cover of the main program.
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- Congressmen Gerlach (left) and Dent
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- Fort Indiantown Gap
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- Haaks Department Store booth
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- County Commissioner Jeff Haste, Dauphin County
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- Don Rhoads, Jr speaking
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- Civil Air Patrol 307 Lebanon
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- CAP 307 presenting the colors.
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- Bicentennial Cake, donated by Giant Cleona.
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- Commissioner Ames, County Admin Wolgemuth and Commissioner Litz
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- David Weisman imabagpiper@hotmail.com
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- Don Rhoads, Jr. and Barb Gaffney, President of Lebanon County Historical Society
Photo credit: Tom Moyer
Souvenir Postcards
Donald Brown of the Institute of American Deltiology in Myerstown, PA distributed souvenir postcards at the Celebration Event at the Expo on February 16th. Set of six post cards, featuring the original six townships in 1813 (Lebanon, Heidelberg, Bethel, Londonderry, East Hanover and Annville) will be available for $5.00 per pack. If you would like to purchase the postcards and did not make it to the Expo, please contact Donald Brown at 717-866-7747 or broiad@comcast.net.
Bicentennial Logo Merchandise
Shirts, hats and tote bags with the official Bicentennial Logo can be custom ordered here.
Time Capsule
Bicentennial Logo
Left to right, Commissioner William Ames, Logan Echard, logo designer, Don Rhoads, Jr., Bicentennial Chairman, Commissioner Robert Phillips and Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz.
During the month of April, 2012, the Lebanon County Historical Society and the Commissioners of Lebanon County held a contest to design the official logo for Lebanon County’s Bicentennial. The contest was open to all county high school students in grades 9 through 12. Out of the 56 entries, four finalists were selected by the Society and then were submitted to the County Commissioners, who made the final choice.
The winner was formally announced on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at the Municipal Building. The winner Logan Lee Echard, a 2012 graduate from Cedar Crest High School, received official congratulations for his artwork along with the $300 prize. We thank all of the students for their exceptional entries and for their interest in the history of Lebanon County.
Logo Usage
To request the use of the Official Bicentennial Logo, please download, complete, and return the Logo Request Form to the Society Office. It is FREE to non-profit organizations. For-profit businesses are kindly requested to donate a usage fee of $50.00.
Questions
Should you have any questions about the planning of the Bicentennial events, would like to attend the Bicentennial planning meetings or to volunteer your time, please contact the Society office at 717-272-1473 or e-mail us at office@lchsociety.org.
