Lebanon County kicks off America250PA celebrations (photo story)

Lebanon County began celebrations of the nation’s 250th birthday with a rally at the Lebanon County Historical Society on Saturday.

State officials including state Sen. Chris Gebhard and state Rep. John Schlegel and county commissioners Jo Ellen Litz, Bob Phillips, and Michael Kuhn were in attendance as Cassandra Coleman, America250PA executive director, led a ceremony celebrating the Semiquincentennial.

Coleman and other state representatives have been traveling to each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to kick off celebrations alongside local committees.

Janice Morrissey of Lebanon County’s America250PA committee said she was pleased with the turnout, especially with snowy weather Saturday. The state committee’s trip to Berks County that morning was canceled due to inclement weather, but they were still able to make it to Lebanon and a few other nearby counties.

Coleman praised Lebanon’s role in American history and early industry, citing the Union Canal, Cornwall Iron Furnace, and a 1763-established gravity-fed water system in Schaefferstown.

“Today, we stand in Lebanon County, celebrating the start of America’s 250th anniversary and the role that communities like this one continue to play in our shared story,” said Coleman. “Lebanon County stands out as a place shaped by innovation, industry, and early American ingenuity.”

The ceremony opened with a performance of the Star Spangled Banner by local retired educator Laurite Vranesic.

Other speakers included Kuhn, Phillips (speaking on behalf of the Dixon Foundation, which presented a $15,000 check for education on the Semiquincentennial), Schlegel, and America250PA – Lebanon County Committee chair Bonnie Loy.

County Commissioner Mike Kuhn

“This event was scheduled as our official kickoff to celebrate the special milestones in the history of this great nation. It’s also, I believe, a time for each one of us to thank God for the many blessings that he continues to bestow upon this nation. It began with our founding fathers who created the greatest mission statement in the history of our world: the Declaration of Independence. They also created the greatest operating manual to accompany it: the Constitution of the United States. And 250 years later, we are now the beneficiaries of their work and the sacrifices of countless men and women who came before us to build upon that mission.”

State Rep. John Schlegel

“Being a former American history teacher, it isn’t lost on me; when I head south to the Cornwall Iron Furnace, I think of the work of our forefathers that have helped to provide an arsenal for the American Revolution. Down the road and behind the mall, we think of the connection between commerce and the economy with the Union Canal tunnel. And it certainly isn’t lost on us, I’m sure all of us remember at some point in time, the contribution of Bethlehem Steel to the Industrial Revolution that has shaped our country and has moved us to the point of where we’re at today.”

America250PA – Lebanon County Committee Chair Bonnie Loy

“And now, on this day, you are part of the history. You are part of the history of Lebanon County and Pennsylvania and the United States, and it is unfolding right before your eyes.”

Also during the ceremony, Loy unveiled a quilt prepared by the Lebanon Quilters Guild. Members of the guild, including Morrissey, created red-white-and-blue 12-inch blocks that were collected together. The pieces were assembled at various county events, where community members had the chance to add stitches to the quilt.

A book collecting the names of everyone who added stitches includes 572 people, Morrissey said, with individuals as young as 3 and as old as 90. The quilt will be auctioned off July 4 at the culminating event of America250PA, a fireworks show and celebration at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center.

To learn more about the events the local America250PA committee has planned for 2026, check their website’s event calendar.