America 250 PA ‘kick-off’ tour visiting Fayette County
A caravan from America 250 PA celebrating the country’s semiquincentennial this year is swinging through southwestern Pennsylvania this weekend to kickoff a patriotic party.
Members from the legislatively-created organization tasked with promoting the 250th anniversary of independence are traveling to Fayette, Greene and Washington counties Saturday to visit with local and state officials and residents as part of the statewide “Kick-Off Tour.”
The two-week tour began Friday in Philadelphia and has slowly been working its way across the state.
It will arrive at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Fayette County Courthouse in Uniontown, then continue to the Greene County Courthouse in Waynesburg at 12:15 p.m. before heading to the Washington County Courthouse in Washington at 1:30 p.m., according to a schedule on the America 250 PA’s website. The visit will culminate Saturday with a trip to the Westmoreland County Courthouse in Greensburg at 4 p.m. before ending the day at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh at 6 p.m.
Washington County Commission Chairman Nick Sherman, who along with his fellow commissioners Electra Janis and Larry Maggi and state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, will greet the caravan for a rally outside the courthouse for what he said will be a great way to celebrate the county, state and nation.
“We’re looking forward to their stop to talk about the historical significance of Washington County,” Sherman said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to talk to our children about the history of Washington County and our country.”
He noted that there are many historical aspects to Washington County that predate the country’s founding, such as the Meadowcroft Rockshelter near Avella where evidence of the region’s first inhabitants 19,000 years ago have been unearthed. But there is also a rebellious side to the county, such as its role in the Whiskey Insurrection in the early 1790s that challenged the country’s fledgling federal government’s authority.
“Tourism is a big business in Washington County,” Sherman said. “We look at the moneymakers – such as the casino and restaurants – but there is so much historical significance in Washington County, dating back to the early (arrival) of man and to the Whiskey Rebellion. When you think of Washington County, we have such a rich, rich history, not only the last 250 years but far, far beyond that.”
While there is no set schedule of events at each stop, previous visits at other counties show a rally-like atmosphere with speeches and sign-waving participants getting people hyped for the semiquincentennial celebration. Sherman said they expect to hold the rally on the front steps of the courthouse, although bitterly cold temperatures forecast for Saturday could alter those plans.
Cassandra Coleman, who is executive director of America 250 PA that is organizing the yearlong celebration, could not be reached for comment Monday, but she is expected to attend Saturday’s events as she has appeared at other “Kick-Off Tour” rallies. So, too, will be the local committees that each county has formed as part of the America 250 PA initiative that has focused on a grassroots initiative to give local communities the power to hold their own celebratory events and activities.
America 250 PA is a legislatively created bipartisan commission formed in 2018 designed to get Pennsylvania ready for the historical anniversary of America’s independence. Last year, all 67 counties – including Fayette, Greene and Washington – revealed their artistic Liberty Bell sculptures designed to tell the story of their people and places that make them unique.
Those who would like to attend the events are asked to register by going to www.america250pa.org/Signature_Events and clicking the “register” button under the “Kick-Off Events” headline.