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Counties describe bells, trees, banners and scholarships as local America 250 projects
Summary
County representatives from Berks, Westmoreland/Laurel Highlands, York and Elk described local programming — fiberglass bells, a bronze bell in York, Liberty Tree plantings, banners, passports and school tours — as their contributions to the 2026 statewide commemoration.
Several county and regional representatives told the committee that local projects are already underway to connect residents to Pennsylvania's role in the nation's founding.
Christian Linebach (Berks County) described an annual July 8 reading that re‑creates the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Reading and said Berks County adopted a county resolution recognizing America 2 50 PA in 2021 and formed a volunteer committee to run programs and a county website.
Dawn Lamuth, advising for the Laurel Highlands (Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette counties), said her region is promoting the Hannahs Town Resolves anniversary, creating a fiberglass bell mosaic for the Westmoreland Museum of American Art and building a Laurel Highlands Heritage Trail of historical markers. She noted visitor spending in Pennsylvania reached $22,000,000,000 in 2023 and said local grant awards (including a $20,000 semi‑quincentennial grant) will be directed at activation resources for cultural partners.
Brian Tate (York County) described a slate of local efforts including a county calendar (historymadehere.com / york365), boulevard banners, six fiberglass bells to be painted by local artists, and a full‑sized bronze semi‑quincentennial bell at Camp Security funded with more than $250,000 raised locally. "This bell... represents a major local investment," Tate said, noting the bronze installation will remain as an enduring county tribute.
Elk County Commissioner Joshua Lim (Elk County) described a participatory Liberty Bell project that visited every K–12 school in the county so students could add color to a bell that will be installed on the courthouse lawn; Lim said the bell tour created strong community interest and student pride.
Berks County also told the committee it will publish a passport to county history in print for distribution to 85,000 households between May 1 and Aug. 15 to encourage visits to historic locations.
Ending: County presenters urged the committee to help with promotion and with infrastructure funds that would allow local projects to remain in place after 2026.
