Huntingdon County Historic Society govt director Margaret Skrivseth holds one of many “postcards to the long run” obtained that will probably be buried with the county’s time capsule, to be reopened in 2076.
Mirror picture by Patrick Waksmunski
HUNTINGDON — As a part of america semiquincentennial celebration, Huntingdon County has enjoyable occasions deliberate all 12 months lengthy, mentioned Lonnie Smith Jr., an area historian and the county’s America250PA adviser.
Maybe the largest occasion would be the first-ever Huntingdon County Historical past Day, Smith mentioned. The occasion takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at Riverside Park, alongside Pennsylvania Avenue subsequent to the Fourth Avenue bridge in Smithfield Township.
“We’ve invited all of the museums and the historic societies within the county, some native historical past authors and a few reenactors to arrange at Riverside Park,” Smith mentioned, noting they nonetheless must nail down extra particulars about the potential for bringing in meals distributors and different actions for folks to get pleasure from.
In keeping with an occasion poster, guests will uncover fascinating reveals, expertise residing historical past demonstrations and join with the tales that formed the neighborhood.
“That’s going to be our huge celebration in a way,” Smith mentioned.
Huntingdon County Historic Society Director Margaret Skrivseth mentioned Huntingdon County Historical past Day is the deadline for the county’s “postcards to the long run” that will probably be buried with the county’s bicentennial time capsule later this 12 months, to be reopened in 2076 for the U.S. tricentennial.
“The time capsule itself is absolutely huge and from what we perceive, it’s solely about midway crammed with objects,” she mentioned. “We’re going to place a platform above these objects and put new objects on high of it and reseal it for it to be opened through the tricentennial.”
Native residents can write a message to the long run on the postcards, which will be obtained on the historic society or the Huntingdon County Library, Skrivseth mentioned.
Officers are nonetheless figuring out a few of the remaining logistics of after they’ll open the time capsule, Skrivseth mentioned, including though the deadline for postcards is June 13, folks will probably be capable to nonetheless flip them in till September.
In August, Skrivseth mentioned officers are planning an enormous parade in Orbisonia Borough to commemorate the nation’s 250-year anniversary.
“What the historic society is doing is we’re having an exhibit right here, in all probability additionally in August, which is able to spotlight various things which have occurred over the past 250 years,” Skrivseth mentioned.
Smith praised the communities of Mapleton, Warriors Mark and Mount Union for internet hosting their very own America250PA occasions, that are listed on the Huntingdon County Guests Bureau’s web site, www.raystown.org/america250.
“The neighborhood of Mapleton, they took it upon themselves and so they have one thing occurring about each month this summer time and spring,” Smith mentioned, including Mount Union hasn’t had a carnival in years however officers are bringing it again for the 250-year anniversary.
“Completely different communities have deliberate one thing particular,” he mentioned, noting a few of the occasions are new concepts created particularly for the semiquincentennial whereas others are annual occasions with a patriotic twist.
Fashioned out of Bedford
Throughout the Revolutionary Battle, Huntingdon County was a part of Bedford County, and there wasn’t a complete lot of exercise within the space, Skrivseth mentioned.
There was a detachment of militia from Shirleysburg, which is a part of Huntingdon County now, that guarded Fort Roberdeau, which was additionally a part of Bedford County on the time, Skrivseth mentioned.
The world that’s modern-day Huntingdon County was just about break up 50/50 between patriots and loyalists, she mentioned.
“We actually didn’t see any navy engagements, however there have been a number of Indian deprivations,” Skrivseth mentioned. “There have been a number of tales of Native American tribes from outdoors the realm coming in and harassing, or massacring, settlers.”
Huntingdon County was established out of Bedford County in 1787, with components of Blair County forming out of Huntingdon in 1846, in response to Smith.
Agriculture was the highest business within the space, and coal mining rapidly grew as a well-liked business due to the county’s many deposits of gannister rock, coal, hearth clay and limestone, Smith mentioned, noting the Juniata Iron Works was an enormous operation that shipped worldwide.
“That was one of many largest industries in addition to agriculture on this space,” Smith mentioned.
“Then we began to get transportation, and most transportation paths adopted the Native American paths, and a number of them adopted the rivers and streams,” Smith mentioned. “Ultimately, we acquired the canal and the railroad adopted.”
The county seat, Huntingdon Borough, was named by William Smith, who came visiting to America for non secular freedom and purchased the city, he added.
“Each church on the town might have a bit of property, and he made certain there was a college property earlier than our courthouse was constructed in a while,” Smith mentioned. “They made it a tavern within the previous a part of city close to the place the unique Standing Stone might have stood that the Native Individuals used as a landmark.”
Smith mentioned there are greater than 100 Revolutionary Battle troopers who had been from what’s now Huntingdon County. Quite a lot of them are nonetheless buried within the county, he mentioned.
Smith mentioned he’s excited to have occasions celebrating the semiquincentennial all the best way to Christmastime. Along with the bureau’s web site, the county posts its occasions on Fb and Instagram accounts beneath the deal with America250PA-Huntingdon County.
Mirror Employees Author Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.
