The 13-day tour began Jan. 16 in the Philadelphia region and moved through nearly two dozen counties before landing in Bedford on Friday morning where Cassandra Coleman, executive director of America250PA, was joined by local and state leaders to remember the region’s influence on America’s history.

Bedford County was founded in 1771, five years before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

Mike Stiles, chair of the Bedford County commissioners, said Bedford has been “shaped by people willing to work” and has played an important role in regional affairs from the earliest days of the county.

Mirror photo by Matt Churella

The county and its place in America’s history will be celebrated with a number of events leading up to the July 4 weekend, said Kellie Goodman Shaffer, president/CEO of the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce.

While some planning is still in the works, events include a distinguished speaker series, a community reading day, a Juneteenth Observance and a “Red, White & Blue” gala mixer, which is set for July 2.

Shaffer said the local committee “didn’t have to reinvent the wheel” when designing the event itinerary, as Bedford County already hosts a number of active historical societies who take great pride in their local heritage.

That means that the committee focused on “shining a spotlight” on the quality programming these groups already do, instead of creating a full list of events from scratch.

Southcentral Pennsylvania is steeped in history from before the founding of America, including historic sites such as Fort Bedford and Fort Roberdeau, both of which will feature prominently in their counties’ respective celebrations throughout 2026.

Blair County Commissioner Laura Burke photographs Altoona Curve Marketing, Promotions and Special Events Director Mike Kessling with county mascot Lionel Liberty during the America250PA Blair County Kickoff event at the Blair County Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, who serves on the America250PA Committee, traveled with Coleman from Bedford, to Huntingdon, then to Blair and Cambria counties.

In Cambria County, officials unveiled the county’s bell, a fiberglass replica of the Liberty Bell, that was painted by Forest Hills High School art teacher Carol Cecere and 10 Forest Hills students. (See related story, Page A8). The day’s tour wrapped up in Somerset County late Friday afternoon.

Huntingdon

In the mid-1800s, John Chalmers Blair turned a simple adhesive experiment into an innovation that helped popularize paper tablets and everyday writing at scale, Coleman said during her stop in Huntingdon County shortly before noon Friday.

Not long after, the J.C. Blair Manufacturing Co. built a towering brick factory that became a defining benchmark and an early hub for national production, Coleman said.

America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman (left) poses for a photo with Charlotte Elizabeth, 4, of Huntingdon. Mirror photo by Matt Churella

Long before railroads and mobilized travel, Huntingdon County’s ridge lines and river corridors guided movement into Pennsylvania’s interior, she said. Then came iron, charcoal furnaces and forges that helped make the Juniata Valley one of the most important iron-producing regions in early America.

Trains later carried that iron, alongside coal and farm goods, and tied Huntingdon County directly to the supply chains that build American industry, Coleman said, noting that legacy lives on today through America250PA’s work to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial in each of the commonwealth’s 67 counties.

Officials gathered at the Bailey Building, formerly known as the Blair Building, adjacent to the Huntingdon County Courthouse, to kick off the celebration Friday.

Through partnerships with local schools, municipalities and volunteers, Huntingdon County has played an active role leading up to this year, including a keystone classroom initiative visit with South Side Elementary School.

According to the America250PA website, the initiative is a storytelling and visitation program for pre-K through fourth grade classrooms, children’s hospitals and youth camps to educate children about a shared Pennsylvania story.

America250PA Blair County committee chair A.C. Stickel and Commissioner Laura Burke (right) unfurl a flag presented by America250PA Executive Director Cassandra Coleman during the America250PA Blair County Kickoff event at the Blair County Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

It has helped the state commission reach 50,000 of the commonwealth’s youngest Pennsylvanians throughout all 67 counties, Coleman said.

Additionally, a Liberty Tree was planted last year at Riverside Park, she said.

“Together, these efforts connect Huntingdon County’s past to the people shaping its future — reflecting the creativity, resilience and the civic pride that define this community,” Coleman said.

Friday’s kickoff recognized Huntingdon County as both a steward of its history and an active participant in America’s 250th birthday, she said.

Huntingdon County Commissioner Jeff Thomas said the county has a strong history that dates back to 1787 when it was divided from Bedford County.

America250PA Digital and Communications Manager Kasey Elliott places memorabilia for attendees of the America250PA Blair County Kickoff event at the Blair County Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

The county’s coal, iron and agricultural industries helped build the country, he said.

“The folks of Huntingdon County work extremely hard and appreciate the freedoms that we have here today,” Thomas said.

State Rep. Rich Irvin, R-Huntingdon, reminded the group of about 30 people that those freedoms were not free.

It’s important to continue educating students, children and future generations about what you need to do to have a free country with the democracy and freedoms most take for granted, he said.

Huntingdon plans events

According to Lonnie Smith Jr., a local historian and America250PA’s Huntingdon County adviser, there are a series of events planned throughout the year in Mount Union, Mapleton, Warriors Mark and Huntingdon Borough.

Some of the programs are new events created specifically for the semiquincentennial while others are annual events with a patriotic twist, he said.

The county’s committee is still meeting monthly about 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month to finalize events, he said, noting information will be posted on the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau’s website, www.raystown.org/america250, and on the Facebook and Instagram accounts for America250PA-Huntingdon County.

Smith said the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau is hosting an America250 active challenge to encourage people to complete 250 “units” of recreational activity at their own pace throughout the year.

Challenge categories include hiking, trail running or backpacking for 250 kilometers; road or gravel cycling for 250 miles; mountain biking for 250 kilometers; paddling for 250 kilometers; disk golf and golf for 250 holes; fishing for 250 catches; wildlife viewing or photography for 250 observations; and other activities for which people can build their own 250-unit goal.

Several events are also planned in Mapleton already, Smith said.

They include a monthly treasure hunt throughout Mapleton; a spring family festival April 18 at the American Legion Post No. 322; a “poppy day” splash party May 22-25 at the Legion; a strawberry social June 6 at the Legion; a youth day July 11 at the Mapleton Playground; sand plant tours Aug. 15 at the U.S. Silica Co.; and a community day Sept. 12 at Mapleton Riverside Park.

The Huntingdon County Library also has events planned as part of the yearlong celebration, Smith said, including a Jan. 30 event in which information services librarian Lugene Shelly will tell people how to research their ancestors. That event will be held at noon at the library.

Smith said participating in events is important because they allow people to celebrate their community’s history and heritage.

“It’s great to see several communities doing their own celebration to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial,” Smith said.

Blair County

At Blair County’s kickoff event Friday afternoon at the courthouse in Hollidaysburg, state Rep. Scott Barger, R-80th District, said that America was founded by pioneers who risked their lives to come to North America and make a home for themselves.

These early pioneers eventually threw off the yoke of English rule and told King George III “no” in the “spirit of rebellion,” Barger said. “It’s something we should be proud of.”

Fort Roberdeau Director Glenn Nelson said that the revolutionary-era military installation will host a number of semiquincentential-themed events throughout 2026, including “Freedom Fest” from June 12-14 and the “Star Spangled Fourth” on July 4.

The fort was restored as a project to commemorate the bicentennial celebration year in 1976, Nelson said, so 2026 marks two important anniversaries.

County Controller A.C. Stickel, who chairs the Blair County America250PA Committee, said that the group has been planning the event program for about four years.

The committee has high hopes for the “Star-Spangled Symphony” concert that will be held at Peoples Natural Gas Field on June 20, he said.

This free event will feature the Altoona Symphony performing a selection of patriotic music culminating with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” with the iconic closing cannonfire replaced with a firework show.

“We have something special in store (for the concert),” Stickel said.

More information about the range of events planned in the state for the semiquincentennial can be found at america250pa.org/.

"A Revolutionary War History of Blair County" author Jim Lowe talks about his book with Cather Schimminger of Altoona during the America250PA Blair County Kickoff event at the Blair County Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

01/23/26 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Blair County Controller A.C. Stickel, who chairs the Blair County America250PA Committee, speaks during the America250PA Blair County Kickoff event at the Blair County Courthouse on Friday afternoon.