Celebrating America's 250th!
Before the Declaration, Westmoreland County had Resolve...and we still do!
On May 16, 1775, frontier settlers in Westmoreland County took a courageous stand against British rule and signed The Hanna's Town Resolves, declaring their willingness to fight for their rights.
Today, you see the resolve and determination of Westmoreland County as we embrace growth while preserving our history, culture, and natural spaces.
Discover Westmoreland where America's story comes alive!
Thank you to everyone who came out On May 17, 2025, for the Resolve to Race 5K Run/Walk & Kids race and Reenactments of the Hanna's Town Resolves and special living history demonstrations and displays.
Westmoreland County is celebrating America's 250th throughout 2025 and 2026. You'll find all kinds of events on our America's 250th Community Calendar. Scroll down the page to see our event listings. And you're welcome to add your organization's events.
Youth Kindergarten to 12th Grade:
Contest Overview--To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, Westmoreland County America250PA invites students of all ages to reflect on the theme: “What does America mean to me?”
Participants may enter through two creative formats based on grade level from 2/1-3/31/26:
- Grades K– 12 --Poster: 8” x 10.5” Poster Contest (original artwork)
- Grades 6–12 --Essay: 250-word Essay (individual submission)
Eligibility--Participants must:
- Reside or go to school in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
- Enter in the correct grade category (K–12). Contests are also open to remote learners and home-school students based on age equivalent grade-level.
- Submit original, student-created work. No AI-generated work will be accepted or eligible for the contest.
Two America250PA Bells in Westmoreland!
The Bells Across Pennsylvania initiative celebrates the United States’s 250th Anniversary. This project, led by America250PA, places unique, artist-designed replicas of the Liberty Bell in all 67 counties of Pennsylvania. One of the Westmoreland County bells, sponsored by Discover Westmoreland and GO Laurel Highlands is located in the sculpture garden at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg.
The Westmoreland collaborated with America250PA, Discover Westmoreland, Westmoreland Heritage, and GO Laurel Highlands to select artist Mandy Sirofchuck to create the bell that will be on display at the Museum. Her glass mosaic design depicts the region’s iconic landmarks and waterways, diverse wildlife, and lush natural resources. The bell also references significant places in Westmoreland County and the hardworking spirit of the people who call this area home.
The second Bell, entitled "MORE Energy in Westmoreland" is sponsored by First Energy and will be unveiled on November 3rd at 4:00 pm at The Roberts Trailhead of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Murrysville at 4301 William Penn Hwy, Murrysville, PA 15668. It is a panoramic landscape painting by artist Stacey Pydynkoski depicting the energy sources, delivery, Westmoreland Heritage Trail and beautiful landscape of Westmoreland County from dawn to night, through all four seasons. With a bow to our regional coal heritage, this bell is mounted on a coal car constructed by Murrysville Public Works department.
Discover Westmoreland's
Volunteer Fair
Parking is FREE at
Westmoreland250 Portals Poster
Westmoreland County was founded in 1773 and we celebrated 250 years of Westmoreland County History in 2023.The "Portals of Westmoreland Poster" is a gorgeous 18" x 24" full-color poster of windows and doors of special locations throughout Westmoreland County. It was a grassroots collaborative effort by the Westmoreland Heritage Partners and Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County.
Photographer Alex Newill says, "Historical Westmoreland! When I was approached with this opportunity I was instantly on board. My family is originally from the area and having just moved here in April last year I have been trying to learn more about my roots and all the amazing history in the area. The portals project has supplied me with so much information and shown me how truly incredible this area is. From war forts to ground breaking laboratories to incredible educational tales this place has a very broad history of impressive things. The amount of people banding together to preserve and educate others about what Westmoreland has done for the world makes it a truly special place. I hope you enjoy the pieces put together to commemorate this astounding county in its 250 years, and may this inspire you to visit some of these historical places to see for yourself just how extraordinary Westmoreland County is."
Benefit Westmoreland Heritage Partners by purchasing Posters at:
- Antiochian Village Heritage Museum
- Baltzer Meyer Historical Society
- Compass Inn
- Fort Ligonier
- Historic Hanna's Town
- Murrysville Historical Society
- New Kensington Art Center
- Norwin Historical Society
- Smart Partnership of Westmoreland
- The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
- Westmoreland Land Trust
273 Registered Monarch Waystation for Westmoreland's 250th!
/ 250 Westmoreland Monarch Waystations
The Westmoreland Pollinator Partners goal of 250 Monarch Waystations in Westmoreland County has been reached and EXCEEDED in 2023!
Thanks to the generosity of FirstEnergy (WestPenn Power) and the Westmoreland County’s 250th Anniversary Initiatives, the certification and signage fees for the first 193 Monarch Waystation applications received after March 20, 2023, were covered. Congratulations to all partners and participants! If you have a question about the Monarch Waystations, please email mreckner@brandywine.org.
You can still help the Monarchs: Monarch Waystations provide the resources needed for a monarch butterfly to complete its life cycle, produce new generations, and sustain their migration. Guidelines found at the Monarch Watch website or by connecting with any Westmoreland Pollinator Partner will help you develop or enhance your property to support monarchs and other pollinators, whose populations are all in decline. By densely planting native milkweed and nectar plants in a sunny area and eliminating the use of insecticides and herbicides, you can easily create a Monarch Waystation.
Contribute to this Westmoreland County Community Asset Map
Westmoreland County boasts all sorts of incredible spaces.
Contribute your beloved locations here or by clicking the button. We want to reach 250 sites!
Special thanks to Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County for spearheading this project.
Westmoreland 250 Event Calendar
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- 3Loving the Less Lovable: Snakes6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
A Certified Wildlife Biologist with a M.S. in Conservation Biology, Casey Bartkus is passionate about an animal that might take the cake when it comes to lesser loved critters: snakes! Casey will share his fascination with the snakes of Pennsylvania during this virtual program hosted by Penguin Court. We want to help , ... - 4
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- 10Loving the Less Lovable: Ticks6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Tick populations are booming, and Pennsylvania is a hotbed of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. A representative of Dare 2B Tick Aware through the PA Lyme Resource Network will share an hour virtual presentation on ticks’ life cycles, preferred habitats, and the diseases they carry. They will highlight trends in Pennsylv , ... - 11
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- 16Stars, Stripes and Stories!7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Celebrate Presidents’ Day with Presidents Washington, Lincoln and Grant In Living History! Dr. Bill Choby (Washington), Carl Swick (Lincoln), and Ken Serfass (Grant) will share their successes and lessons learned that ultimately led them to their Presidencies. Join us for this free program to celebrate America’s , ... - 17Loving the Less Lovable: Spiders6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
After 12+ years in pest management, Kevin Wiener realized that most “bugs” are not pests and are very beneficial to the environment, so he became an ambassador of arthropods and an educator to highlight insects and their ecological roles. This presentation, filled with incredible macro-photos, will help us , ... - 18
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- 24Loving the Less Lovable: Coyotes6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Samara Trusso, Wildlife Management Supervisor with the PA Game Commission, will share her love of coyotes, a resilient and adaptable canine that thrives in rural landscapes and, increasingly, urban environments. Learn more about their biology, behavior, and unique challenges as they coexist with humans. Hosted by Peng , ... - 25
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