Celebrating Westmoreland 250!
Westmoreland County was founded in 1773 and we are celebrating 250 years of Westmoreland County History all throughout 2023.
You'll find all kinds of events on our Community Calendar. Scroll down the page to see our event listings. And you're welcome to add your organization's events as well.
Westmoreland250 Portals Poster
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
Order your FREE Commemorative Booklet
The Westmoreland 250 Commemorative Booklet was created to commemorate the founding of the country in 1773 and features the Westmoreland Heritage Partners, a group of the county's historic and cultural organizations.
Free copies of the Commemorative Booklets at the following locations:
WIN A $500 GIFT CARD FOR WESTMORELAND CULTURAL TRUST SHOWS
- Take a photo with the wings at each location (must be at least 7).
- Upload all pictures in a PUBLIC Facebook or Instagram post and tag Westmoreland Cultural Trust and Go Laurel Highlands with the hashtag #westmoreland250 to be entered for a chance to win a $500 Gift Card for any event ticketed through The Palace Theatre Box Office! Entries will be accepted from May 29–September 4.
- Winner will be drawn Friday, September 8.
- Art in the Alley - Greensburg
- The Lamp Theatre - Irwin
- Sobels Obscure Brewing - Jeannette
- Mount Pleasant Public Library - Mount Pleasant
- Municipal Building–Trafford
- The Casino Theatre–Vandergrift
- Town Hall Building–Ligonier
- Municipal Building–Smithton
- The 5 Star Trail–Youngwood
- Westmoreland County Fairgrounds
- West Newton
- New Kensington
Become a Registered Monarch Waystation
/ 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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