For people interested in learning about local history – including yours truly – 2022 has the potential to be a great year.
Since the announcement of our month-long hiatus and the restart of coverage at the beginning of February, the newsroom has been working out a new system for organizing and funding LebTown’s journalism. This includes a more sustainable “budget” based on membership and advertiser support that is divided into categories deemed most important by our writers and audience.
Thanks to the strong support of LebTown members who have expressed their interest in articles on local history, we’re excited to say that historical features now have a place of their own in the budget.
In March, we’ll begin publishing longer historical features again, and, as always, we welcome the LebTown readership to suggest topics, people, places, or events to be the focus of an article. Send us a message using the form at the end of the article and we’ll investigate it to the best of our abilities and resources.
Some of LebTown’s previous historical features from 2021 are linked below. All of our history articles can be found at this link.
- Before World War II, trolley cars were the best way to get around Lebanon City
- Union Center: How a 520-acre Coleman estate was converted into a “worker’s paradise” for 20,000 union members
- The Boro Rams, the Bologna Bowl, and the heyday of Lebanon’s independent football teams
- New royal frigate will be named for WW2 warship with Campbelltown connection
- The Bon Ton: Remembering its 67 years as “Lebanon’s Greatest Store”
- Lebanon County Courthouse: Remembering Lebanon’s most iconic landmark
- The story of the Pushnik brothers and how they established some of Lebanon’s favorite diners
- When Robert Coleman’s two-foot railway snaked through the hills of Mount Gretna
While we’re celebrating all things history, we thought we’d share an update from one of our frequent collaborators and a great resource for discovering the past in Lebanon. The Lebanon County Historical Society recently published their list of events planned in 2022, included below and on their website.
All Sunday programs are free and open to the public, and programs are held in the Society auditorium at 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon, unless noted.
- March 20, 1:30 p.m. – Sunday program: Letters of Love and Loss: A Life Discovered. Presented by Nancy Bieber.
- April 24, 1:30 p.m. – Sunday program: A History of Lebanon, PA’s Water Systems. Presented by Jonathan Beers in celebration of the City of Lebanon Authority’s 150th Anniversary. The authority also recently published an in-depth book detailing the historical water systems of Lebanon County, available for $25 at LCHS, the Cornwall Iron Furnace, and authority offices at 2311 Ridgeview Road, Lebanon.
- May 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and May 22, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – 32nd Union Canal Days. Held annually on this May weekend at the Union Canal Tunnel Park at 25th Street and Union Canal Drive. The event features tours through the tunnel, vendors, activities, and more. Volunteers welcomed!
- Sept, 18, 1:30 p.m. – Annual Members’ Meeting.
- Sept. 18, 2:30 p.m. – Sunday program: It’s Ironing Day! Ironing from the 1700s to the 1950s. Presented by Bob and Susie Lee of Newmanstown.
- Oct. 23, 1:30 p.m. – Sunday program: Cyrus Patschke: Lebanon’s Forgotten Indy 500 Champion from 1911. Presented by Carol and Ed Hickey. Read up on Patschke and other Lebanon racing stars here.
- Nov. 12 – Society Ball.
- Dec. 4, 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Christmas Open House.
One last note: this post is considered to be part of a coverage category called Good News Wednesdays, a loose designation for any kind of positive news or circumstances in the community. This post, and potentially a few future ones in this category, will be a bit different from the usual LebTown article as we expand and experiment with the possibilities of this type of coverage. We’re still determined to keep our articles engaging, relevant, and informative, and we’ll keep you updated on any changes that may take place as they happen.
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.
Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.
