Carmichaels honors 250th anniversary
Carmichaels resident Patty Rulong, center, peruses the town square Saturday with daughters, from left, Lisa Halliday and Tabitha Mattei.
Carol Pecjak and Melvin Mikalik enjoy a bite to eat Saturday while listening to the band Mon Valley Push during the Carmichaels 250-year celebration.
Brenen Reggetz of Waynesburg gets a hug Saturday from Nature Cat.
CARMICHAELS – A 250th anniversary party Saturday drew people from Ohio, Virginia, Florida and, of course, Carmichaels.
The Greene County borough celebrated its sestercentennial with a four-day celebration that ends today. Carmichaels Sestercentennial Committee has been working for years to coordinate the celebration, which takes place in three locations – Town Square, Wana B Park and Greene Academy. Shuttle buses are available to transport attendees from one location to another.
According to a prepared town history, Carmichaels was founded in 1767 after a group of early settlers arrived in the area. They included Thomas Hughes and James Carmichael, a major in the Revolutionary War.
Tours of what the early settlement may have looked like were given Friday.
On Saturday, Civil War and fur-trapping reenactments, pottery demonstrations and blacksmithing were featured at the park, while the Town Square was the scene of a street festival featuring live music, food and vendors.
Resident John Krusper sat on a picnic bench to hear local band, Mon Valley Push, perform.
“This is my kind of music,” Krusper said.
Carmichaels-born Esther McMinn hosted family from Virginia for the weekend activities.
“I moved away, but I moved back,” she said. “I love it here.”
John McOsker of Ohio and Greg Martin of Florida were in town to celebrate the anniversary with family.
“It’s been a cool weekend,” Martin said.
Today’s events begin at 10:30 a.m. with an “old time church service” at Wana B Park with retired Rev. Harold Kelley and music by Heaven Bound Ministries. Those attending are asked to bring chairs.
An old-timer baseball doubleheader will be played at 1 p.m. by teams in old-school uniforms and using rules from baseball’s inception in the 19th century.
The street festival in Town Square and activities at Greene Academy will continue until the celebration concludes at 5 p.m.