CATAWISSA, Pa. — At Cara Park in Catawissa, residents and others from around Columbia County celebrated the borough's anniversary with live music, a dog parade and ring toss.
Catawissa was founded in 1774, but it didn't grow to the Catawissa we know today, until a revolutionary form of transportation made its way to the borough.
“The railroad became a very big part of Catawissa, and as the railroad grew so did the population," said Gary Roberts, a longtime resident and organizer of the anniversary celebration.
Roberts, who's lived in Catawissa his entire life, said he organized the event to raise awareness of the borough's history.
“We wanted to do a celebration to show people who live here who may not have any background in Catawissa, what Catawissa is and was."
Brian Zysset, a teacher at Southern Columbia Area High School who moved to Catawissa six years ago, is one such person Roberts organized the anniversary for.
“It's just nice to come down here and kind of see what else our community has to offer ... and its story,” said Zysset.
Some have such strong feelings about Catawissa, that they came here because they regretted missing the bicentennial "50" years ago.
“When I was 18 there was the 200th and my parents lived in this town and they came back to visit and I decided to stay home and have a party,” said Lori Roberts, resident of Catawissa. “So, 50 years later I decided I wanted to be a part of the celebration."
This year’s celebration included a dedication to Catawissa's veterans.
“The Catawissa military band will be playing the armed forces medley and as the theme for each service is played, we'll be carrying that flag forward," said Mark Schlieder, a veteran who lives in Catawissa.
The 250th anniversary celebration will continue through Saturday night.