JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY
Columbia Borough celebrated three centuries of history Friday evening with a ceremony in Locust Street Park that drew state lawmakers, local officials, and a few hundred residents to mark the town's founding in 1726 as Wright's Ferry. Center City Orchestra provided the musical entertainment.
State Senator James Andrew Malone opened by noting the town's founding in 1726, when Quaker businessman John Wright purchased 250 acres of land along the Susquehanna. He recalled that Columbia was considered as a potential site for the U.S. capital in 1790.
Malone said the town's most profound legacy is its role in the pursuit of freedom, describing Columbia as a vital station on the Underground Railroad, where freedom seekers found refuge and assistance from a sizable free Black population and their Quaker allies. He paid tribute to William Wright, a descendant of the town's founder, and Robert Mooney, a free Black man who helped people cross the river to safety. Malone closed by presenting a certificate from the Pennsylvania State Senate congratulating the borough on its 300th anniversary.
Public Grounds Company marks 200 years
The evening's ceremony also recognized the 200th anniversary of the Old Columbia Public Grounds Company, the organization that has owned and maintained Locust Street Park since the 19th century. PA State Rep. Brett Miller presented the company with a citation. Mark Zeamer, the company's secretary-treasurer, detailed the company's history:
Conceived by town founder Samuel Wright before his death in 1811, the company was created in 1814 and formally incorporated on April 10, 1826, to administer a land grant to the new town of Columbia. Through its trusteeship, the company established the town's first water distribution system, created Columbia's first institution of higher learning — the Washington Institute — and provided Locust Street Park for public recreation.
In 1854, the company purchased land from John L. Wright using proceeds from its stock in the Columbia Water Company, forming the large city block bounded by Lancaster Avenue, Cherry Street, Cemetery Road (now Sixth Street), and Locust Street. The park is now maintained by a volunteer board of nine members, with support from the Columbia Borough Highway Department, Columbia Park Rangers, the Columbia Lions Club, and the Columbia High School National Honor Society.
Zeamer noted that a statue of a World War I American soldier ("The Returned Soldier") at the park's Fifth and Locust Street entrance was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1926 — 100 years ago.
Over the decades, the company has donated park land for the construction of the Columbia Public Library in 1960 and the Columbia High School school. The Columbia Lions Club built the park's gazebo in the early 1980s.
The park has hosted some of the region's most significant historical moments, Zeamer said, including service as a field hospital for wounded Union soldiers after the Battle of Gettysburg, a 1960 campaign stop by presidential candidate John F. Kennedy, and a dedication ceremony in September 2002 honoring victims of the September 11th attacks.
Today, the park hosts annual Memorial Day services, the Thunder on the River car show, an Elks Club flag ceremony, a 9/11 memorial service, weddings, prom photos, and the town's annual Christmas tree lighting.
Zeamer closed by recognizing the company's current board: President Andy Ohrel, Vice President Bill Kloidt, Jr., and board members John Meshey, Steve Deets, Jack Gamby, Jeff Seibert, Glenn Bachert, and Tom Fleckenstein, along with himself as secretary-treasurer.
A town once considered for the Capital
Rep. Miller delivered a commemorative address reflecting on Columbia's deep roots and resilience over 300 years, describing the borough as a "gem among communities" and its residents as "gemstones" for their strength, pride, and dedication to one another.
Miller presented an official citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives outlining several milestones in the town's history.
Founded along the Susquehanna River, the settlement was renamed Columbia in 1788 and was once considered as a candidate for the capital of the United States, with support from Benjamin Franklin. The citation also noted the town's role as an important stop on the Underground Railroad and its standing as a 19th-century commercial hub known for tobacco processing, iron foundries, and boat building. Today, Columbia is home to roughly 10,000 residents and the campus of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors.
Miller formally presented the citation to Mayor Leo Lutz, offering "Godspeed" for the borough's next 300 years.
Mayor reflects on "Columbia Pride"
Mayor Leo Lutz spoke about what he called "Columbia Pride," pointing to recent examples of community spirit: the Lions Club and Old Columbia Public Grounds Company members preparing the park for the celebration, a local business assisting with town repairs, the successful Lancaster County Firefighters Parade, and the community's outpouring of support following a fire on South Fourth Street.
Lutz traced Columbia's evolution over 300 years from an early transportation hub built around ferries and canals, to an industrial center, to its present-day identity as a destination for culture and recreation citing, in particular, the National Watch and Clock Museum and the Columbia River Park areas along the Susquehanna. He closed with a quote from Congressman Lloyd Smucker expressing optimism for the town's future, and a personal statement of pride in being a "Columbian."
Council President Eric Kauffman thanks committees
Council President Eric Kauffman thanked the members of the Columbia 300 committee for more than a year of planning. He noted the effort grew out of meetings at the market house hosted by Chris Vera and the Columbia Historic Society, and recognized committee members Mike Barton, Rick Fisher, Fred Gerfin, Paul Hines, Michelle Kauffman, Bonnie Link, Linda Morningstar, Tiffany Nell, John Reitzel, Mark Stewart, and Pat Weaver.
What's next
Organizers encouraged residents to follow the Columbia PA 300 Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming anniversary events and lectures throughout the year. The celebration continues with a Community Day on July 4th at Glatfelters Field from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring food, activities, live music from "Hopscotch," and fireworks.
