Downingtown Area Historical Society
Post Office Box 9
Downingtown Area Historical Society to
offer
“Remember the 1959 Centennial” program
Downingtown sure knew how to throw a 100th birthday party nearly 50 years ago, when the borough celebrated its Centennial in September 1959.
To top off a week-long celebration, more than 5,000 people marched down
Another popular Centennial event was a pageant, reflecting the borough’s history, which involved the acting talents of 350 residents wearing period costumes. The professionally directed pageant, presented on a 250-foot-long stage in the high school football stadium, was a sell-out for five nights.
To learn more
about the biggest event in the borough’s history, the public is
invited to a program entitled “Remember the Centennial.” The free program will be presented
by the Downingtown Area Historical Society at 2 PM Sunday, Nov. 9 in the community room of Simpson Meadows, which is behind the
Local residents who helped organize and participated in the celebration will share their memories of the Centennial and the audience will be encouraged to provide answers to mysteries such as where exactly is the time capsule buried and where did the nearly 20,000 out-of-towners park when they came to the borough to see the parade?
The program also will include a display of Centennial memorabilia, film clips of the parade, and photos of Centennial events. People coming to program are encouraged to bring their Centennial photos and memorabilia, according to Parry Desmond, president of the Historical Society.
“We hope the program spurs interest in the borough’s 150th birthday celebration in 2009, which the Downingtown Historical and Parks Commission is planning,” said Desmond. Representatives of the Historic Commission will attend the program and provide details on their plans for the Sesquicentennial.
For more information, contact Desmond at 610-269-8037 or parry37@aol.com.
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