Thursday, October 1, 2026
75 ° Clear
75 ° Clear
The sound of ringing bells and animated voices filled the air in Doylestown Borough on Saturday, October 18, as the Doylestown Historical Society launched its Doylestown Celebrates USA 250 kickoff event. The celebration, held at the Society’s Barn and Park on South Main Street, marked the beginning of a yearlong series of programs and festivities leading up to the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
From the arrival of Ben Franklin himself to the cries of costumed town criers echoing through the streets, the afternoon transported visitors back to the 18th century, when Bucks County played a vital but often overlooked role in America’s struggle for independence.
“This event really set the tone for what’s to come,” said Ron Strouse, board chair of the Doylestown Historical Society. “It’s about recognizing the significant role that Doylestown and the surrounding area played leading up to and during the Revolutionary War. Some people know the history, but many don’t realize how active this region truly was.”
Although Doylestown wasn’t formally incorporated until the early 1800s, its roots trace back to Doyle’s Tavern, established in the mid-1700s. At the time of the Revolution, the area was a rural crossroads between Philadelphia and Easton, frequented by soldiers, farmers, and travelers seeking refuge.
“George Washington actually had meetings here,” Strouse explained. “There’s a tent in the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia that’s believed to be the one he used during meetings in Doylestown with his generals. One of the most famous places for these gatherings was the General Greene Inn in Buckingham, but there were meetings held throughout the region.”
The kickoff event honored those early connections through immersive historical activities and exhibits. Visitors met reenactors, including Ben Franklin, who shared stories about some of the prominent people around the Philadelphia area during the American Revolution. A barbershop quartet performed colonial-era tunes, while attendees sampled pepper pot stew, a hearty dish once enjoyed by soldiers and civilians.
“Pepper pot stew was a very common dish in Colonial America,” said Strouse. “We wanted to see how people today would react to a taste of 1775.”
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the afternoon was the revival of a centuries-old tradition: the town crier.
“We held auditions last month and about 20 people signed up, both men and women, to serve as town criers,” Strouse said. “They’ll be around Doylestown throughout next year at events like the Doylestown Farmers Market and outdoor dining nights. They’ll shout the news just as they did in Colonial America.”
The town criers’ bells, donated by Malmark, a Plumstead-based company that makes handbells for choirs worldwide, added a special historical touch. “Malmark actually made bells for the Bicentennial of the Signing of the Constitution,” Strouse noted. “One of their bells even sits in the Smithsonian. They presented us with a new bell for this celebration.”
The role of the town crier goes beyond performance; it’s symbolic of a community reconnecting with its history. “In Colonial times, many people couldn’t read, so the town crier was how news spread,” Strouse said. “It’s such a wonderful, audible way to bring history back to life.”
The Doylestown Historical Society also highlighted the influence of the region’s Quaker communities, which were deeply divided during the Revolution.
“Some Quakers were revolutionaries, some were loyalists, and others wanted to stay out of it completely,” Strouse explained. “We’re working with today’s Quaker communities to find ways to tell that story authentically. One of the things we're doing is hosting a Historic Churches Tour on December 13 featuring Doylestown Presbyterian, Salem United Church of Christ, St. Paul’s Episcopal, and the Friends Meeting on East Oakland Avenue. None of them existed at the time of the Revolution, but all of them existed in the 1800s and each of them will be sharing the history of their building and their congregation.”
These collaborations underscore the Society’s broader mission to interpret not just Doylestown’s history, but the history of the entire region. Strouse added, “Our reach extends beyond the borough because our Revolutionary-era roots are really county-wide.”
Food and drink will also play a starring role in the upcoming USA 250 celebrations.
“Oysters and beer were very significant parts of the American diet during Revolutionary times,” Strouse said. “We’re planning partnerships with local restaurants and breweries to host evenings featuring those foods, along with lectures about their role in Colonial life.”
He added with a chuckle, “Of course, some of what Colonial Americans ate wouldn’t appeal to modern palates, but we’ll make it fun and educational.”
The kickoff event also recognized Doylestown’s deeper roots, long before the Revolution, through the inclusion of representatives from the Lenni Lenape Nation.
“Doylestown’s history really began 1,500 years before the Revolution,” said Strouse. “State and Main Streets were once crossroads for indigenous travelers heading to the Delaware River or north toward Easton. They stopped here because there was fresh water and shelter. That’s truly where our story begins.”
The Society plans to honor that legacy through a Video History Series in 2026, tracing the area’s evolution from Lenni Lenape settlements to a thriving county seat. “We’re already writing the script,” Strouse said. “It will feature reenactments, interviews, and voiceovers to bring the story to life.”
The kickoff celebration also featured the unveiling of a commemorative Doylestown Celebrates USA 250 ornament designed by the Doylestown Historical Society and produced by local artisans at the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. “It’s a thin tile ornament with a ribbon, and we commissioned a few hundred,” Strouse said. “It’s sold close to cost; it’s meant to be something affordable that the whole community can enjoy.”
A 2026 calendar featuring historic locations around Doylestown was also revealed, offering a month-by-month journey through the area’s past.
As part of the greater USA250 initiative, Doylestown’s celebration ties directly to statewide and national commemorations being planned in Philadelphia, the city where the Revolution’s ideals were first declared. “We’re working in partnership with Bucks County 250 and the Pennsylvania and national USA250 committees,” Strouse said. “It’s a hierarchy of planning, but all of it connects back to telling our local story as part of America’s larger one.”
He added, “Philadelphia was the metropolitan center of the Revolution, but Bucks County was rural. Our people experienced the war differently; their food, clothing, and ways of life were distinct. That’s what makes our story worth telling.”
Looking forward, the Doylestown Historical Society is partnering with Central Bucks School District to develop programs for students. “We’re exploring opportunities for drama, art, and history competitions focused on 1775 and 1776,” said Strouse. “It’s important for young people to connect to this milestone; not just as a date in a book, but as a living story that began right here.”
The Doylestown Historical Society is continually developing programming and events for Doylestown Celebrates USA 250. For updated information on what to expect, visit www.doylestownhistorical.org/contact.
