Lancaster County River Town Celebrating 300th Anniversary with Yearlong Schedule of Events
Time and again, across three centuries, Columbia has played a pivotal role in the American Experiment.
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(Columbia, PA — January 15, 2026) In the summer of 1726, a group of visionary Quakers arrived on the shores of the Susquehanna River and began laying the foundation for a community unlike any other in North America. The frontier town of Wright’s Ferry—renamed Columbia when it was under consideration as our new national capital—reinvented itself many times over in the centuries that followed, mirroring the evolution of the United States itself.
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In 2026, the Lancaster County river town is celebrating this remarkable story with Columbia 300, a year-long series of public events and programs that highlight its unique place in the American experiment.
“We have so many amazing stories to tell and so much history to promote that it’s difficult to squeeze it into one year,” says Columbia 300 board member Rick Fisher, a local historian. “Especially in a year when America is celebrating its 250th birthday. In that respect, however, the timing could not be better because, again and again, Columbia has played a pivotal role in the nation’s development.”
In the early 1700s, Wright’s Ferry served as the major jumping-off point for settlers and pioneers headed west. Iconic Conestoga wagons were manufactured by the thousands in and around present-day Columbia, while the road system linking the town to Philadelphia—then the nation’s largest city—was vital to the development of early American agriculture. In 1788, following the Revolution, Wright’s Ferry was renamed Columbia in a bid to be chosen as the new nation’s capital. Despite being supported by Benjamin Franklin and other Founding Fathers, it narrowly missed being selected for this honor.
“After that, Columbia went into overdrive, leveraging its geographical location and proximity to natural resources to become a commercial powerhouse at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the United States,” explains Michelle Kauffman, who head up Columbia Parks and Recreation, which his spearheading the 300th anniversary celebration. “By 1814, so much traffic was pouring through Columbia that the ferries couldn’t handle it all. Not only was a bridge built across the Susquehanna here, it was the longest bridge in the world. That was followed by one of America’s first public water companies, which is still in operation today.”
Next, Columbia became a hub for a major canal system that moved goods to and from Baltimore Harbor and north to Harrisburg and beyond. The railroads followed a decade later and, for more than half a century, Columbia served as one of America’s most important rail junctions as part of Pennsylvania’s Public Works System.
The town also became a hotbed of Abolitionist activity, as African American leaders such as Stephen Smith and William Whipper engaged in a “conspiracy of good” with wealthy Quakers and others to create the operational underpinnings of the Underground Railroad. Thousands of people fleeing bondage took their first breath of freedom on the Columbia side of the Susquehanna River.
During the 1800s, Columbia experienced explosive growth in manufacturing and was a major player in the ironworking industry, which lasted well into the 20th century. At any given time, 30 or more factories were in operation in the borough, offering employment to a population that swelled to over 12,000 people—20 percent more than reside in Columbia now.
Today, Columbia is among the historic post-industrial river towns experiencing a surge of interest across a broad demographic spectrum. Its 900-plus historic buildings, its walkability and its affordable housing stock—in addition to its unparalleled river views—are attracting a steady stream of new residents and businesses.
“All the people who have discovered Columbia in recent years are just beginning to fully appreciate its history,” says John Reitzel, who chairs the 300th committee.
That history will be front and center during Columbia 300’s main event schedule, which stretches from early June through July Fourth weekend. It will include…
The Lancaster County Fireman’s Association Convention Parade (June 6)
Flag Day 2026 Celebration (June 14)
Columbia 300 Opening Ceremony & Music in the Park (June 19)
Thunder on the River Classic Car Show (June 20)
Riverfest (June 26-28)
& Lighting of the Bridge Piers (June 28)
Columbia 300 Closing Ceremony & Fireworks at Glatfelter Park (July 4)
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The Columbia 300 celebration actually begins in February with the launch of a free speaker series at venues including the historic Market House, Columbia Crossings, the National Watch and Clock Museum, and the Perfect Settings event space. The series will continue into the fall, with dates and speakers to be announced later in January. Other Columbia attractions include Market House dungeon tours, a June Children’s Festival, and one of the most expansive model train displays in the state. The Columbia 300 Facebook and Instagram pages already feature daily posts under the #TodayInColumbiaPAHistory hashtag.