BERN TWP., Pa. — A new home, a fresh look, and a symbol of America’s past getting ready for its future.
Berks County leaders officially unveiled the refurbished Bicentennial Eagle sculpture Tuesday afternoon at the Berks County Heritage Center.
“This was an effort to refresh a 1976 memorial that was here on the grounds of the Heritage Center,” said Daniel Roe of Berks County Parks & Recreation.
The eagle was originally created by students to celebrate America’s Bicentennial. Fifty years later, county officials decided it was time for a refresh.
“The more vibrant paint was touched up here in 2026. So, the red and white stripes below, the claws, the beak, but the originality of the wings and the patina was kept to still pay homage, if you will, to its historic look from the past,” Roe said.
County officials say the goal was to preserve the eagle’s history while making it easier for visitors to enjoy.
“This is right off of our main visitor center here at the Heritage Center, so certainly we’ll see some more foot traffic,” Roe said.
The project brought together county parks staff, local artist Mike Miller and students from the Reading-Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center.
“You have something here in Berks County that shortly will be unveiled that can remind people 50, 100, who knows, maybe even 200 years from now that back on June the 16th, 2026, the people of Berks County celebrated 250 years of not just a country, but 250 years of a document that established what good government is all about,” said Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach.
The Heritage Center will host AmericanaFest on Saturday, June 20, featuring living history demonstrations, crafts, food, music and family activities.