The Lower Merion 250th Consortium has been announced, consisting of the Harriton House, the Lower Merion Conservancy, and Merion Friends Meeting, three organizations with long established connections in the township.

Working in unison, and with the anticipated support of the township, we will launch a new series of public engagement initiatives beginning in fall 2025.

These include:

Public lectures: The series will explore topics related to Lower Merion’s role in the revolution, our rich local history, shared civic values, and cultural exchange.
Walking tours: Which will focus on the township’s revolutionary history, and local history including the rich and varied selection of historic buildings, including the 1695 National Historic Landmark Merion Friends Meeting House, the 1704 Harriton House, and historic cemeteries, to mention only a few of the incredible resources the township has to offer.  
A 250th Celebration Party at the Harriton House: The Harriton Association will host a Semiquincentennial celebration on Sunday, July 5, 2026 at Harriton House with interactive public readings of the Declaration of Independence, live music, and family-friendly activities..
250th website: We will develop a website dedicated to our events and local history.

These programs will be free and open to the public and marketed to residents throughout Lower Merion and the region. All events will be developed and facilitated by the LM 250th Consortium staff in partnership with local historians, educators, and community leaders.

Through thoughtful and intentional programming, we hope to share the riches of our community with the region as a place where fellow citizen can gather, learn, and connect with one another.

As we approach the nation’s Semiquincentennial, there is a unique window of opportunity to reintroduce Lower Merion Township to the broader community.

With community support, we will be able to present a dynamic vision of Lower Merion’s role in the founding of our country.

For more information about each organization, visit harritonhouse.org, lmconservancy.org and merionfriends.org.

Originally Published: July 14, 2025 at 4:58 PM EDT