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<\/p>\n\u2018It all started 250 years ago’: 4 The Record explores how Pittsburgh will celebrate America 250<\/p>\n
4 The Record hosts Elena LaQuatra and Lily Coleman have conducted interviews surrounding Pittsburgh\u2019s plans for the upcoming America 250 celebration<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tON FOR THE RECORD, BUT IT ALL STARTED 250 YEARS AGO. PITTSBURGH GETS READY TO CELEBRATE AMERICA\u2019S 250TH ANNIVERSARY. SO THERE\u2019S JUST GOING TO BE ALL KINDS OF FUN ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. FROM THE BIG EVENTS LINED UP TO THE HISTORY STILL BEING FELT IN OUR REGION, A QUARTER OF A MILLENNIUM LATER, GEORGE WASHINGTON BECAME AMERICA\u2019S FIRST ACTION HERO FOR THE RECORD STARTS RIGHT NOW. WELCOME TO. FOR THE RECORD, I\u2019M ELENA LAQUATRA AND I\u2019M LILY COLEMAN. TODAY, THE FIRST OF TWO EPISODES FOCUSED ON PITTSBURGH\u2019S CELEBRATION OF AMERICA\u2019S 250TH ANNIVERSARY. THERE IS SO MUCH LINED UP IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, FROM FUN TO HISTORY. AND OF COURSE, FIREWORKS. AND ELENA, LET\u2019S START THINGS OFF BY GOING TO MY SIT DOWN INTERVIEW WITH ANDY MASICH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF PITTSBURGH\u2019S HEINZ HISTORY CENTER. AND I\u2019M JOINED NOW BY ANDY MASICH WITH THE HEINZ HISTORY CENTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. WHAT AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A HISTORY BUFF THESE DAYS. YOU KNOW, IT IS AN EXCITING TIME. I FEEL LIKE WE\u2019RE IN HISTORY MAKING TIMES AND 250 YEARS AGO, WHEN THOSE FOUNDING FATHERS GOT TOGETHER, I\u2019M NOT SURE THAT THEY EVEN REALIZED THAT THIS AMERICAN EXPERIMENT WOULD LAST 250 YEARS. I MEAN, IT WAS TOUCH AND GO THERE AT FIRST. AND YET I THINK WE\u2019VE MATURED AS A NATION, BUT WE DON\u2019T HAVE A PERFECT UNION YET. TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT 250TH ANNIVERSARY. YOU HEAR THAT SO MUCH HAS CHANGED. SO MUCH IS STILL CHANGING, BUT IT IS QUITE A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE. IT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WAS REALLY THE FIRST DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC IN THE WORLD AFTER THE UNITED STATES CAME ON BOARD. WITH THE POWER VESTED IN THE PEOPLE. NOT A KING, NOT A POTENTATE, A MONARCH, BUT THE PEOPLE. THERE WERE DOZENS OF OTHER COUNTRIES THAT FOLLOWED. AND NOW THERE ARE THERE ARE SCORES OF OF. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICS IN THE WORLD. BUT IT ALL STARTED 250 YEARS AGO. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THOSE THOSE FOUNDERS, THEY HAD A LOT TO LOSE. THEY WERE GOING UP AGAINST THE MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD, GREAT BRITAIN, WITH A POWERFUL NAVY AND LAND ARMIES AND AND HERE THESE MEN GOT TOGETHER IN PHILADELPHIA, AND THEY THEY FORMED A GOVERNMENT. AT FIRST IT WAS AN ALLIANCE, AN ALLIANCE OF COLONIES, AND THEY WEREN\u2019T TRYING TO CREATE A COUNTRY. THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO TELL THE KING OF ENGLAND, HEY, YOU\u2019VE GONE TOO FAR. WE\u2019VE GOT RIGHTS. WE\u2019RE SOVEREIGN CITIZENS OF OUR. OUR COLONIES, OUR PROVINCES. BUT THEN THE WAR BEGAN. THE SHOOTING WAR BEGAN IN 1775 AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORD IN MASSACHUSETTS, AND THEN BUNKER HILL, AND THEN GEORGE WASHINGTON FROM VIRGINIA IS RECRUITED BY THE NEW ENGLANDERS, THE NEW ENGLANDERS KNOW, HEY, IF WE\u2019RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE FIGHTING GREAT BRITAIN, WE NEED THE SOUTH IN ON THIS FIGHT. AND WHO BETTER THAN THIS SIX FOOT, TWO INCH TALL, GANGLY VIRGINIAN WHO HAD MILITARY EXPERIENCE HERE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. AND THEY SAID, HE\u2019S THE PERFECT GUY. LET\u2019S GET HIM AND WE\u2019LL GET VIRGINIA IN THE FIGHT, TOO. SO THAT\u2019S WHAT STARTED IN 1776 WITH THAT DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. SO WE\u2019LL GET TO SOME OF THE FUN THAT I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALL WORKING ON. AS THIS CELEBRATION CONTINUES. BUT GEORGE WASHINGTON\u2019S A PERFECT PIVOT POINT HERE. HE DOES HAVE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND, SO TO SPEAK, HERE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, GEORGE WASHINGTON, I THINK, IS MISUNDERSTOOD BY MANY AMERICANS WHO HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE WOODEN TEETH, CHERRY PIE AND CHERRY TREE STORIES, WHICH ARE MOSTLY APOCRYPHAL. THEY\u2019RE MADE UP BY EARLY BIOGRAPHERS. BUT GEORGE WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHEN HIS FATHER DIED. HE WAS RAISED BY HIS MOTHER, MARY BALL, WHO WAS THE SECOND WIFE OF HIS FATHER, AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON DIDN\u2019T GET THE BENEFIT OF A FANCY EDUCATION. HIS OLDER HALF BROTHERS WENT TO ENGLAND TO BE EDUCATED IN THE BEST SCHOOLS. GEORGE WAS SELF-TAUGHT. AFTER THE AGE OF 11, HE TAUGHT HIMSELF MATHEMATICS AND AND SURVEYING, AND BY THE TIME HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD, HE WAS GETTING JOB SURVEYING IN THE WESTERN WILDS, NOT IN VIRGINIA, BUT OUT HERE IN IN THE OHIO COUNTRY, AS THEY CALLED IT. AND HE GOT JOBS THAT GROWN MEN WOULDN\u2019T TAKE BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO DANGEROUS OR TOO HARD. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I THINK IS COOL, TALKING ABOUT PITTSBURGH AND ITS LOVE OF HISTORY, SOME OF THIS HISTORY, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT MARKERS. I\u2019M THINKING SPECIFICALLY HERE WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON. WE HAVE A STATUE NEAR KENNYWOOD OR KENNYWOOD. THERE\u2019S ALL OF THAT WORK BEING DONE ON THE MONTOUR TRAIL TO KIND OF SYMBOLIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT HE PLAYED IN THIS AREA. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. WELL, YOU KNOW, GEORGE WASHINGTON THOUGHT WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WAS VERY IMPORTANT. IT WAS THE GATEWAY TO THE WEST. HE REALIZED THAT THE RIVERS, THE MONONGAHELA AND ALLEGHENY FORMING THE OHIO RIVER, WHOEVER CONTROLLED THOSE RIVERS WOULD REALLY CONTROL THE INTERIOR OF WHAT BECAME THE UNITED STATES. AND SO HE AMASSED QUITE A BIT OF LAND HERE. NEARLY 60,000 ACRES OF LAND. AND SO HE WOULD COME OUT HERE TO CHECK ON HIS LAND HOLDINGS. AND AND I THINK HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BOOSTERS AND BELIEVERS IN THE FORKS OF THE OHIO. BUT IF YOU GO TO THE FORT PITT MUSEUM TODAY, RIGHT AT THE POINT, THERE\u2019S A WONDERFUL MUSEUM IN A RECONSTRUCTED BASTION OF FORT PITT AND THE OLDEST BUILDING IN PITTSBURGH IS IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR. THE BLOCK HOUSE, WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, WHO SAVED IT FROM DESTRUCTION IN THE 1890S. THAT THAT BLOCK HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1764. AND GEORGE WASHINGTON STOOD ON THAT VERY GROUND. AND IF WE GO NORTH, WE WE COULD FOLLOW WASHINGTON\u2019S TRAIL. HE MET QUEEN ALIQUIPPA, THE SENECA CHIEFTAIN WHO HELD SWAY OVER THE FORKS OF THE OHIO. HE WENT UP TO WHERE FRANKLIN IS TODAY, FORT LE BOEUF, AND THAT\u2019S WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED THE FRENCH, AND HE NEARLY DROWNED IN THE ALLEGHENY RIVER A FEW DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS, 1753, ABOUT WHERE THE 40TH STREET BRIDGE IS TODAY. WE CALL THAT THE WASHINGTON CROSSING BRIDGE. HE AND ONE COMPANION, CHRISTOPHER GIST. THEY. THEY WERE TRAMPING THROUGH THE SNOW, COMING BACK FROM FORT LEBOEUF. THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD WALK ACROSS THE ICE OF THE FROZEN ALLEGHENY RIVER. BUT THE ALLEGHENY WASN\u2019T FROZEN, SO THEY BANGED TOGETHER A RUDE RAFT FROM DRIFTWOOD THAT THEY FOUND THERE. THEY HAD. ONE HATCHET WAS THE ONLY TOOL THEY HAD BETWEEN THEM. AND THEY GET THIS RAFT SHOVED OUT. THE BANKS ARE FROZEN ABOUT 50 YARDS OUT ON EACH SIDE, BUT THE RIVER\u2019S FLOWING STRONGLY IN THE CENTER. BIG ICE FLOWS COMING DOWN FROM THE NORTH. THEY GET TO MID-STREAM AND GEORGE SEES A BIG ICE FLOE BEARING DOWN ON THEIR RICKETY LITTLE RAFT. HE PLANTS HIS SETTING POLE ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF THE RAFT, HOPING TO — THEIR PROGRESS, SO THE ICE FLOE WILL GO BY, BUT THE FORCE OF THE CURRENT RAMS INTO HIS POLE POLE VAULTS HIM OFF THE RAFT INTO THE ICY WATERS OF THE ALLEGHENY. WELL, FORTUNATELY FOR US, OUR HEROES, A STRONG SWIMMER, HE GETS BACK ON THE RAFT. THEY\u2019VE LOST THEIR POLES. THEY RAM INTO AN ISLAND AT ABOUT 40TH STREET WHERE THAT BRIDGE IS TODAY. THAT NIGHT THAT WHEN THE SUN CAME UP THE NEXT DAY, THE RIVER WAS FROZEN SOLID AND THE MEN SCAMPERED ACROSS TO SHANNON PERRINE TOWN. THE DELAWARE INDIAN VILLAGE. AT THE RITE AID AT 40TH STREET, AND BUTLER. THAT\u2019S WHERE THE DELAWARE INDIAN VILLAGE WAS. AND THERE THEY GOT DRY CLOTHES AND HORSES, AND HE MADE HIS WAY BACK TO VIRGINIA, WHERE HIS JOURNAL WAS PRINTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA, ROBERT DINWIDDIE, BECAUSE IT READ LIKE AN ACTION NOVEL. AMERICA\u2019S FIRST ACTION HERO. STILL AHEAD ON. FOR THE RECORD, THERE\u2019S JUST GOING TO BE ALL KINDS OF FUN ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL MORE ON HOW PITTSBURGH WILL BE CELEBRATING AMERICA\u2019S BIG BIRTHDAY. WELCOME BACK TO. FOR THE RECORD, AS WE GEAR UP TO CELEBRATE AMERICA\u2019S 250TH BIRTHDAY RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH. LET\u2019S GO BACK NOW TO MY INTERVIEW WITH HEINZ HISTORY CENTER CEO ANDY MASICH, WHO\u2019S BREAKING DOWN WHAT TO EXPECT AS THE 4TH OF JULY APPROACHES. LET\u2019S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS 250TH ANNIVERSARY. LOTS OF CELEBRATIONS HAPPENING. HOW ARE YOU ALL AT THE HEINZ HISTORY CENTER GETTING IN ON SOME OF THAT FUN? WE\u2019RE WE\u2019RE HAVING LOTS OF FUN ON, ON JUNE 5TH, JUNE 25TH, WE\u2019RE GOING TO HAVE A A REVOLUTIONARY CELEBRATION. IT\u2019S TEN BUCKS FOR 21. PLUS, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SCAVENGER HUNTS, TRIVIA. THROW DOWN IN AMERICAN HISTORY TRIVIA THROWDOWN, BUT THERE\u2019LL BE VINTAGE BY DECADE, VINTAGE CLOTHING AND OTHER THINGS FOR SALE. THERE WILL BE CHERRY BOUNCE, GEORGE WASHINGTON\u2019S FAVORITE COCKTAIL WILL BE AVAILABLE. SO THERE\u2019S JUST GOING TO BE ALL KINDS OF FUN ASSOCIATED WITH OUR SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL. I KNOW THAT YOU\u2019RE A LATIN SCHOLAR, SO SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL IS IS 250 IN LATIN. OKAY, WELL, I\u2019M GLAD THAT YOU WERE FILLING ME IN THERE. THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO TO EASE THERE\u2019S A FOURTH AT THE FOURTH CELEBRATION, TOO. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? ON THE 4TH OF JULY, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WILL ALL CONVERGE AT THE POINT AT THE BLOCKHOUSE, PITTSBURGH\u2019S OLDEST HOUSE. AND THERE\u2019S 100 FOOT FLAGPOLE THERE, AND THEY\u2019RE GOING TO PULL DOWN THE BRITISH RED ENSIGN. THAT WAS THE BRITISH BATTLE FLAG 250 YEARS AGO. AND THEY\u2019LL RUN UP THE STARS AND STRIPES IN ITS PLACE. IT\u2019LL BE A 36 FOOT GARRISON FLAG. THINK ABOUT THAT. 36FT BY 20FT. THE THE GOVERNMENT DESIGNED THIS FLAG SO YOU COULD SEE IT FOR FIVE MILES. WOW. AND SO WE\u2019LL RUN UP THAT FLAG. THERE\u2019LL BE REENACTORS. WE HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY WAR CANNON WHICH WILL BE FIRED. AND WE\u2019VE GOT A PARTNERSHIP WITH FORT LIGONIER. FORT LIGONIER IS A GREAT MUSEUM. IF YOU HAVEN\u2019T BEEN THERE. AND THEY\u2019VE GOT A WONDERFUL REVOLUTIONARY WAR ARTILLERY COLLECTION. SO MORTARS AND FIELD GUNS AND HOWITZERS WILL ALL BE CLUSTERED AROUND THE BLOCKHOUSE ON THE 4TH OF JULY. SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME AND SEE THAT. AND THE NEW EXHIBIT THAT HAS JUST OPENED AT THE FORT PITT MUSEUM\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u2018It all started 250 years ago’: 4 The Record explores how Pittsburgh will celebrate America 250<\/p>\n
4 The Record hosts Elena LaQuatra and Lily Coleman have conducted interviews surrounding Pittsburgh\u2019s plans for the upcoming America 250 celebration<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tUpdated: 11:00 AM EDT Jun 21, 2026\n\t\t<\/p>\n