Borough showcases history with beer
Founded in 1867, Spring City plans events to mark sesquicentennial
“Main Street was the center of activity in Spring City ... At the turn of the century it was a growing, vibrant and complete community.”
Those were the words used to describe Spring City as it was in 1867. And a growing and vibrant community is exactly what it was celebrating over the weekend.
Spring City kicked off its 150th birthday Saturday with local music, beer and even some birthday cake. The festivities began at around 4 p.m. with local brewery, Tuned Up Brewing.
“We’re kind of new to the community and we’re hoping to kind of kick-start the community and get some more businesses onto Main Street and start bring- ing people into town,” said Clint Tischnell, one of the owners of Tuned Up Brewing. “We want to help to revitalize it here for the next 10 years.”
And beer was certainly theway to do it.
The borough wanted to create a special product for the event and that beer seemed like the best op-
tion, according to Spring City Borough Councilman Eugene Sweeney, chairman of the sesquicentennial committee.
“We were thinking of doing something special but not too much is made in Spring City anymore,” said Sweeney. “We have beer made here though so I approached them about doing a beer.”
Tischnell said they created two special brews for the occasion, the Common Ale and the Stove Works Porter.
“To come up with those beers I talked to the historical society. We kicked around some ideas about what Spring City might have been like, what it was about in 1867,” explained Tischnell. “We came up with Stove Works being that the Stove Works Foundry was a big name at the time. So we went with that for the historical value. That’s kind of how we got into it.”
The brewery was the end destination for the “Sesquiserenade” in which the New Spring City Marching Band travelled around the borough playing for residents.
The event also featured a drum circle located just outside the brewery and local food trucks for guests to enjoy. In addition, lights and sesquicentennial banners were hung throughout the borough for the occasion.
The borough was officially named on Aug. 12, 1867. Settlers had originally named it Springville, after much debate, for its abundant natural springs. However, in 1872 the name was changed to Spring City, according to the borough’s website. Since then, businesses and community organizations have flourished in the area, giving Spring City residents plenty to celebrate on its sesquicentennial.
Saturday’s festivities were the first of several events planned throughout the year to celebrate the milestone birthday.
In April, Spring City can look forward to an Easter egg hunt on the 8th and the Spring in the City 5K on April 29.
Community Day is scheduled for May 20 as well as the Spring City Car Show on June 18 and the Hot Air Balloon Festival on Aug. 11. All these events will culminate in the Spring City Sesquicentennial Parade on Aug. 12.
“That’s today’s goal, to make a lot of noise and let everybody know that the celebrations have begun,” said Sweeney.