The American spirit lives and invests in Washington County

By JEFF KOTULA
President Washington County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Promotion Agency

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This significant milestone for our country allowed all of us the opportunity to reflect on the history of our great nation, while honoring the values we all share as Americans.

However, in Washington County, this celebration was more than a single-day event. We began recognizing our place in America’s story well before Independence Day with the unveiling of our county’s artwork as part of the Bells Across PA initiative and continued by investing in our future through the American Spirit Grant program.

Bells Across PA is a statewide public art initiative, inspired by the iconic Liberty Bell, that has placed more than 100 fiberglass bell sculptures across Pennsylvania.

Our local Liberty Bell replica was sponsored by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Promotion Agency. The bell was transformed into a tribute to the county’s rich history, heritage and industry through the trademark style of renowned local artist James Sulkowski.

The artwork featured scenes from across our county with the Mon Valley prominently represented through the Monongahela River, steel and coal heritage and Pennsylvania Western University – California Campus. Following its unveiling, the Chamber donated the bell to the Washington County Historical Society for permanent public display. While the bell serves as a lasting tribute to our county’s accomplishments and the generations who built our communities, it also reminds us to look toward the future.

As part of our commitment to investing in the next 250 years of our communities, the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency launched the American Spirit Grant Program in 2025. The program was designed to assist Washington County municipalities in the development of lasting projects that enhanced tourism assets, commemorated our rich local history and fostered community engagement.

Through this program, every city, borough and township in Washington County was eligible to apply for a grant of up to $25,000 for a tourism-related community project. This unique program was created by the tourism agency to provide our municipalities with resources to invest in projects that improved the visitor experience and commemorated America250.

By the conclusion of the program, the tourism agency leveraged more than $1.5 million in grants, matching funds, and in-kind contributions for projects across the county, including many in the Mon Valley. The program welcomed projects from communities including Allenport, Beallsville, Bentleyville, California, Carroll Township, Charleroi, Donora, West Brownsville and West Pike Run to support the restoration of historic sites and veterans memorials, commemorative murals or new community assets like pavilions and park improvements for visitors to enjoy and providing residents with lasting sources of community pride.

Washington County played a vital role in the early days of our nation and will continue to help shape the future over the next 250 years. The Washington County Liberty Bell replica celebrated where we have been, but the American Spirit Grant program reflects something more important, our commitment to investing in where we are going.