[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     IN RECOGNITION OF THE BICENTENNIAL OF ORWIGSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 12, 2013

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the community of Orwigsburg, 
located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, within my district, will 
celebrate its bicentennial year of existence, and I rise to honor and 
congratulate the modern Borough of Orwigsburg and its citizens on this 
momentous occasion.
  The motto of Orwigsburg is ``From where it all began is happening 
again,'' and it all began for what became Orwigsburg with the original 
designation of Philadelphia County, the later formation of Berks 
County, the eventual formation of Schuylkill County and, most 
importantly, the Orwig family, including Gottfried Orwig and his son, 
Peter, credited as founder and the namesake of this beautiful small 
town, rich in history and tradition.
  The site of a number of 18th century Indian-settler skirmishes, 
Orwigsburg, as the settlement became known, was the county seat until 
Pottsville was so designated in the mid-19th century. Before 
Pottsville's ascension as the seat, Orwigsburg was the site of the 
first county courthouse, which stood at the corner of Warren and Market 
Streets from 1815 to 1941. The cupola from the original courthouse was 
recently salvaged for re-use in the Community Memorial Hall, creating a 
link between old and new.
  And there is a lot of ``old'' to be proud of in Orwigsburg. From the 
building of the first boat for the Schuylkill canal to the first county 
fair to early shoe manufacturers to 20th century knitting mills, 
Orwigsburg has been a locus of important events throughout its two 
hundred years. The Orwigsburg Historical Society keeps a number of 
artifacts from the community's colorful past and, along with the 
Borough Council, has done its best to reconnect current residents to 
the past during the bicentennial lead-up year.
  As Orwigsburg looks to the future, it aims to maintain its friendly 
atmosphere and the quality of life that is unique to a small town in a 
scenic county. Economic development is also always on the agenda, and, 
with two centuries of change already under its belt, I believe that the 
future is unlimited. I'm proud to represent Orwigsburg, and I wish 
everyone in the Borough the best for the community's bicentennial 
celebration.

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