Another of our treasures surfaced … the 1988 Columbia Bicentennial book. The “may she live and go on forever” line comes from the poem on the back page of the book. Hilda E. Spiese wrote, “My Home Town,” on June 26, 1986.

Loaded with wonderful articles, observations and photographs commemorating Columbia’s proud heritage, it is difficult to scan the pages (we do not want to compromise the integrity of it). Here is the introduction page written by Bill Kloidt, Jr., president of the Columbia Bicentennial Committee.

Persons who authored articles in the book include some of Columbia’s more recognizable personalities; some are now deceased.

Authors acknowledgements included: Edna Clark, Estella E. Cooper Harris, Gary Myers, Keith W. Strandberg, Charles Coombs, Shirley Meley, Susan K. Kauffman,  Tim Deeg, Reaves F. Goehring, Jr., Robert G. Miller, Bill Kloidt, Jr., William H. Kloidt, Sr., Frederic H. Abendschein, John Crawford, Barry Ford and the representatives of the Religious Heritage Research Center (Susan Kauffman, Rev. William M. Arnold, Helen G. Munshower, Mary Katharine Horn, Anne E. Nicholas, Lou E. Peters, B. Ruth Peters, Violet C. Shanabrook and Kathryn P. Smoker).

What a great job the above folks and the members of the bicentennial committee (see the page below) did in for the borough’s past, present and future generations of patrons, citizens and supporters.