A years-long effort to honor two of Thaddeus Stevens’ most significant legacies will culminate this week with the opening of the Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy in Lancaster.
The new $24 million museum, 26 years in the making, will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. on May 1 at the Vine Street site. Organizers say the center is designed to explore the lives and impact of Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith, while highlighting themes of equality, freedom and democracy.
Following the morning ceremony, the celebration will continue at 12:30 p.m. with a special awards program at Shreiner-Concord Cemetery, where Stevens is buried. A tour of the nearby Stevens School Residences is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Festivities will move into the evening with a ticketed gala in the newly expanded Commons on Vine at the Lancaster County Convention Center, located beside the museum complex.
The celebration will continue Saturday, May 2, with a free public block party from noon to 6 p.m. on Vine Street next to the museum. Organizers said the family-friendly event will include live music, art, history-themed vendors, food and beverage trucks, children’s activities and additional attractions.
Museum admission will also be free on Saturday, though advance registration for timed-entry tickets is strongly encouraged because of expected demand.
Stevens, one of the most influential political figures of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, was known for his fierce opposition to slavery and advocacy for equal rights. Smith, a successful businesswoman and confidante of Stevens, played an important but often overlooked role in Lancaster’s abolitionist history.
The opening of the center is expected to draw visitors from across Pennsylvania and beyond, while adding another major heritage destination to downtown Lancaster.
More information on opening events and ticket registration is available at the center’s website: https://stevensandsmithcenter.org/events/
Source: Thaddeus Stevens Society