Cochranville will commemorate its 300th anniversary with a community celebration on Saturday, Sept. 20. Events will include a parade, family activities, food, live music and historical presentations. 

Festivities will start with the parade at 9 a.m. that will begin at the Cochranville United Methodist Church, 92 Church St. The parade, which will feature antique cars, trucks and tractors, along with other attractions, will travel along old Route 41 and Steelville Road and will end at the West Fallowfield Township grounds, 3095 Limestone Road.

Activities will continue after the parade from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the township building and grounds. Among the attractions will be early American artisans. Scheduled presenters are Bill Wilde, gunsmithing; Jim Koterski, early redware and stoneware; Nick Santella, blacksmithing; Joe Maxwell, furniture making; and the Lancaster Weavers and Spinners. There will also be a display of Native American arrowheads by Phil Edwards and Dick Sprenkle. "Artisans will be doing demonstrations under a tent," noted committee member Donna McCool.

Additionally, programs will be held throughout the day inside the township building. Guest speakers and their topics will be Jim Koterski, the Underground Railroad; Eric Althouse, "Making the Grade: History of School Buildings in West Fallowfield"; Dave Light, mills and farming; Phil Edwards, arrowheads; Elmer Laffey, Saint Malachi Church; Nancy Foulk, Faggs Manor cemetery; and author Iris Dowling, early history. Dowling will also have copies of her books for sale, and Dave Porter has provided items from Cochranville's 250th anniversary celebration that will be available for purchase.

Attendees to the celebration will receive a Cochranville 300th anniversary booklet (one per family), and anniversary memorabilia will be for sale, including T-shirts and mugs.

There will be several food trucks on hand, including 22 BBQ; Don Chendos Tacos; Houston's, which will offer funnel cake; Cafe Gourmino, which will offer coffee, lemonade and tea; and Our Joy, which will offer ice cream.

Children's activities will include a bounce house and a straw bale maze. Live music will be provided by singers Doug Chase and Mackenzie Paige.

According to a history of Cochranville, located in West Fallowfield Township, it was founded in 1725. It was named for early settler James Cochran, who came to the Octorara area with a small band of Scotch-Irish settlers who settled south of what is now the West Fallowfield Township maintenance building along Limestone Road. Due to the abundance of travelers along the road, Cochran opened a tavern, built in the northeast corner of the Shawnee Reservation. When the post office was established, the name was spelled Cochransville, but the "s" was removed by the United Sates Post Office in 1884.

Event organizers encourage not only Cochranville residents to attend the upcoming celebration, but residents from surrounding communities as well. Activities are meant to honor the area's heritage and close-knit community and to showcase its growth.

"It's important to remember the history of the town," said committee member Caysie Williams.

"A lot of the businesses in Cochranville are family businesses that have been here for many generations, so it's cool to see where they have come from to where they are at now," said committee member Kacie Hershey, adding, "Our main goal is just to have everyone come together in fellowship and enjoy this little village that we live in."

For more information about the events, readers are invited to join the "Cochranville's 300th Anniversary" Facebook page. Those with questions may email Cochranville300@gmail.com. In the event of inclement weather, the celebration will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27.

"Judging from the Facebook page, everyone seems excited about the history and the event," added McCool.