Bob Wagner is a part of history.

A bell featuring his paintings will be displayed all year long outside the Ann B. Barshinger Welcome Center at Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster.

The exhibit is in conjunction with the celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary.

"Discover Lancaster will be celebrating the semiquincentennial all year long, promoting our historical sites, trails, and events," said Wagner. "It will be headlined by a free countywide America's Passport, encouraging visitors to collect unique stamps at 23 historic properties and provide exclusive coupons to local businesses. The bell at Rock Ford is one of the sites on this special trail."

There are 100 bells in different locations across the state, he added.

"The bell was a fiberglass 65-pound white bell delivered to my garage, and I came up with the paint, because the paint was a similar color to the actual Liberty Bell," said Wagner. "And then I had to do artwork that I had done over the years, but I had to do special drawings of Rock Ford and also the Thaddeus Stevens house on the back. I had an Amish village, and then I was the artist-in-residence at the Pennsylvania Train Museum, and I did a drawing of the train." He added that for for the covered bridge metric, he used a special drawing that his son did from the air.

Wagner noted that his first job after graduating from Millersville University was working for the planning commission downtown at the courthouse. In 1979, he illustrated the Lancaster County seal. "It's still used today, and that's what's on the front of the bell," said Wagner. "If you have your voter registration card, it has the original pen-and-ink drawing that I did from 1979." The work is also featured prominently on the bell, along with an authentic drawing of a Conestoga wagon and one of the welcome center downtown that was done for the Heritage Center for its advertisements. "That's actually where the nation's capital for a day was (in Lancaster)," he said.

He is honored to have a role in the festivities. "I'm very proud," said Wagner, who served with the 103rd Medical Battalion in the National Guard. "I'm a native of Lancaster, and I am happy to see my artwork here and to be part of the story that can bring us all together to celebrate and have fun for the 250th anniversary."