PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg will officially turn 150 years old this month on the 20th. So far, planned celebrations have been a hit. Celebrations at USD 250 elementary schools were the talk of the dining room table this week in many homes and more than $200 in sales was collected with Pitt150 t-shirts and other merch during Art Walk weekend.

The city is still planning a Pitt150 overhead photo for May 20, details on time and place are still to come so keep checking the city’s website for more information. Wilderness Park is getting new signage along the trails. Some of the signs will recount the lives and history of the coal miners who settled in the area (some may even be relatives) and others will highlight the flora and fauna found in the park, popping with pictures taken by a local photographer.

For 6-2-0 Day, live music and food trucks are locked in with a possible rendition of the “Pittsburg” song as a birthday tribute.

Other events on tap are a Pitt150 Amazing Race, sponsored by the Pittsburg Area Young Professionals. There is room for 10 teams with four slots still available. Axe Library at PSU will have a photo scanning night on June 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. for those who want to digitize photos for Axe Special Collections (and there is a tale about a horse in a box somewhere in the library you might want to inquire about). This may require a sign-up to reserve a time to scan your photos.

The newest addition to the Pitt150 schedule is the Morning Sun Open House on May 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. The public is welcome to visit the Morning Sun’s office to see where the “magic” happens. There will be cake and coffee and, at 10:15, a round of “Happy Birthday,” sung on Pittsburg’s behalf. Visitors can also peruse the historical photos from the city and newspaper’s past on display. So, come and meet your favorite writers (and even the ones you’re not so fond of) who get to write the “first draft of history” every day.

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews