PITTSBURG, Kan. — Community members stopped by the Morning Sun, Wednesday morning, where they ate cake, browsed old archives and sang “Happy Birthday” to Pittsburg.

“Having everybody stand around and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Pittsburg together in unison was magical,” Morning Sun General Manager Amy Sawyer said. “And I appreciated how many people wanted to come see inside these walls. I was surprised at how many people had never been inside these walls. And so, it was just a really great community celebration.”

May 20 marked the 150th anniversary of Pittsburg’s founding, and this event was one of two planned for that day. The second gathering was a community photo of people spelling out 150 at the Gorilla Soccer Pitch, which took place at 4 p.m.

Among the roughly 50 individuals who trickled in throughout the two-hour event, Mayor Chuck Munsell, City Commissioner DJ Perry, City Commissioner Cheryl Brooks and County Commissioner Bruce Blair were in attendance.

Old photographs and news articles lined the counters for people to get a peek into the past.

During the celebration, Morning Sun General Manager Amy Sawyer pointed out that out of the 150 years Pittsburg has existed, The Morning Sun has been reporting local news for 144 years. She thanked Kevin Mitchelson for leading the charge to save the newspaper when it was in danger of shutting down in the fall of 2021.

“For 144 of Pittsburg's 150 years, we've been here covering community events, your kids' sports, local businesses, our local government and keeping democracy alive by showing up to those meetings and reporting on what's going on, because not everybody can be at all of those meetings,” she said.

Sawyer also thanked the Morning Sun staff because “we wouldn't get this paper out if it weren't for them.”

Past and present board members were also recognized with a special shoutout to Lynda Wilkinson who has been the liaison between Amy and the board.

Many people were asked ‘What is your favorite thing about Pittsburg?” Responses ranged from community involvement to live music events to the great locally owned businesses and restaurants.

“I moved here 25 years ago this year to go to college, and I never left, so I would think that means that I love everything about Pittsburg,” Sawyer said. “It's been a great place to raise my daughter. It's been a great place for me to grow as a professional. And I love the opportunity that so many young professionals have to grow here.”

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