2026 Annual Presidential Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Join LancasterHistory at Woodward Hill Cemetery for the Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony for President James Buchanan, the United States’ 15th President. Taking place two days after Buchanan’s birthday, the ceremony features the laying of fresh flowers at the gravesite of the former president and remarks by the presiding officer of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as well as local dignitaries.
- Command Sergeant Major Albert Singleton, Army National Guard
- The Red Rose Veterans Honor Guard with Mr. Skip Walls as bugler
- Masonic Lodge 43 with John Phillips, Senior Warden of Lodge 43, as a speaker
- Lancaster Fencibles with a 21-gun salute
- Scout Troop 58
- Rev. Joel Petruschke, senior pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, offering an Invocation and a Benediction.
This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For directions to the Cemetery, please click here.
Dedication/Memorial In-Person Event Off-Site Event Outdoor
April 25, 2026
Woodward Hill Cemetery, 508 S. Queen St., Lancaster, PA
10am
FREE | Registration NOT Required
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the Grand Opening of the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy!
297 years and Lancaster County is still standing! Come toast the founding of Lancaster County with fun, facts, and a few surprises along the way. At our annual County Founding Day celebration, we’ll feature flash talks from local historians, pop-up exhibits, and the return of Lancaster County Cake Wars!