This year is the year of anniversaries. Naturally, the one we are hearing most about is our nation’s 250th anniversary, which is certainly a cause for celebration. I hope to write about that in the coming months. Here locally, it is the 40th anniversary of the founding of Historic Fort Steuben, the 40th anniversary of the Steubenville Murals in downtown and the 20th anniversary of the Summer Concert Series at the fort. We certainly have a year of celebrations ahead.

For me personally, it’s a special year as well, as it’s my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. They celebrated that on Friday. Looking back on 50 years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. Being together that long takes patience, compromise and love. And, thankfully, my parents have a lot of love to give to their family, especially their grandchildren. I am very thankful for them.

During the past 50 years, so much has changed here in our valley. I thought it would be neat to look back at the headlines from the Weirton Daily Times from 50 years ago this month. First and foremost, at that time, our nation was celebrating its 200th anniversary, so there were articles featuring stories and history commemorating the occasion. In the April 2 edition of the Weirton Daily Times, a story detailing the presentation of seeds from a tulip poplar tree transplanted by George Washington at Mount Vernon made headlines. Mayor Mike Andochik presented the seeds to the city. Librarian Fred Natale said the seeds would be planted in buckets on the lawn of the Mary H. Weir Public Library. I wonder if any of the trees planted from those seeds still survive 50 years on.

Also to celebrate the bicentennial that April, the Millsop Community Center hosted the “Let Heritage Ring Bicentennial Fair.” The gathering brought more than 30 booths to the center on April 4. Representatives from many of Weirton’s diverse nationalities were featured at the event, such as the Garibaldi Lodge with traditional Italian cookies, St. Mary’s Altar and Rosary Society of St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church with traditional baked goods, Beth Israel Sisterhood Jewish cultural display, Greek Ladies Philoptochos Society and St. Nicholas Orthodox Church and Sacred Heart of Mary, both of which had booths with traditional food. Many others participated, displaying homemade pottery, crafts, bicentennial items and needlework. Tables with displays from St. Paul’s PTA, Weirton Baseball Association and Weirton’s Golden Age Club were included, in addition to a booth manned by Mary Ferguson for the sale of her book, “The History of Holliday’s Cove.” This event at the center was a great way to kick off the celebration of our nation’s birthday.

Among the headlines that April 50 years ago was the news that the Hancock County Commission set an operating budget of $1,510,446. The commission that year said the budget was “tight,” despite the fact that it gave a $25 pay raise to all full-time employees. The deputies under Sheriff Frank Rocchio had planned to dispute the raise as they had asked for a 17% cost-of-living increase, a 5% across-the-board increase for all civil service deputies and a clothing allowance increase. The deputies had picketed the courthouse the previous year and had been granted seven paid holidays by the commission to follow suit with all other county employees. Previously, all employees except deputies had those days off.

In the April 3 edition of the Weirton Daily Times, it was reported that Weirton Steel denied a claim that West Virginia would not build a new Ohio River crossing from Weirton to Steubenville without the company’s approval. Ohio U.S. Rep. Wayne Hays remarked during a discussion with the Steubenville Chamber of Commerce that when asked about a new crossing, said, “All the initiative for a bridge has to be in Charleston, unfortunately, and I don’t think (then-Gov. Arch) Moore is going to build a bridge where Weirton Steel doesn’t want it, even if you have to walk across the water to get across the river.”

Hays went on to say that Moore “eyed bridges for Bellaire and East Liverpool but not for Steubenville, even though the federal dollars are there.” Weirton Steel responded that it strongly endorsed the bridge linking Weirton and Steubenville as a way to expand industry and the economy.

Looking back at the papers from 50 years ago, I love to see the advertisements from our area businesses at that time. Some places are familiar, like Kmart, Stone & Thomas and Denmark’s. Others are a little hazy, like Fallers, which was located at 3112 Main St., or Pic Way Shoe Mart at 3920 Main St. and Super Dollar at Pennsylvania Ave. and 11th Street. At Super Dollar in April 1976, one could get pork chops for $1.69 a pound, spare ribs for $1.29 a pound, four cans of green beans for 89 cents, 2 pounds of margarine for 79 cents and three heads of lettuce for $1. I think we should go back to 1976 grocery prices, to be sure.

Going back 50 years into our area’s past shows many differences and similarities between then and now. From celebrations, anniversaries, commemorations, bridge discussions and local stores, the past is a fascinating place to visit. Thank you for taking a trip to the past with me.

(Zuros is the executive director of Historic Fort Steuben)