Saxonburg Borough Commemorated 185th Anniversary with Community Event and Celebration

Saxonburg Borough, located in Butler County, was founded 185 years ago, in 1832 by John A. Roebling who traveled to Saxonburg from Muhlhausen, Germany. Over the past 185 years, Saxonburg has maintained its roots of a proud German town and is renowned for its quaint, small town atmosphere and bustling Main Street shops and friendly community culture. To commemorate this milestone anniversary, Saxonburg hosted a celebration event on Saturday, July 15th on Main Street in downtown Saxonburg.

The event kicked off with a morning parade and afternoon street party with live German music to reflect the town’s heritage. Food trucks, vendors and other activities were there as well as a dinner reception at Saxonburg Museum. Roebling historian and author of The Roebling Legacy, Clifford Zink was the Keynote Speaker and was also available for book signing. A special church service, held at the historic landmark “little church,” built by Roebling at the head of Main Street, was on Sunday morning, July 16th.

In correlation with the founding of Saxonburg, the event also celebrated the 175th anniversary of Roebling’s U.S. patent for the wire rope. Roebling is known for his invention of the wire cable that was first used to raise canal boats over the Allegheny Mountains. His invention later became most well-known for suspending the Brooklyn Bridge and inspiring the design for the Golden Gate Bridge.

“Everyone is welcomed to visit Saxonburg’s iconic Main Street as well as Roebling Park and the Saxonburg Museum,” said Fred Caesar, a celebration coordinator and Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau board member. “Become an honorary ‘Saxonburger’ and enjoy the celebration and hospitality while following in the footsteps of the Roeblings and others who emigrated from Germany.”

To honor the Roebling family, Saxonburg officials invited Kristian Roebling, the great-great-great-grandson of John Roebling and his family to attend the event. As part of the “Sister City” relationship initiative with Saxonburg, a delegation from Műhlhausen, Germany was also in attendance.

For more information visit www.saxonburgbusiness.org.

ABOUT BUTLER COUNTY

Butler County is located along Interstate 79 in the rolling hills just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Butler County is filled with gorgeous scenery, recreational activities and more than 200 years of history. It’s the perfect place for a weekend getaway with upscale hotels, charming bed and breakfasts and rustic camp sites. Moraine State Park is the centerpiece of the county’s outdoor life with more than 15,000 acres offering fishing, boating, biking, hiking and hunting. Go to www.VisitButlerCounty.com for more information.

Photo 1:
Kriss Roebling, the great-great-great grandson of John Roebling, and his sons, August and Chase, stand inside the preserved Roebling wire rope workshop in Roebling Park in Saxonburg. John Roebling founded Saxonburg in 1832 and on July 16, 1842, he received a U.S. Patent for his improved wire rope twisting process which he developed inside the very building they were visiting on the very date 175 years later. During the weekend of July 15th Saxonburg celebrated that 175thanniversary and the 185th anniversary of its founding. The workshop is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Photo 2:
(Left to right) Fred Caesar, celebration event coordinator, Mr. Roland Reichenbach, Master craftsmen, member of the city council of Mühlhausen; Mrs. Ellen Gundermann, Division Director for human resources by the administration of the city of Mühlhausen; and Frank Möller, staff Internal Services and officer for Partnerships by Mühlhausen administration. They were representatives from Saxonburg’s “Sister City” of Mühlhausen, the birthplace of Saxonburg’s founder John Augustus Roebling attending the celebration events. Saxonburg was founded in 1832 and celebrated its 185th anniversary the weekend of July 15.

Photo 3:
As part of Saxonburg’s 185th/175th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 15, the Alpen Schuhplattlers of Pittsburgh marched in the anniversary parade and then entertained the crowds with traditional German music and dancing. Saxonburg was celebrating the 185th anniversary of its founding in 1832 by John Roebling, a native of Mühlhausen, Germany, and the 175th anniversary of John Roebling receiving on July 16, 1842, his patent for a new way of twisting metal into wire rope cable.