John Sears, Ph.D., a professor at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, was the guest speaker during a Carbon County dedication ceremony marking the 300th anniversary of Pennsylvania.

The main courtroom of the Courthouse in Jim Thorpe was the scene of the historic event. Outside the courthouse, Carbon County Commissioners Albert U. Koch and Charles J. Wildoner, state Sen. James J. Rhoades and Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Hichok unveiled a commemorative marker noting the occasion.

In his address, Sears stressed the value of the tourism industry, which he called “a modern phenomenon.”

Michael O’Malley, a state Historical and Museum Commission official, brought greetings on behalf of Gov. Dick Thornburgh.