Throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you’ll find a rich history made up of amazing people and places with plenty of stories to tell. Coterra has been fortunate to foster relationships around the Commonwealth that allow us to get closer to these historic treasures. Today, we want to shed some light on a partner we’ve talked about many times before on our blog: The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust.
On October 6, 2021, the Dennis Farm held its 9th Annual Symposium to celebrate The Dennis Farm’s 20th Anniversary and the 115th Birthday of Co-Founder, Hope Dennis (1906-2006). The group welcomed Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (America250PA), as their keynote speaker for the virtual event.
Cassandra excitedly shared details about the vision of America250PA and how it aims to celebrate Pennsylvania’s role in commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States. Not only did Cassandra teach us about America250PA, but she also announced that the Dennis Farm would be the recipient of the first commemorative Semiquincentennial Bell! “This bell represents the liberty and freedom our ancestors fought for,” said M. Denise Dennis.
America250PA plans to install up to seven commemorative bronze Semiquincentennial bells at historically significant locations across Pennsylvania. “Part of America250PA’s mission is to preserve the Commonwealth’s abundant history. The farm is a historic gem in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County and it tells a beautiful story of how African Americans overcame adversity two centuries ago. We are so honored that they agreed to permanently host the first commemorative bell,” said Cassandra. “Our connection to the farm was made possible by the generous support of Coterra Energy, who also recognized the important role that the Dennis Farm plays in Pennsylvania’s history. We are grateful for their partnership in this initiative!”
George Stark, Director of External Affairs at Coterra Energy was also a speaker at the symposium. George shared that, “Coterra truly values the 200 years of documented history they bring to the Northeast PA region. When we learned of the America250PA Semiquincentennial Bell initiative, we saw the Dennis Farm as a natural partner. Their focus on culture, education, and storytelling create a remarkable atmosphere that is perfectly suited to host the first Semiquincentennial Bell.”
Coterra has strong relationships with both America250PA and the Dennis Farm. We’ve been a collaborative partner of the Dennis Farm for over 10 years and have supported a number of their initiatives designed to preserve and restore their land. They’re also a leaseholder with Coterra.. When it comes to America250PA, we recognized early on that this was a project that could have a profound impact on the state and country. Because of this, Coterra is one of six companies that are part of America250PA Semiquincentennial Founders’ Circle Sponsors.
For more details on the Dennis Farm and their involvement with America250PA, please take a few moments to watch this video which announces their intent to host the Semiquincentennial Bell.
