JUNETEENTH On June 19, 1865, U.S. troops under Major General Gordon Granger entered Galveston, Texas and posted a general order informing citizens of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all former slaves were no longer considered property. The following year, freed slaves in Texas celebrated Jubilee Day, which was the inspiration for Juneteenth, which was named a federal holiday in 2021. Mt. Lebanon Park is the site of a Juneteenth celebration, from noon to 6 p.m., on Sunday, June 8, with dancing and street food.

BULLETS ON BOWER HILL Alexander Hamilton has been enjoying a resurgence of popularity in the wake of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2015 musical, but one detail Miranda left out was Hamilton’s role in sparking the Whiskey Rebellion, the first test of federal power in the 15-year-old republic’s history.

In 1790 Hamilton, then secretary of the treasury, proposed a tax on all distilled spirits, to help defray the debts the country incurred during the Revolutionary War. Since western Pennsylvania’s farmers found it was much safer and easier to transport small batches of whiskey across the state to the eastern markets, instead of large wagonloads of grain, they saw the move as an attack on their livelihoods and many refused to pay the tax.

After a few sporadic incidents of violence, the Whiskey Rebellion came to a head in 1794, at what is now the Miller Homestead in South Park. Revenue inspector John Neville and U.S. Marshal David Lenox were fired upon while attempting to serve Miller, a farmer who refused to pay the tax, with a summons to appear in Philadelphia.

The two retreated to Neville’s house on Old Bower Hill, now Kane Boulevard. The next morning, they were surrounded by a group of well-armed farmers and a gun battle ensued.

Historian Rob Windhorst is vice president of the Woodville Experience, a National Historic Landmark on the site of the John and Presley Neville House. He will discuss the battle and its repercussions at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12, at the Mt. Lebanon History Center. Admission is $10; free to historical society members.

HONE YOUR HOOP SKILLS The Blue Devil Club is hosting camps for girls in grades 3 through 9 this summer at the Mt. Lebanon High School. The camps run from June 16-19, from 9 a.m. to noon for girls in grades 3 through 5, and from 1 to 4 p.m. for girls in grades 6 through 9, conducted by varsity coach Mark Walsh. Each camp features fundamentals and skill development in layups, shooting, ball handling, dribbling, passing and defense. Cost is $100. Payment is due June 11. For more information, call 412-979-2913 or email markwalsh@mtlsd.net.

BLOOD DRIVES The American Red Cross is coming to town on August 26, hosting blood drives at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Mt. Lebanon Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The drive at Mt. Lebanon Presbyterian will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and St. Paul’s will take place from noon to 5 p.m. During the summer months the demand for blood increases, while donor turnout is typically low, so every pint helps.