For a brief 24 hours some 240 years ago, Lancaster held the title of capital of the American colonies.

Ask Mayor Rick Gray about the day and you may hear him sing, “Capital Day, Capital Day,” part of a song written by a Lancaster resident.

“It’s a fun holiday. It’s something to celebrate,” Gray said.

Today, for the last time, as he winds down his over 12th and final year as mayor, Gray will read a proclamation in support of Capital Day in Penn Square.

“We're proud that Lancaster was capital for a day,” he said.

The old courthouse stood in Penn Square, which is where the Continental Congress met Sept. 27, 1777, during the brief time it called Lancaster its headquarters, according to Robin Sarratt, vice president of LancasterHistory.org.

Congress chose Lancaster to be its headquarters after fleeing Philadelphia, which the British were invading.

“Lancaster was the most logical choice. It was the closest community with any structure,” Sarratt said.

There’s a chair on display at LancasterHistory.org that members of the Congress would have used at the old courthouse.

But the city wasn't large or secure enough to hold Congress safely for a long period of time.

“They left the next day and went across the (Susquehanna) River to York,” Sarratt said. “Having the river between them and the British provided an additional level of safety.”

And while Congress’ time in Lancaster was brief, it was a milestone in the Revolutionary War, she said.

“I think we should take the day off and celebrate as much as possible,” Sarratt said.

City celebrations

City resident Matt Johnson gets the credit for writing the “Capital Day” song.

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Gray and Sarratt both said he also gets the credit for drawing attention to Capital Day.

“He's the king of Capital Day,” Gray said.

The 35-year-old has been organizing Capital Day events in Lancaster since 2008. The persistence of Johnson and his friends led to the mayor’s office’s first official proclamation of Capital Day in 2011.

Today, after Gray's proclamation in Penn Square at 4 p.m., Capital Day revelers can join a celebration organized by Johnson.

It starts with viewing a new exhibit in the city's visitors center that recognizes 300 years of welcoming refugees to Lancaster County.

Called “Here, There is Welcome,” it opened Sept. 22, with a nod to Church World Service's 30th anniversary.

“With everything going on this year, it's an important story to tell,” said Johnson, who teaches at Millersville University and Pennsylvania College of Art and Design.

The celebration will continue at Character's Pub for a “Celebrity Bartending” night, during which tips will go to the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership. Mayoral candidates Danene Sorace and Cindy Stewart, along with Franklin & Marshall College Professor G. Terry Madonna will be the celebrity bartenders.

Last year, between 150 and 200 people attended the Capital Day event Johnson hosted on Lancaster streets and at Tellus360.

“If the Facebook event is any indication, it looks like it will be even more than that this year,” Johnson said.

Johnson said Capital Day is not only about acknowledging Lancaster's history but also about celebrating the city's future.

“It would be kinda silly if it were just to celebrate the 24 hours,” he said. “What's really amazing is celebrating Lancaster's place in the world.”