YOU REALLY WANT. TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FIRST STOP. WE’RE AT LEBANON VALLEY AND THIS IS ONE OF 12 LOCATIONS THAT YOU CAN STOP BY AS PART OF AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY FOR THEIR WOODEN TOKEN TRAIL, YOU CAN COLLECT A TOKEN AT FIVE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AMONG 12 THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE FROM. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE STOPS, SO YOU MAY WANT TO STOP BY HERE BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE BELLS THAT IS ACROSS THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. THERE ARE TWO IN LEBANON COUNTY, AND THIS IS ONE THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE. YOU CAN ALSO VISIT WITH LEBANON LILY, OF COURSE, THE MASCOT FOR VISIT LEBANON VALLEY. AND WE ARE JOINED BY NANCY GATES RIGHT NOW TO TELL US ABOUT WHY YOU CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA TO COLLECT ALL OF THESE COINS AND WHAT YOU HOPE PEOPLE WILL GET OUT OF STOPPING AT THE BUSINESSES, HISTORICAL SITES, AND LIBRARIES THAT ARE ALONG THIS TRAIL. THANKS, KATELYN. WE’RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY. VISIT LEBANON VALLEY. WE WANTED A PROGRAM THAT WAS ROOTED IN THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF LEBANON COUNTY, AND A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND GET ACROSS THE COUNTY AND SEE SOME OF THE GREAT HISTORIC SITES. SO THE WOODEN NICKEL TRAIL IS ROOTED IN HISTORY AND STARTED DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WHEN CURRENCY WAS SHORT. SHORTAGE OF THAT. AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THAT HISTORY AND AMERICAN INGENUITY INTO TODAY AS SORT OF A THROWBACK. SO WHICH ONE OF THESE COINS IS FOR VISIT LEBANON VALLEY? SO WE HAVE THE COIN HERE. THAT IS THE AMERICAN FLAG HERE AT LEBANON VALLEY. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE A TO
Visit Lebanon Valley joins America’s 250th celebration with wooden token trail
Updated: 5:24 PM EDT May 13, 2026
Visit Lebanon Valley is one of 12 stops on Lebanon County’s wooden token trail, a community initiative tied to America’s 250th birthday celebration. Visitors can stop at locations across the county to collect tokens, with five different designs available among the 12 participating sites.If you stop by Visit Lebanon Valley, you can see one of the bells that are being featured across Pennsylvania. You can also meet Lebanon Lilly, the mascot for Visit Lebanon Valley.A trail rooted in local historyNancy Gates, of Visit Lebanon Valley, said the idea behind the trail was to create a program grounded in the history and culture of Lebanon County while encouraging people to explore the area’s historic sites.She explained that the wooden nickel concept is inspired by the Great Depression, when currency shortages led to the use of wooden tokens. The trail brings that history and spirit of American ingenuity into the present as a nostalgic throwback.Collecting tokens across the countyAt Visit Lebanon Valley, the featured token displays an American flag. It is one of five different wooden coins that can be collected at stops throughout the county.The trail includes businesses, historical sites and libraries, giving visitors a fun way to experience Lebanon County while learning more about its heritage.We’ll be visiting more stops on the trail and linking them here.
LEBANON, Pa. —
Visit Lebanon Valley is one of 12 stops on Lebanon County’s wooden token trail, a community initiative tied to America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Visitors can stop at locations across the county to collect tokens, with five different designs available among the 12 participating sites.
If you stop by Visit Lebanon Valley, you can see one of the bells that are being featured across Pennsylvania. You can also meet Lebanon Lilly, the mascot for Visit Lebanon Valley.
A trail rooted in local history
Nancy Gates, of Visit Lebanon Valley, said the idea behind the trail was to create a program grounded in the history and culture of Lebanon County while encouraging people to explore the area’s historic sites.
She explained that the wooden nickel concept is inspired by the Great Depression, when currency shortages led to the use of wooden tokens. The trail brings that history and spirit of American ingenuity into the present as a nostalgic throwback.
Collecting tokens across the county
At Visit Lebanon Valley, the featured token displays an American flag. It is one of five different wooden coins that can be collected at stops throughout the county.The trail includes businesses, historical sites and libraries, giving visitors a fun way to experience Lebanon County while learning more about its heritage.
We’ll be visiting more stops on the trail and linking them here.