3-25-2026 7:05pm

Somerset County Kicks Off 250th Anniversary Celebrations at the Olde Mill Inn

Donnella Tilery Editor

Elizabeth Garner, Somerset County Commissioner

On Monday, March 23, 2026, Somerset County leaders, partners, and community members gathered at the historic Olde Mill Inn (Grain House) to officially kick off the County’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The event brought together Commissioner Sara Sooy, Commissioner Elizabeth Graner, Surrogate Bernice “Tina” Jalloh, County Administrator Colleen Mahr, representatives from the Somerset County Business Partnership, the Somerset Patriots, Peter Bromberg, SCLSNJ Library Director, and numerous municipal and community partners.

Commissioner Graner reflected on the years of preparation and the importance of this milestone.

“The Somerset County Commissioners are proud to continue to support the various investments over the last several years to get us to this point. Our history is significant to the birth of our Nation,” she said. “I want to thank our Cultural and Heritage Commissioners and our County staff who have been working so hard for so long to prepare for this moment. Because of them, we are ready to educate and show why Somerset County played a vital role in the American Revolutionary War.”

County Administrator Mahr emphasized the long-term planning and the national significance of Somerset County’s story.

“The planning of this moment has been in the works for the past three years,” she said. “We know what Somerset County’s value in history is to the United States, and now it is time for the world to know how important Somerset County was to forming this great nation.”

The kickoff event marks the beginning of a year filled with programs, partnerships, and community celebrations that highlight Somerset County’s deep Revolutionary War roots and its enduring contributions to American history.