Historians thus far have been unable to verify that when George Washington led the military column that claimed the Forks of the Ohio for the British Crown, he put up a sign that said "You're in Steelers Country" and waved a towel to indicate that the far side of the Allegheny would be an ideal site for sports stadiums.

But it is absolutely verifiable that his commanding officer, John Forbes, named the confluence in honor of William Pitt, whose coat of arms, set against a background of black and gold, was adopted by the city that bears his name, and that color scheme has been adopted by the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. Plus, the place where the Pirates once played and where the NFL franchise played its first game 75 years ago was named Forbes Field, which is now part of the college campus where the Pitt Panthers prowl.

The point is that the story of the city and that of its sports teams are inseparable. And as part of the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh, a three-day fan festival kicks off Friday to commemorate the achievements of Pittsburgh teams and stars through the Federated Investors Parade of Champions at the Senator John Heinz History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

Some of the hardware on display will be five Super Bowl trophies, two World Series trophies and a Pitt collection of championship trophies along with Tony Dorsett's Heisman. Although the Stanley Cup must be in Ottawa for the NHL draft this weekend, Mario Lemieux cleared his mantel and sent along some of his personal items, including the Conn Smythe MVP trophy that accompanied the second of two NHL titles captured by the Penguins. The Hockey Hall of Fame put together four cases of exhibits for the occasion.

In addition, a firmament of all-stars and luminaries -- several dozen in all, from Kurt Angle to Mike Wagner, from Bruno Sammartino to members of the Pittsburgh Passion women's championship football team -- will be on hand to sign autographs. Tributes will also be paid to bygone teams -- a menagerie of Hornets and Condors, plus Grays, Crawfords, Pipers, Triangles, Maulers and Rens (for Renaissance).

"We're a city that doesn't let go of things. And I don't know of any other city that gets as energized by having a team compete for a championship, as we just saw with the Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals," said the eloquent Steve Blass, who pitched the Pirates to a championship in 1971 and is a spokesman for the event.

"This is going to be a nostalgic reunion," he added. "For the 250th anniversary of the city's birth, let's take time out and go back and indulge ourselves with some of the greatest moments in sports history. And, as with all indelible moments, the stories all get better and the stats will improve and the accomplishments will grow over time."

Hours for the event at the history center are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. An adult ticket is $20, or $51 for a three-day pass. A one-day admission for children 12 and under is $12.50, and children under 6 are admitted free. Proceeds go to the Sports Museum and the charities of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins.

For an up-to-the-minute list of celebrities and events, complete with visitors guide and parking and ticket information, go to www.pghhistory.org.

Described as the ultimate fan experience, the Parade of Champions has drawn national attention. In addition to Stan Savran doing "SportsBeat" on FSN at 5:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN will be broadcasting segments of "SportsCenter" on Saturday morning as part of its upcoming series on which city should be known as "TitleTown USA." Beginning at 10 a.m., Merril Hoge will interview Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, all former Steelers, in what is described as "Game Day" setting. Fans are encouraged to help the cause by wearing tailgate fashions, waving their Terrible Towels and chanting the name of their favorite team.

Smallman Street within the vicinity of the museum in the Strip District will be closed to accommodate outside activities through the weekend. Inside the museum, parts of five floors have been set aside for exhibits, video displays and autograph tables.

Here's a sampling of what's available:

• A chance to have a picture taken with the Super Bowl trophies, provided free by Lords International.

• Appearances by 1960 Pirates Bob Friend, Elroy Face and Dick Groat, the National League MVP that year.

• Exhibits on Josh Gibson and the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, two of the most-storied franchises in the Negro National League.

• An author's booth, including Art Rooney Jr.

• Items of a young Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury before they were Penguins.

• Mario Lemieux's Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1985, six Art Ross trophies as NHL scoring leader and three Hart trophies as NHL MVP.

"Sports closely identifies with the ethos and character of our region, starting with high school football on Friday nights," said Sports Museum director Anne Madarasz. "It provides an opportunity to succeed, something to feel good about and a measure of community pride. Our teams bring us together and define us, and we wanted to have this celebration of Pittsburgh sports."