All books have an ending but the greats are remembered for the impact of the story they made and the influence that had on people.
The Blount County Friends of the Library recognized several contributors to the community Saturday recognizing both a large donation being put to work supporting the library’s history efforts and honoring a passionate volunteer by attributing her name to a program during its annual meeting at Blount County Public Library.
The Friends and library announced that its program to help local, aspiring or published writers improve their craft would now be known as the Laurie Smalley Writer in Residence program.
“We want to do something very special, a special recognition for a woman who was the consummate volunteer, a good friend of the library always, and a member of our Board of Directors who we lost this past year,” Vandy
Kemp, president of the Friends told the attendees. “Most of you in this room knew her, Laurie Smalley. We’ve asked her daughter, Vanessa, and her husband, Kevin, to be here today. Anjanae Brueland, the deputy director of the library, has a special presentation, a memorial for our dear sweet Laurie today.”
Among the many impacts Smalley left was the effort and time she put into the creation of the library’s writers program. She committed time to researching how such programs could be structured to best serve the community, funded and the process for selecting the writer.
“Laurie was an example of a caring person who was passionate, who showed us to do what your heart loves. She was a Master Gardener, but she was a Master Gardener, not just with plants, but with the people that she worked with. Because she gave us the attention, she gave us time and she put her energy and her focus on us.
We each grew, and we each became stronger,” Brueland said before announcing the
new branding of the program.
Library Director Dustin GoForth took time to explain how a conversation in the coffee shop lead to Sally Gross, a former librarian herself, making a $25,000 donation to the Friends designated for history programs. It was a gift that arrived at a very timely moment as the library was considering its plans for America 250 and was in the process of receiving accepting a large donation of historical volumes. The library will be kicking off HistoryFest on June 20 which will include the placement of a displayed time capsule. Goforth also told the Friends that The Daily Times donation of its bound volumes holding all the printed editions of the paper from 1977 to 2026 will be housed on special
shelving to accommodate the large books with the cost of that new storage covered in the donation.
“As they mentioned, I was a librarian. I was primarily in university libraries, but the collection site was primarily historical, so history has always been important to me,”
MARCUS FITZSIMMONS | THE DAILY TIMES
Vandy Kemp, president of the Blount County Friends of the Library (left), adjusts the microphone for Sally Gross during the group’s annual meeting on Saturday.
MARCUS FITZSIMMONS | THE DAILY TIMES
Vandy Kemp, president of the Blount County Friends of the Library speaks the attendees of the group’s annual meeting on Saturday.
Gross said. “I first drove by this library two months after it opened. I was looking for a place to retire. My husband and I were lucky and I was so impressed with the buildings and the staff. Once we moved, I immediately volunteered, and I worked in the reference department for 12 years primarily doing metadata for the digital collections.”
HISTORYFEST:
The pre-event begins at noon on Saturday, June 20, with a captivating performance of a traditional dance from Blount County’s past in the Dorothy Herron Room. At 1 p.m. HistoryFest begins in the main gallery where attendees
can experience history in the making as Blount County Public Library seals a time capsule for the next 25 years. History Takes Center Stage begins at 1:30 p.m. as historical figures from Blount County’s past will take the stage and discuss life in Blount County as they would have known it. A History of Alcoa begins at 3 p.m. as David Duggan explores how Alcoa became a city. Behind Glass closes the day as participants will step into a venue thrown into turmoil by a mysterious historical figure.
TEACHER BOOK SALE:
The Friends are still accepting items that will be given to teachers who attend
the exclusive teacher’s book sale that offers a chance for a back-to-school restock in the
basement. Visit www.bcfol.org for a list of requested supplies and details on the event.
MARCUS FITZSIMMONS | THE DAILY TIMES
Library Director Dustin Goforth shows a bound volume of The Daily Times that the library received during the annual meeting of the Blount County Friends of the Library on Saturday. A portion of a donation made by Sally Gross will fund the custom storage to shelve the large books.
Heritage Center hosts two 250 events
on June 13 honoring America’s 250th birthday
Christy Martin
Correspondent for The Daily Times
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend hosted events Saturday, June 13, to celebrate America 250 and honor local veterans buried in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Beginning at 10 a.m., the Mary Blount Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution planted a Liberty Tree on the grounds of the Heritage Center. The tree is a Valley Forge elm and is one of three being planted by the Mary Blount Chapter, as well as one of five being planted in the area by the Stephen Holston Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Beginning at 11 a.m.,
the Veterans Heritage Site Foundation hosted a program in the Heritage Center amphitheater titled “Where Freedom Took Root: Patriots of the Great Smoky Mountains.” The program will commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary by highlighting the lives of two
American Revolution veterans buried in the national park: William Hamby, who is buried in Cades Cove, and Henry Bohanon, who is buried in the Greenbrier area.
This marks the fifth year of the event honoring veterans buried in the national park. Former WVLT anchor Alan Williams will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, which will feature historical presentations and reenactors. Art Bohanon will portray Henry Bohanon through reenactment. Lt. Col. Joe Purser will present the life of a Revolutionary War soldier, and a live eagle from the American Eagle Foundation
will make an appearance. The program will also feature additional presentations and performances. Tennessee State Regent Carol Teeters of the Daughters of the American Revolution will offer greetings. Veterans Voices of East Tennessee, an all-veterans choir, will perform, along with a bagpiper.
State Rep. Richard Briggs will present a resolution honoring the Smoky Mountain veterans. Amanda Hart, former digital director for Gray Media, will be recognized for helping launch the effort to locate the graves of veterans buried in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Following the program, a birthday cake celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary will be served.
Historical organizations from across the region will be set up on the grounds of the Heritage Center to provide information about local historical sites and events.
The Liberty Tree dedication, Veterans Heritage Site Foundation program and history exhibits are free and open to the public.
The event is part of the Blount County Tennessee America 250 celebration. For more information about local America 250 events, visit blount250.com. Passports will
be available free of charge at each event and may be stamped to verify attendance.
Participants who attend at least five events listed on the Blount County Tennessee America
250 calendar will be eligible to receive a Tennessee 250 poster and be entered into a drawing for a grand prize at the conclusion of the local America 250 celebration.
Happy Birthday, America!
Today we celebrate the land of freedom, opportunity, and the enduring spirit that unites us all. Wishing our nation a joyful Independence Day filled with pride, gratitude, and hope for the future.
God Bless America!
Blount County Historical Museum’s
Patriot Legacies of Blount County receives state grant
Christy Martin
Correspondent for The Daily Times
The Blount County Historical Museum has received a second grant from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial Commission (America 250) to support publication of a three-year research project documenting Blount County’s
Revolutionary War patriots.
The project, titled “Patriot Legacies of Blount County, Tennessee,” encompasses biographies of approximately 200 Revolutionary War veterans who lived in Blount County.
According to project researcher, writer and museum President Lee Johnson, the effort initially focused only on
veterans who died in Blount County.
“There were so many who lived in Blount County and also left, that had a large influence here, that we felt it important to include others who lived here and moved on, like John and David Craig,” Johnson said.
Researcher and writer Cathy L’Atrelli said many of the county’s earliest settlers eventually relocated as the nation expanded westward.
“Blount County’s early residents lived here through some tumultuous settler times,” L’Atrelli said. “Many of them moved on as areas in the West opened and their
children left. As the parents became older they needed the assistance of their children. They often had no choice but to leave.”
The project is highlighted by an exhibit at the Blount County Historical Museum that was established with a grant from the Mary Blount Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, secured by Brandi Lakins Forrester in 2024. The display identifies the known burial locations, as of 2025, of men recognized in Blount County for contributing to the defeat of the British during the Revolutionary War.
Research for Patriot Legacies of Blount County began in 2023
when Johnson, L’Atrelli and Christy Martin started compiling biographies for the project. The researchers say the work has become a journey through Blount County’s early history and genealogy, as well as the origins of Tennessee and the United States.
The biographies are grouped by cemetery and, in many cases, by churches the veterans helped establish. They also reflect the communities in which the veterans lived throughout the county.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
COURTESY OF CHRISTY MARTIN
Patriot Legacies research and writing team. Christy Martin (from left), Lee Johnson and Cathy L’Altrelli.
The biographies document birth information when available, military service, places of residence, spouses, children and other details found in local, state and national historical records.
Many descendants have participated in the research effort. Linda Kay Baker, a descendant of William Keeble, and Missy Tipton Green, a descendant of William Tipton, contributed biographies.
Patricia Jabloskny wrote the biography of her ancestor James Henry and contributed to the story of John Wilkinson. Robin McKenry Adams assisted with the biography of Samuel McMurray and provided
information that helped document Edward McKenry, a previously unrecognized Revolutionary War veteran with ties to Blount County.
Edward McKenry is not the only newly identified veteran.
L’Atrelli said 20 names were submitted to the national DAR office for approval to be included on the new DAR monument at the courthouse.
Members of the Patriot Legacies research team said the region’s history was profoundly shaped by Revolutionary War veterans and that preserving their stories for future generations is important. The state grant will help fund completion of the project.
The funding will allow the team to work with local author Stanford Johnson, who is handling formatting, editing and publication of the work.
Johnson is the author of the historical fiction novel “Our Little Secret” and co-author, with Richard Way, of “At the Dead Hours of Midnight,” a historical study of the Sevier County Whitecaps. He is overseeing the project’s final stages.
Lee Johnson praised Stanford Johnson as “the necessary person to put all this together, polish it and make it as appealing and as accurate as
possible to readers now and in the future.”
Another member of Blount County’s arts community will contribute to the project as well. Local watercolor artist Chuck Finley will create the cover artwork, which will feature a Virginia militia soldier, representing the most common military service among the men who settled in Blount County.
The project is expected to be completed in late 2026, with publication anticipated shortly afterward. Researchers said they plan to continue studying the era and making additions or corrections even after the first edition is published.
Museum of Appalachia expands Independence Day
Anvil Shoot celebration
Staff Reports
The Museum of Appalachia will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with an expanded two-day Independence Day Anvil Shoot Celebration on July 3 and 4, 2026. Thanks to a grant from the Tennessee State Museum, this marks the first time in the event’s nearly 30-year history that the celebration will span two full days, featuring Revolutionary War living history programming, historical interpretation, and traditional Appalachian demonstrations alongside the Museum’s longtime anvil shoot tradition. At the center of the celebration is the museum’s signature anvil shoot, a rare frontier tradition in which an anvil is launched high into the sky using gunpowder. Once used by pioneers to celebrate holidays, elections, military victories, and other major occasions, anvil shooting has become one of the Museum’s most anticipated annual traditions.
Anvil shoots are scheduled for 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2
p.m. each day.
The expanded celebration will feature a Revolutionary War encampment, militia drills, and historical presentations from reenactors portraying figures such as John Sevier, Henry Knox and David Hall. Guests can experience colonial and pioneer life through demonstrations and hands on activities including blacksmithing, basket making, broom making, leatherworking, quilting, rug hooking, coopering, wood carving, lye soap making, candle dipping, pioneer cooking, wash tub canning, flintknapping, powder horn demonstrations,
MUSEUM OF APPALACHIA
Anvils weighing 150 pounds will be launched into the sky on the Fourth of July at Museum of Appalachia.
storytelling, crosscut sawing, shape note singing, sassafras tea demonstrations and more.
Additional highlights will include a liberty pole raising, colonial seamstress demonstrations, live music, Southern food, a flag procession, and a national bell ringing ceremony commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
“Anvil shooting is one of the most unique and historic traditions preserved at the Museum,” said Lindsey Gallaher, President of the Museum of Appalachia. “There’s something incredibly exciting about seeing and hearing an anvil launched into the sky as part of an
Independence Day celebration, especially in a setting that brings so much early Tennessee and Appalachian history to life. Expanding the event to two days allows us to offer even more demonstrations, reenactors, and living history experiences for families to enjoy.”
Advance tickets are now available at museumofappalachia.org and are discounted through June 22 as part of the Museum’s Early Bird pricing promotion. The event is free for museum members.
This project is supported in part by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
MUSEUM OF APPALACHIA
An anvil is shot into the sky at the Museum of Appalachia during recent festivities.
Heritage Center Historical Museum,
schools build collaboration
Christy Martin
Correspondent for The Daily Times
The Blount County Historical Museum has been working with Blount County Schools through a Community Collaboration Grant funded by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial.
The museum has partnered with the Heritage High School
audio/visual department, led by instructor Mackenzie Sherman, who recently brought students to the museum to learn area history, record video of artifacts of interest and interview museum staff. The next assignment for selected students will be to turn that material into videos the museum can share with the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
COURTESY OF CHRISTY MARTIN
Billy Cupp and Dr. Christy Martin and students stand in front of the America 250 flag donated to the Heritage ROTC by the Blount County Historical Museum.
community, as well as a video introducing the museum.
As part of the collaboration, the museum has also presented America 250 flags to the Air Force ROTC units at Heritage and William Blount high schools and provided local history presentations to Heritage ROTC classes under the direction of Col. Jeff Coggins, as well as to Sherman’s audio/visual classes.
Middle school American history teachers also spent part of a professional development day at the Blount County Historical Museum in February, learning what resources the museum can provide to help teach local history.
Recently, the museum presented America 250 posters to principals at Samuel Everett School of Innovation and Eagleton College and Career Academy, as well as to principals at Carpenters Middle School, Union Grove Middle School and Heritage Middle School. Posters had previously been presented to William Blount and Heritage high schools.
Blount County Historical Museum President Lee Johnson said the museum looks forward to sharing more with students about the county’s history through visits and school presentations.
The museum has been approved to provide volunteer hours for students planning to attend Pellissippi State Community College on the HOPE Scholarship. For more information, email (blountcountyhistoricalmuseum1 @gmail.com] (mailto:blountcountyhistoricalmuseum1 @gmail.com), visit blountcountyhistoricalmuseum.net or call 865-454-4256.
The poster shown in the accompanying images is available for purchase in poster size and 11-by-17 format at the museum. Proceeds from sales are used to fund posters for schools and classrooms.
The Blount County Historical Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
COURTESY OF CHRISTY MARTIN
BCHM president Lee Johnson, Eagleton College and Career Academy principal Mark Dowlen and Dr. Christy Martin Vice President of BCHM stand with the America 250 poster presented to the school.
Maryville College archives to expand digitization
efforts with Tennessee America 250 grant
Maryville College
Maryville College is a recipient of a $12,195 grant for Tennessee America 250 initiatives from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The grant award will be used for the purchase of a book scanner and hiring of a contract archivist to digitize and provide online public access to rare and unique archival material documenting early Tennessee history from the Maryville College Archives.
According to Maryville College Archivist Amy Lundell ’06, the collections to be digitized as part of the project “Voices of an Emerging State: Preserving Tennessee’s Early History for America” include the Rev. Robert Henderson’s letters to Col. Francis Ramsey of Ramsey House in Knoxville (1807-1820); rare early 19th century East Tennessee newspapers (1820s-1850s); locally authored, printed and bound sermons, tracts and proceedings (1813-1833) on religious topics, the War of 1812, Cherokee court cases,
and manumission of slaves; and, if time permits, the Dorothy Horne and Oliver Hamby Ballad Collection of ballads collected in the Tennessee Valley in the 1930s and the scrapbook of Maryville College’s fifth president, Dr. Samuel Tyndale Wilson, which contains numerous newspaper articles and notes from the early to mid-19th century. By digitizing and providing access to these archival collections via the Maryville College Digital Archives, members of the public will be able to learn more about Tennessee’s early religious history, publication history and folk music.
The State of Tennessee made available funding to be administered by the Tennessee State Museum, on behalf of the commission to support statewide America 250 activities.
The second round of the Tennessee America 250 grant program was a highly competitive process. In total, the Commission received 365 applications, totaling $6,364,017 in requests. The Commission has made full or partial awards
for 194 grants across the state, representing 73 counties, for a total of $2,267,058 awarded. A complete list of secondround Tennessee America 250 grantees, counties and amounts is posted at www. tn250.com.
“I am inspired by the excitement across the state to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Ashley Howell, executive director of the Tennessee State Museum and chair of the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. “This year will be filled with exhibitions, programs, festivals, and preservation of our local and state history. We hope
that these projects inspire Tennesseans across the state to engage with the anniversary in 2026.”
“To be able to be involved with the celebration of our country’s 250th through this project is an exciting prospect,” Lundell said. “The heart of the mission of the Maryville College Archives is to preserve and provide access to the history of Maryville College.
“I am thankful to the Tennessee America 250 grant program for choosing to fully fund our project of digitizing some of our earliest archival material,” she continued. “This grant allows us to purchase a much-needed book
scanner and provide access to fascinating collections that we wouldn’t have been able to digitize for quite some time. Our project will allow us to share the ideas, beliefs, interests and daily life of the men and women of East Tennessee’s early years to all Tennesseans and the world
beyond.
The Tennessee America 250 Project Support Grants and Community Support Grants had maximum request amounts of $20,000 and $25,000, respectively. All projects funded in the second round must be completed by April 30, 2027.
EXPERIENCETHEPOWEROFTWO!
Children’s Museum hosts America 250
family event
Staff Reports
To celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial, the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge hosted a Hands-On History Day on June 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Families celebrated America 250 at the Children’s Museum with a day of hands-on activities, demonstrations, and living-history experiences for the whole family. Throughout the Museum and gardens, visitors explored colonialera skills, met reenactors, and enjoyed make-and-take crafts inspired by 18th century American life.
Other activities included planting a kitchen herb garden, trying natural fabric dyeing and enjoying bubbles in the garden. Inside, guests churned butter, made cartridges, wrote with a quill and pen, weaved on a collaborative loom and experimented with quilling, printmaking and invisible ink. Kids built a Durham boat model, decorated Revolutionary War paper dolls and followed cipher clues posted around the Museum to
decode a secret message for a prize.
The day will also featured black-powder demonstrations, herbal and home-remedy demonstrations, colonial school lessons, historical reenactors throughout the galleries and gym and live violin music. This event is sponsored by Consolidated Nuclear Security.
This event was included with museum admission: $10 for adults, $9 for veterans, $8 for children ages 2–17, $5 for seniors (62+), and $5 for educators with a school ID. Children 1 and younger, museum members, and Museums for All participants receive free admission.
As a Blue Star Museums participant, active-duty military personnel and their immediate family members enjoy free admission to the Children’s Museum through Labor Day. The Children’s Museum, which provides children and families with opportunities for learning through play, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 to 4 pm. It is located at
461 Outer Drive, Oak Ridge. For more information, visit childrensmuseumofoakridge. org/ or call 865-482-1074.
COURTESY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF OAK RIDGE
Hands-on History Day will feature black-powder demonstrations, herbal and home-remedy demonstrations, colonial school lessons, historical reenactors throughout the galleries and gym, and live violin music.
Patriotism on display at
Liberty Tree dedication
Hugh Willett
Special to The News-Herald
Rainy weather didn’t dampen the spirit of patriotism at the Liberty Tree dedication ceremony presented by local chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution at the Loudon County Courthouse on May 23.
Chapter members, dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms, dedicated a maple tree on the courthouse lawn as a tribute to the original Liberty Tree that served as a gathering point for patriots in Boston during the
years before the revolution.
The dedication ceremony was planned for the lawn of the courthouse but had to be relocated to the main courtroom inside due to weather.
The tree is a living symbol of the spirit of patriotism that inspired the American Revolution, according to Joel Davenport Trustee and Past President of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Davenport said he hopes the organization’s goal of planting hundreds of trees
across the state and nation will inspire future generations of Americans.
“It’s important to tell our children and grandchildren what this country is all about,” he said.
City of Loudon Mayor
Jeff Harris said the tree is a reminder that patriotism is an obligation we all share.
“A tree needs deep roots, constant care and sunlight. We must water the tree of liberty whenever we vote,” Harris said.
Loudon County Mayor Buddy Bradshaw said he’s amazed at what our country has grown into following the hard work and sacrifices of our founding fathers.
“It’s up to each one of us to appreciate what we have,” Bradshaw said.
Tennessee has 44 of 95 counties named after patriots and also some cities, including Lenoir City, said melody Gentry, Regent for General William Lenoir Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. General Lenoir fought in the American Revolution, she said.
Featured speaker State Senator and former Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally said symbols are an important part of ensuring that the passage of time does not obscure the memory of the past.
Organizations such as the Sons and Daughters of the Revolution are helping to fight the collective amnesia about our history by reminding us of our heritage and shared
COURTESY OF HUGH WILLETT
Robin Greer (left), Pauls Eastes, center, and Katherine Eastes, (right) of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution prepare to dedicate the Liberty Tree on the lawn of the Loudon County Courthouse Saturday.
COURTESY OF HUGH WILLETT
The Color Guard of the TNSSAR demonstrate salute with black powder muskets at the dedication of the Liberty Tree at the loudon County Courthouse Saturday.
history, he said.
Lloyd Donnelly, Veterans Committee Chair, Stephen Holston Chapter, TNSSAR, one of the organizers of the event presented a wreath honoring American veterans.
Loudon County Historian Darrell Tuck provided a more detailed history of the original Liberty Tree, a towering American Elm planted about 1646 near Boston Common. He said that following the passage of the Stamp Act in 1765 angry colonists began holding meetings under the tree.
As the colonists moved closer to war the tree was sometimes the site of violent attacks on local tax collectors.
The British cut the tree down in August of 1775, just a few months after the battle of Lexington and Concord sparked the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Despite gentle rainfall, the ceremony moved outside for a demonstration by members of the TNSSAR of the manual of arms and execution of a salute using the black powder muskets carried by the reenactors.
A stone marker was unveiled near the small maple tree on the Cedar Street side of the courthouse lawn. Sherrell Greene of the TNSSAR led a prayer of dedication to conclude the ceremony.
COURTESY OF HUGH WILLETT
Sherrell Greene of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution leads a prayer of dedication at a plaque in front of a small maple tree designated as the Liberty Tree on the lawn of the Loudon County Courthouse Saturday.
How to celebrate and commemorate
America’s semiquincentennial
Commemorations of America’s national history are part of annual celebrations of American independence that take place each year on July 4, which marks the anniversary of the nation’s birth. Those celebrations have a reputation for being particularly festive and tend to be capped off by awe-inspiring fireworks displays once the sun sets on the Fourth of July.
The liveliness of annual celebrations of American independence figures to be taken up a notch in 2026, when the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial. Two hundred and fifty years of nationhood warrants a particularly jovial celebration, and there are many ways Americans can commemorate and celebrate the nation on this momentous occasion.
Support a local historical society.
Local historical societies have played a vital role in preserving United States history, and many of those who work in support of these organizations do so on a volunteer basis. Expressions of support for local historical societies can go a long way toward helping them continue to fulfill their missions. Financial donations, letters to state and local political officials urging increased funding for historical societies, visits to local historical sites, and even volunteering to help organizations fulfill their missions are a handful of ways to ensure these groups can continue to make invaluable contributions to their communities and the nation.
Volunteer with local government.
Pitching in to help local government organizations planning semiquincentennial celebrations is another great way to honor America’s two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. The days and weeks surrounding July 4 will likely be filled with anniversary-related events and celebrations, but many communities also plan to commemorate the semiquincentennial throughout 2026, providing plenty of opportunities for volunteers of all ages to lend a hand.
Help digitize archival materials.
The modern world is accustomed to digital files and instant access to information, but the vast majority of records pertaining to American history and accounts of Americans’ personal experiences remain preserved on paper. Photos and documents wear down over time, and American archivists face an uphill battle as they work to digitize records for the purpose of long-term preservation. Anyone who wants to lend a hand and help to preserve local and national history can speak with a local library or university librarian about what’s being done to digitize historical accounts and records and offer to lend a hand with such efforts. If no such efforts are currently being undertaken in your community, offer to spearhead a digitalization project and recruit others to participate.
America’s semiquincentennial is a big deal, and there’s much residents of the United States can do to take an active role in the celebration and commemoration of the nation’s history.
Explore the country.
Travel presents another great way to celebrate the nation on its two hundred and fiftieth birthday. The United States is a vast nation with many unique subcultures and local customs, not to mention countless locales that have featured prominently in American history. When planning vacations in 2026, resolve to stay within U.S. borders and seek ways to learn about the nation’s history during your travels.
Fun Facts
about some of the colonies that formed the U.S.
It’s been 250 years since the 13 colonies joined to form the United States of America, but those 13 territories continue to feature prominently throughout the country each and every day. That’s because the 13 stripes on the American flag represent the original 13 colonies.
The American flag serves as a visible reminder of the 13 colonies, and that’s not the only interesting fact about the territories that would become the United States of America.
There was a constitution that predates the United States Constitution.
ConnecticutHistory.org notes that the Connecticut Colony had a framework for government by the mid-seventeenth century not unlike the one that would be spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were adopted in 1639 and are considered the first written constitution in America. Roger Ludlow of Windsor is believed to have drafted the Fundamental Orders, which consisted of a preamble and 11 orders (or laws) and mirrored trading company charters common at the time. Notably, the Orders did not reference the authority of the crown.
A debt sparked the founding of Pennsylvania.
After the restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660, Charles II of England took the throne. Money was tight at the time, so Sir William Penn, a British admiral, funded the rebuilding of the Royal Navy out of his own pocket. Charles II was petitioned for repayment by Sir William’s son, also named William Penn, twenty years later. But the younger Penn, who had become a Quaker by this point, requested land in lieu of funds, with a goal toward establishing a place where religious tolerance was rule. The king granted the younger Penn’s request in 1681, and decreed that the territory granted to Penn be named after his father. Thus, Pennsylvania got its name.
Colonial New Jersey was home to a notable rift in a famous family.
Benjamin Franklin was among the most renowned and recognizable of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and his commitment to the ideals of the burgeoning nation did not waver even when the conflict that became the American Revolutionary War divided his family. William Franklin was a son Benjamin fathered outside his common-law marriage to Deborah Read. Though William was raised by his father and Read, father and son did not see eye-toeye on every issue, including the war. William, in fact, served as the thirteenth and final Colonial Governor of New Jersey, and remained a steadfast loyalist throughout the conflict. The prospects of victory were looking dim for loyalists by 1781, and William departed for England in 1782, never to return to New Jersey or the infant nation it became a part of. Curiously, William’s own son from an extra-marital relationship, William Temple Franklin, sided with his grandfather during the conflict, and even served Benjamin Franklin while the latter negotiated a pivotal alliance between America and France.
Rent was cheap in New Hampshire by the mid-eighteenth century.
The colony of New Hampshire was so sparsely populated by the end of the French and Indian War in 1762 that Governor Benning Wentworth came up with a unique way to entice people to move to what’s now known as the Granite State. According to History.com, Wentworth recruited settlers by offering one-acre lots that required annual rental payments of just a single ear of Indian corn payable on December 25.
Drop off this coloring page to be displayed at a participating sponsor’s business.
An enduring, ever-evolving symbol of
Thefreedom
American flag has been recognized across the globe as a symbol of freedom for centuries. The Stars and Stripes is recognizable to billions of people worldwide, but the flag has undergone many changes since the United States gained its independence from Great Britain. According to the National Flag Foundation, the national flag of the United States has been revised 27 times since American colonists fought for and won independence from British rule. Of course, many of those changes occurred when a new state or new states were added to the union. Each time a new state joined the union, the flag would have to be adjusted with the addition of an extra star. The 1777 flag included a star for each of the 13 colonies that eventually became one of the initial 13 states, but the modern flag now features 50 stars as representative of the 50 states. Though the flag certainly underwent many changes since the nation’s inception, the NFF notes the current flag has remained unchanged since 1960, when the 50-star version was officially adopted on July 4 in recognition of Hawaii becoming the fiftieth state in 1959.
Notable facts about the land of the free
The United States of America is often characterized as “the land of the free,” a characterization that serves as a feather in the cap of the nation that will celebrate its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary in 2026. Upon hearing the phrase “land of the free,” it’s understandable if thoughts immediately go to protected rights like freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. But what about the “land” in the land of free? As Americans prepare to celebrate their nation’s semiquincentennial, recognition of various geographical features of the land of the free can underscore why the United States of America is such a unique place to call home.
The tallest mountain in the world is in America.
Climbers who train for years in the hopes of one day making their way up Mount Everest might be surprised to learn the mountain located on the border between Koshi Province, Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region is not, in fact, the world’s tallest mountain. While Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, the world’s tallest mountain is Mauna Kea, which is in the Hawaiian islands. According to the American Geography Portal, when measured from its base on the sea floor to its summit, Mauna Kea is more than 32,000 feet tall, topping Mount Everest by a few thousand feet.
Alaska’s location makes it a particularly unique place in the land of the free.
It may surprise no one to learn that Alaska features the northernmost point in all of the United States. But it may raise an eyebrow or two to learn that The Last Frontier contains both the easternmost and westernmost points in the country. The Prime Meridian is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into the eastern and western hemispheres. According to The State of Alaska, the westernmost point in the state, and thus the entire country, is Amatignak Island. Seventy miles away and still in Alaska, but on the other side of the meridian and thus technically in the eastern hemisphere, sits Pochnoi Point on Semisopochnoi Island, which is the easternmost point in the country.
Oregon is home to one of the world’s
deepest lakes.
With a depth of approximately 1,950 feet, Crater Lake in south-central Oregon is the eleventh deepest lake in the world and the second deepest lake in North America. The National Park Service notes that Crater Lake, fed by rain and snow, is among the most pristine lakes on Earth, making it a popular destination for artists, photographers and sightseers.
You end up in the “same” place no matter which direction you go when departing Stamford, Connecticut.
Located in southwestern Connecticut, Stamford is in a notably unique geographic location. If you travel due east, due west, due south, or due north when departing Stamford, you will end up entering the same state: New York. This is the only place in all of the United States where traveling along the four compass points will leave you in the same place no matter the direction you choose.
A nation gets a name
September 9, 1776, may not be the first date Americans think of when pondering their nation’s history, but it’s a significant day nonetheless. According to the National Constitution Center, on September 9, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted a new name for a collective of colonies that had been referred to as the “United Colonies.” The name chosen on that day in late summer 1776, the United States of America, has endured. While the opening sentence of the Declaration of Independence, which was issued on July 4, 1776, refers to the “thirteen united States of America,” it was a little more than two months later when the Congress passed a series of resolutions, including one in which it replaced “United Colonies” with “United States” as the fledgling nation’s new name.
Who Said It ?
“Within
A. Patrick Henry
B. Benjamin Franklin
C. Ralph Waldo Emerson
D. Thomas Paine
E. Herbert Hoover
1. I was born in Virginia on April 28, 1758. I am the last Founding Father to serve as a president as well as the last president of the Virginia dynasty. Wildly popular, I won my second term almost unopposed, and I am known for my stable leadership.
2. I was born in Virginia on February 9, 1773 and went on to become the ninth president of the United States. Mine is known as the shortest presidency in United States history, despite the longest inauguration speech. I was commander in chief for just over 30 days.
3. I was born in Texas on October 14, 1890. I am known for my command of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, and later for my two terms as President of the United States. During my presidency, I focused on maintaining peace and prosperity through a strong military and alliances.
4. I was born in Virginia on February 22, 1732. I became the commander of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War. I was later instrumental in a movement against the oppression of the American colonists by the British Crown, and became commander in chief of the Continental Army.
1. James Monroe 2. William Henry Harrison
3. Dwight D. Eisenhower 4. George Washington
If only Hamilton had spellcheck
Alexander Hamilton’s legacy rose to new heights in the twentyfirst century, a remarkable feat given that the Founding Father passed away in 1804. The debut of the Broadway musical Hamilton in 2015 reinvigorated interest in the American statesman, but even the most ardent fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wildly popular play may not realize that Alexander Hamilton made a notable “mistake” that has endured through the centuries. A careful reading of the United States Constitution reveals that the home state of each delegate is listed alongside his name. The names of the delegates’ states were written into the document by Alexander Hamilton. Benjamin Franklin was the Pennsylvania delegate at the time, and when writing the state Franklin represented next to his name, Hamilton spelled it “Pensylvania.” That spelling notably contains two “Ns” and not the three in the modern spelling of the state’s name used today. But before Americans point a finger at the Founding Father for misspelling the name, it’s worth noting that Hamilton was not necessarily incorrect. Indeed, it was considered acceptable to spell “Pennsylvania” with two or three Ns in the late eighteenth century. Alas, modern readers of the Constitution cannot be blamed for wishing spellcheck had been around when the United States became a nation.
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world
An act of the United States Congress approved in 1800 continues to have an impact even today, when it’s still paying dividends for lawmakers, librarians, scholars, and the general public. As Congress prepared to move the national government from Philadelphia to Washington in 1800, founding father and then-President of the United States John Adams approved an act allocating $5,000 for books to be used by Congressmen. Thus marked the beginning of what is now known as the Library of Congress, which has since become the largest library in the world as well as the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. In
1802, President Adams’s successor, Thomas Jefferson, made the job of Librarian of Congress a presidential appointment, and it remains so today.
The Library of Congress continually adds to its collection, which currently consists of millions of books in roughly 470 languages.
An Era before presidential campaigns
Election Day is an annual event in the United States, and it’s one that generates particular excitement when presidential elections are held every four years.
The months and even years before a presidential election are typically marked by extensive campaigning by candidates hoping to be voted into the Oval Office, but the first man to serve as President of the United States never actually campaigned. George Washington served two terms as American president, but the Commanderin-Chief of the Continental Army was chosen each time by the electoral college despite never campaigning for the job. According to the Miller Center at the University of Virginia, the political campaigns modern voters know well did not exist in 1788.
Despite the lack of campaigning, Washington was the electoral college’s unanimous choice for president in 1789, a feat he repeated in 1792.
Historic locales across the United States
Americans will celebrate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States in 2026. A semiquincentennial is a notable anniversary, and there’s been no shortage of noteworthy events throughout United States history. The places where many of those events took place have been preserved by local and national historical societies, and visiting such sites can make for a great way to gain a greater understanding of American history. The National Trust for Historic Preservation® works to maintain and revitalize historic sites, and that boasts a number of benefits. History buffs may insist there’s no experience quite like visiting a historic site and feeling an immediate connection to past eras and peoples. And such sites also provide a boost to local economies while helping to establish a shared sense of civic duty and belonging, which ultimately helps to build strong communities. With so much to gain from visiting historic locales, those celebrating 250 years of the United States can visit any of these sites across the country to bolster those celebrations.
• Historic Rural Schoolhouses of Montana, Montana:
The National Trust notes that each of Montana’s 56 counties still features at least one rural schoolhouse, many of which are one- or two-room buildings where generations of school-aged children were educated. A visit to one of these schoolhouses provides incredible context to what life in the state of Montana was like in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Ellis Island National Monument, New York, New York:
The National Trust reports Ellis Island in New York Harbor accommodated more than 12 million immigrants seeking new opportunities in the United States. Perhaps the most telling figure regarding the influence of Ellis Island concerns how many current Americans can trace their ancestry to immigrants who were processed at this globally recognized landmark. The National Trust estimates that at least 40 percent of Americans have an ancestor processed at Ellis Island.
• Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Detroit, Michigan:
America has long had a love affair with automobiles, so any tour of historical sites in the United States should include a trip to the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant. The birthplace of the Model T, the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is among the most significant automotive heritage sites across the globe. The museum features more than 65 rare vehicles and enough original automotive artifacts to impress anyone interested in an industry that helped to reinvent the United States and even the world.
• Blandwood Museum, Greensboro, North Carolina:
Designed in 1844 by New York architect Alexander Jackson Davis, Blandwood is America’s oldest Italianate-style house and museum. John Motley Morehead was the twenty-ninth governor of North Carolina and owner of the house, which was where North Carolina was surrendered during the Civil War, thus ending the conflict in the state. Human rights activist Dorothea Dix was among the many who visited Blandwood over the years, and Dix convinced Governor Morehead to fund a state hospital for people with mental illness.
• Cozens Ranch Museum, Fraser, Colorado:
History buffs with a passion for the era of the pioneers will want to add Cozens Ranch Museum to their travel bucket list. The Grand County Historical Association notes that former Central City sheriff William Zane Cozens moved to the Fraser Valley with his family in 1874 and soon set to building a residence, among other structures. Countless weary travelers who made it through the Berthoud Pass in the nineteenth century visited Cozens Ranch over the years, making this is a must-visit site for those looking to experience a taste of pioneering life during a much romanticized era in American history.
John Tyler
John Tyler’s visage might not have survived on American currency the way images of various figures from America’s early history have, but the tenth president of the United States did manage to remain newsworthy well into the twenty-first century. Tyler, who was born in 1790 and served as President of the United States from 1841 to 1845, was a father of 15. Despite passing away in January 1862, less than a year after the start of the American Civil War, Tyler still had a living grandson at the start of 2025. Harrison Ruffin Tyler, who passed away on May 25, 2025, at the age of 96, was the last surviving grandchild of President Tyler. That means the period from President Tyler’s birth in 1790 until the death of his last surviving grandchild spanned nearly a quarter of a millennium.
Camels have a unique place in American history
Jefferson Davis’s name is inextricably linked to the American Civil War, during which the politician who represented Mississippi in the United States Senate served as president of the Confederate States. But Davis’s influence on the United States predated the nation’s civil war, and he even played a notable role in one of the more unique events in American military history. While serving as Secretary of War in 1855, Davis ordered Brevet Major Henry C. Wayne to arrange for the importation of camels to be used for military purposes. Davis had urged Congress to establish a United States Army Camel Corps. for years, and even formally introduced measures to establish such a unit in the early 1850s, efforts that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Though few might associate camels with the United States, Davis’s campaign to bring camels into the
American military fold was not as eccentric as it might seem in modern times. According to the Army University Press, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, which officially ended the Mexican-American War upon its signing in 1848, added more than half a million square miles of land to the United States, a significant portion of which included desert lands in what is now the American southwest. The discovery of gold in California around this same time also increased traffic in this new region of the country, which remained dangerous even after the signing of the treaty. Advocates of a camel corps insisted the animals would allow the U.S. Army, tasked with keeping the region safe, to do their job more effectively. Though the camel experiment ultimately failed due to a number of variables, it remains a unique and lesser known event in American military history.
