Nancy Ross DAR Chapter prepares for 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
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To kick off the Nancy Ross DAR chapter’s celebration of next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, several chapter members and guests traveled to the Hancock Co. Courthouse on July 17 to view The American Revolution Experience traveling exhibition. Left to right: Jane Harshman Lewis, Joyce Harshman Dyer, Daisy Heightman, Nathan Heightman, Cheri Myers, Theresa Sidwell and Janice Barton.
In conjunction with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) America250 initiative, the Nancy Ross Chapter of DAR is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States in 2026.
To kick off the chapter’s celebration, several members and guests traveled to the Hancock County Courthouse on July 17 to view The American Revolution Experience traveling exhibition, a collaboration between the DAR and the American Battlefield Trust. The exhibit was in Hancock Co. from July 3-17.
The American Revolution Experience is an innovative pop-up exhibition that includes display panels and interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology and unique artifacts and primary accounts to connect modern audiences with the people and places that shaped the birth of our nation.
The aim of the exhibit, according to a release provided by the Nancy Ross DAR chapter, was to explore how ordinary people’s lives were influenced by the Revolutionary War, presenting the difficult choices they faced between loyalty to the Patriot cause or to the British crown.
Among the Patriots featured in the exhibit is Button Gwinnet, who was born in England but risked his life by signing the Declaration of Independence. Local DAR chapter members found it interesting to discover that one of the British Loyalists was Peggy Shippen Arnold, wife of the infamous Benedict Arnold.
Peggy was a socialite and a spy who played a key role in her husband’s treason to the colonies. Included in the exhibit are twenty individuals with fascinating stories about their roles in the Revolutionary War as well as maps and artifacts.
The exhibit will be traveling to various locations through 2025.
America250 is the nationwide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 led by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission. DAR was the first heritage society to formally partner with America250.
DAR’s agreement with America250 outlines a number of initiatives developed by the DAR to honor Revolutionary War Patriots, engage youth through contests and educational programming, and support efforts to better tell the story of underrepresented and diverse Patriots who helped to win the American War of Independence.
The purpose of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, created by Congress, and the corresponding America250 Foundation, is to catalyze a more perfect union by designing and leading the most comprehensive and inclusive celebration in our country’s history. America250 represents a coalition of public and private partners all working to create initiatives and programs that honor our first 250 years and inspire Americans to imagine our next 250. The commemoration period began in 2020, culminates on July 4, 2026, and officially concludes in 2027. For more information, visit www.america250.org
