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A history of the historians Warren County women trace, embrace community’s past

BY LAURA RUBY

The Northern Virginia Daily

The Warren Heritage Society’s archives have been cultivated and curated by the hands of many women over the years.

As Warren County celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with a series of festivals and events, these women – past and present — have quietly preserved the community’s history for future generations.

“The large majority of our reference material was written and collected by women,” said Hannah Fletcher-Perez, the Heritage Society’s museum and archives manager. “Our original archive was Laura Virginia Hale’s lifelong collection of research on Warren County.

Women are the major contributors to those records.”

Along with Hale, the archiveÅs were built with significant contributions from Rebecca Good, Mary Morris and, more recently, Judy Pfeiffer and Jan Long, Fletcher-Perez said.

“Women were the ones who took it and ran with it,” added Liz Rishel, executive director of the Heritage Society.

“Their fingerprints are on everything, essentially. I’m certain that’s probably common in a lot of places. It tended to be women who were part of the historical associations. I think they just made it a priority.”

Some of the most valuable source material from the Civil War era can be found in diaries written by women of the town, said Pfeiffer, a former archivist and current volunteer at the Heritage Society’s Laura Virginia Hale Archives.

She recalled an excerpt from a Buck family diary that described the untimely death of a son.

Judy Pfeiffer “He was young.

He was handsome. He was dashing.

She said he would dash up to the style on his stallion. They never thought he’d die,” Pfeiffer said. “And he’s lying in state up at Bel Aire and she says, ‘When the wind came through the window, it moved his hair and it looked as if he was still among the living.’ Those things, you’re only going to find in a woman’s diary.”

Those diaries contain details about occupations and wartime life, deaths

Rich Cooley/NVDaily

Hannah Fletcher-Perez, museum and archives manager for the Warren Heritage Society, shows a November 1997 news clipping from the Northern Virginia Daily when the county paid tribute to Hilda J. Barbour for her work as an educator for Warren County Public Schools. Barbour passed away in 2001 and Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School was built in 1998. of local soldiers and the mourning that followed, said Pfeiffer, who served as both assistant and head archivist at the nonprofit and helped to organize archive materials.

Long, a longtime board memJan Long ber and volunteer who worked a brief stint as an assistant archivist, was also part of that organizational effort in the early 200s.

The women say they love discovering new information and putting pieces together — and encourage folks visiting the archives to keep records of their own lives.

“People come in and say, ‘it’s all up here’,” Long said, pointing to her temple. “I tell them, you better write it down.”

Fletcher-Perez said that she relies on collections created by Hale and Good and is considering creating a Pfeiffer collection “because Judy is always doing research. She always has something that she needs to find out.

She’s always looking into the stories that previous researchers may not have looked into. It’s the stories that nobody really knows about and she dedicates so much time solving these mysteries and helping out with other community members.”

For instance, Pfeiffer has recently been researching the history of the Mountain Home Bed and Breakfast property on Remount Road for owners Lisa and Scott Jenkins.

Pfeiffer also recently hosted a talk about how to do research in the county’s circuit court records, said Fletcher-Perez.

“She’s always helpful with people who come in and don’t know where to start. She knows where to start,” Fletcher-Perez said.

The foundation Born in 1911, Laura Virginia Hale moved to Lee Street in Front Royal with her family at the age of 7. Stricken with polio as a child, she lost full use of her body.

While she had physical limitations, Hale was tutored as a child and was an avid reader and lover of history. Noting that she participated in many essay writing contests, Hale is quoted as saying “I got discouraged once and told my mother I was going to give up. No, she said. One of the rules in this house is, as you know, you don’t start anything you don’t finish. We weren’t quitters.”

A member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Hale used an adapted phone system and a series of different sized sticks to work in her home office. She was instrumental in the construction of the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum in 1954, located along the Heritage Society grounds on Chester Street.

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Hale wrote prolifically, publishing many books and newspaper articles on local history. She died in 1987 after a recurrent bout of polio. She donated 57 years of research materials and notes to the Heritage Society.

Born in 1921, Rebecca Compton Henson Good was a charter member of the Heritage Society and instrumental in establishing the archives.

She became a national board certified professional genealogist at age 50.

“She was doing genealogy work for people all around the country, not just in Warren County. They would come to her because they knew she was a professional genealogist and she could figure it out,” said Fletcher-Perez, adding that a large portion of the archives’ genealogy collection originated with Good.

Her records, which include families from Warren and surrounding counties, serve as primary genealogy sources, said Fletcher-Perez, noting that Good was also an author.

In addition to genealogy books, Good published a series of stories during America’s bicentennial that were focused on some facet of life in the Shenandoah Valley during the American Revolution or provided a biography of a local revolutionary soldier.

She also wrote the pageant for the inaugural Festival of Leaves event. Good died in 2000.

The first curator of the archives, when it was moved from the Heritage Society’s Ivy Lodge to its current location behind the Belle Boyd cottage in the late 1980, was Mary Morris.

According to a Northern Virginia Daily article from that time, Morris’s goal was to put the archive inventory on computers with cross references.

“We’ve got pictures, maps, family Bibles, some audiotapes, newspapers and newspaper articles.

We’ll take anything people want to donate,” Morris said, emphasizing the importance of preserving the community’s history.

She is quoted in the article as saying that the ar-

Courtesy Photo

Laura Virginia Hale was a researcher and author who donated 57 years of research materials and notes to the Heritage Society upon her death.

Courtesy Photo

A professional genealogist, Rebecca Good was a charter member of the Warren Heritage Society and instrumental in establishing the organization’s archives.

chives are not “for my generation or for my parent’s generation. If we don’t have a background in this rootless age, the children will be more lost than they are. I’d like to see the archives full of things kids can use for school. When they get an assignment on Warren County history, they can come to the archives.”

Fletcher-Perez said that aspiration has come to fruition.

This spring, the archives worked with fourth graders in the county’s gifted and talented program,

many of whom relied upon research done by Warren women decades ago.

Research hours at the archives, located at 101 Chester St., Front Royal, are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the last Thursday or each month.

For more information, visit warrenheritagesociety.org or call 540-636-1446.

— Contact Laura Ruby at lruby@nvdaily.com

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The Symbols of America Official National Symbols American Flag The American flag is perhaps the nation’s most recognizable symbol, representing unity, sacrifice and freedom. Its 13 stripes honor the original colonies that declared independence from Great Britain, while its 50 stars symbolize the states that now make up the Union. From battlefields to classrooms, from the moon landing to moments of national mourning, the flag has served as a powerful reminder of both the country’s ideals and the sacrifices made to defend them.

Bald Eagle Chosen as the national emblem in 1782, the bald eagle symbolizes strength, courage and freedom.

Found only in North America, the eagle’s soaring flight and commanding presence made it a fitting image for a young nation determined to chart its own course. Though once endangered, the bald eagle’s recovery through conservation efforts also reflects America’s growing commitment to protecting its natural heritage.

American Bison

The Statue of Liberty Gifted to the United States by France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty stands as a global symbol of freedom and democracy. For millions of immigrants arriving through New York Harbor, “Lady Liberty” represented hope and opportunity in a new land. Her torch, held high above the harbor, continues to symbolize the promise of liberty and the enduring belief that America is a place where people can pursue a better future.

amid diversity.

The Star-Spangled Banner

The American bison became the national mammal in 2016, recognizing its deep connection to the nation’s history, ecology and Native American cultures. Once numbering in the tens of millions across the Great Plains, the bison helped sustain Indigenous peoples and shaped the landscape of the American West. Its near extinction in the 19th century and later recovery symbolize both the consequences of unchecked expansion and the power of conservation.

Written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, “The Star-Spangled Banner” became the national anthem in 1931. Inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying after the bombardment of Fort McHenry, the song captures themes of resilience and patriotism. It is performed at sporting events, ceremonies and national observances, uniting Americans in moments of celebration and remembrance.

Great Seal of the United States

The Rose

The Great Seal appears on official government documents, passports and the one-dollar bill, representing the sovereignty and ideals of the nation. The bald eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch symbolizes America’s desire for peace while remaining prepared to defend itself. The shield represents the unity of the states, while the motto “E Pluribus Unum” reflects the idea that many states and peoples form one nation.

The rose was designated the national flower in 1986 and symbolizes beauty, love and resilience. Roses have appeared in American gardens, ceremonies and traditions for generations. Their wide variety of colors and meanings reflects the diversity and spirit of the American people.

“In God We Trust” Adopted as the national motto in 1956, “In God We Trust” reflects the role faith has played in the nation’s history and culture. The phrase appears on U.S. currency and in many public institutions.

Though interpretations vary among Americans of different beliefs, the motto represents the idea that moral principles and spiritual values have long influenced public life in the United States.

“E Pluribus Unum” Latin for “Out of many, one,” “E Pluribus Unum” has symbolized American unity since the nation’s founding. Originally referring to the joining of the 13 colonies into one nation, the phrase has come to represent the blending of diverse peoples, cultures and backgrounds into a shared national identity. It reflects the ongoing American experiment of unity

to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s Charter of Privileges, it became associated with the ideals of the American Revolution.

Its famous crack only added to its legend, and abolitionists later embraced the bell as a symbol of the fight against slavery and for civil rights.

Uncle Sam Uncle Sam emerged during the War of 1812 and evolved into the personification of the United States government and the American people. Often depicted in a star-spangled top hat pointing directly at the viewer, Uncle Sam became especially famous through military recruitment posters during World Wars I and II. The image represents patriotism, national duty and the idea that citizens themselves are part of the nation’s strength.

The Minuteman The Minutemen were colonial militia members prepared to fight at a moment’s notice during the American Revolution. Their actions at Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. As symbols, the Minutemen represent ordinary citizens stepping forward to defend liberty and selfgovernment.

The Liberty Bell

The Oak Tree Named the national tree in 2004, the oak represents strength, endurance and stability. Oaks have long played an important role in American history, from providing timber for ships and homes to serving as landmarks in communities across the nation. Their deep roots and long lifespan make them fitting symbols for a country that values perseverance and growth.

Symbols of Freedom & Democracy Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell, housed in Philadelphia, has become one of the nation’s enduring symbols of independence and equality. Though originally cast

Symbols of American Government The White House The White House has served as the residence and workplace of every U.S. president except George Washington. More than simply a home, it symbolizes the executive branch of government and the continuity of American democracy.

Through wars, economic crises and celebrations, the White House has remained a visible reminder

The information on the pages about “The Symbols of America” was created by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

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AMERICA AT 250

Harrisonburg, Va.

Daniel Morgan The frontiersman who helped win a revolution RIGHT: This portrait of Daniel Morgan was painted by artist Charles Willson Peale. Morgan, who lived in Winchester, Virginia, scored a decisive victory for the Continental Army at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina, a turning point in the American Revolution that helped to win the country’s independence from Great Britain.

By BRIAN BREHM The Winchester Star

F

rom a strategic standpoint, Winchester played a very minor role in the American Revolution. With most of the fighting between the colonists and the British taking place north and south of the city, Winchester was mainly used as a place to keep British, Hessian and Scottish prisoners of war.

But the war for America’s independence could not have been won if it hadn’t been for Winchester.

That’s because the city was the training ground for two young men who would later become national heroes: George Washington and Daniel Morgan.

You’ve heard about Washington, of course. Before becoming commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and serving as our nation’s first president, he made Winchester his home for a decade, beginning in 1748 at age 16. During that time, he helped to survey the city on behalf of wealthy landowner Thomas, Sixth Lord Fairfax, was elected to his first political office in the Virginia House of Burgesses, became a colonel in the Virginia Militia, and oversaw the construction of Fort Loudoun to protect Winchester during the French and Indian War — all of which he accomplished before his 26th birthday.

Morgan never reached Washington’s level of fame, but what he lacked in name recognition, he made up for with sheer chutzpah. He was a farm laborer with a rebellious streak who hated the British army, survived wounds that would have killed other people, quit the Continental Army because he felt his contributions were not being sufficiently recognized, and, after rejoining the army, turned the tide of the Revolutionary War in America’s favor with some brilliant military tactics in South Carolina.

Morgan was born on July 6, 1736, in Hunterdon

Painting by Don Troiani

In this 1996 painting by Don Troiani, Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan’s Continentals rout the British 7th Regiment of Foot at Cowpens, South Carolina, on Jan. 15, 1781. The battle is considered Morgan’s tactical masterpiece. He brilliantly used a defense-in-depth strategy, placing his militia in the front lines with orders to fire twice before retreating, drawing the British into a devastating trap. Cowpens got its name from being a a communal pastureland and pen for cattle.

County, New Jersey. When he was 17, an argument with his father, James Morgan, was so severe that he left home and supported himself by doing odd jobs in Pennsylvania.

In 1754, when Morgan was 18 years old and living in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he followed the Great Wagon Road (now known as U.S. 11) south and set-

tled in Charles Town, which was then in Virginia but is now part of West Virginia. He found work in the nearby Winchester area helping out at a farm, running a sawmill, clearing land, and hauling freight in a horse-drawn wagon.

Morgan leveraged his freight business to secure a civilian job with the British Army during

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his body.)

It was during the retreat from Fort Duquesne that Morgan’s enduring reputation as a tough guy was born. Morgan annoyed a British officer, who responded by hitting him with the broadside of a sword. An angry Morgan knocked the officer down, earning a charge of insubordination for which he was sentenced to receive 500 lashes with a cat o’ nine tails. It usually takes a fraction of that amount of lashes to kill a person, but Morgan wasn’t your average guy. He somehow survived and carried deep scars on his back. In later years, Morgan liked to joke that he only counted 499 lashes, so the British still owed him one.

After Morgan resumed his transportation business near Winchester, he became a bit of a scoundrel. He spent his money on booze, gambling and women, and he was charged with assault, horse theft and setting fire to a neighbor’s tobacco shed during his drunken outbursts. v In 1757, as the French and Indian War was still being fought in North America, Morgan set aside his hatred of the British army and joined its ranks as an ensign, serving with a company of rangers in the Shenandoah Valley. Later that year, while riding with a companion near Hanging Rock, Virginia (now West Virginia), the two men were ambushed by Native Americans who were allied with the French.

The companion was killed, and Morgan was shot in the back of the neck.

The musket ball crushed a portion of his jaw and took out all the teeth on the left side of his mouth before exiting through his cheek. Morgan was disfigured but survived.

Morgan mellowed a bit in the ensuing years. In 1759, he bought a two-story house in Clarke County called Soldier’s Rest. He made a home there with Abigail Bailey starting in 1763. Bailey taught Morgan how to read and write, and she bore him two daughters before the couple got married in 1773. (In addition to his daughters, Nancy and Betsy, Morgan also fathered an illegitimate son, Willoughby, who lived in South Carolina.)

When the American Revolution began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, Morgan was still serving in the British army. That changed in June 1775 when the Continental Congress created the Continental Army and recruited Morgan to form a group of riflemen. He signed up 96 men in just 10 days and, on July 14, 1775, the outfit known as Morgan’s Riflemen assembled in Winchester.

Meanwhile, the British army was holding Boston under siege, so the Continental Congress ordered rifle companies in the Mid-Atlantic, including Morgan’s Riflemen, to head north to help. Morgan and his men completed the 600-mile march from Winchester to Boston in just 21 days, walking an average of about 28½ miles each day.

Morgan’s Riflemen were formida-

Jeff Taylor / The Winchester Star

Current homeowner George Schember stands in front of the house where Gen. Daniel Morgan lived on Amherst Street in Winchester.

Morgan died in the house on July 6, 1802. ble. Using long rifles rather than muskets, one of their tactics was to set up snipers to kill British officers who assumed they were well out of the enemy’s firing range.

On Sept. 25, 1775, Morgan’s Riflemen joined Continental Army Col. Benedict Arnold for an invasion of Canada. During the Battle of Quebec on Dec. 31, 1775, Morgan and many of his troops were encircled by the British-led Quebec militia and were forced to surrender. Morgan was held as a prisoner of war for a year before being released in a prisoner exchange in January 1777. v When Morgan returned to Winchester, he learned that Gen. George Washington had promoted him to colonel and tasked him with commanding the 11th Virginia Regiment. In June 1777, Morgan was also put in charge of the Provisional Rifle Corps, which included members of Morgan’s Riflemen.

After battling the British on multiple occasions for the rest of 1777 and all of 1778, Morgan became irritated with the Continental Army’s failure to promote him from colonel to brigadier general, so he submitted his resignation. On June 30, 1779, his resignation was accepted, and he returned to Winchester.

But Morgan wasn’t content sitting at home. He and members of Morgan’s Riflemen accepted Washington’s order to take part in the Sullivan Expedition

that aimed to wipe out the Iroquois tribe in Pennsylvania and New York.

When the campaign ended in October 1779, Morgan again returned to Winchester.

In June 1780, Morgan was asked to reenlist in the Continental Army to forage for supplies and harass the British in North and South Carolina. He accepted and, on Oct. 13, 1780, was finally promoted to brigadier general.

Despite being ordered to avoid battle, Morgan and his men, along with two other militias, chose to face off against British Gen. Banastre Tarleton in Cowpens, South Carolina, on Jan. 17, 1781. The Battle of Cowpens was a decisive victory for Morgan and effectively wiped out one of the best units in the entire British army, which was under the command of Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis. After a string of heavy American defeats in the South, the victory helped turn the war in the colonies’ favor. It led to Cornwallis’ eventual surrender at Yorktown, Virginia, on Oct. 19, 1781.

By that time, Morgan was suffering from sciatica — a nerve condition in his lower back that made it painful for him to ride a horse — so he resigned his commission at the age of 46 and focused on building a life with his wife and daughters in Winchester. He eventually bought land and took up residence at an estate house in Clarke County called Saratoga, which Hessian prisoners of war built. In 1790, Congress awarded Morgan a gold medal to honor his victory at Cowpens.

Morgan was briefly called back to military service in 1794 to help suppress the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania, a violent protest against the whiskey tax enacted to pay off America’s debts from the Revolutionary War. The rebels surrendered to the militia without a shot being fired.

Also in 1794, Morgan mounted an unsuccessful campaign to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

He tried again two years later and won, but only served a single two-year term. v Morgan died in Winchester on July 6, 1802, at the age of 66, and was buried in the Old Stone Presbyterian Church’s cemetery. His body was moved to nearby Mount Hebron Cemetery in 1868.

Even though he was no longer among the living, Morgan had not yet seen his final battle. In 1951, the town of Spartanburg, South Carolina, waged the so-called Battle of the Body because town leaders believed it would be more appropriate for Morgan’s final resting place to be near Cowpens, the site of his most decisive victory. Winchester officials obtained a court injunction to keep Morgan’s remains in place permanently, so he continues to slumber beneath a large stone monument in Winchester’s Mount Hebron Cemetery.

In the 1970s, Morgan’s name was bestowed on a new school in Winchester — Daniel Morgan Middle School — which still exists today.

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100 Places That Tell America’s Story Independence Hall — Inside this red-brick building, delegates approved the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and later drafted the U.S. Constitution, laying the foundation of American self-government.

story of one of America’s best-known Revolutionary War patriots.

Minute Man National Historical Park — The “shot heard ’round the world” was fired along these roads and fields in April 1775.

Liberty Bell — Once used to summon lawmakers, the cracked bell became an enduring symbol of liberty, abolition and civil rights in America.

Federal Hall — George Washington took the first presidential oath here as the new republic began to govern itself.

Jamestown Settlement — Founded in 1607, Jamestown marked the beginning of permanent English settlement in North America and the roots of colonial America.

Ellis Island — More than 12 million immigrants passed through the island in search of opportunity and a new American life.

Plymouth Rock — Though symbolic more than certain, the site represents the Pilgrims’ arrival and the story of religious freedom in early America.

Statue of Liberty — France’s gift to the United States became America’s greatest symbol of hope, democracy and immigration.

Mayflower II — The carefully crafted replica helps tell the story of the perilous Atlantic voyage that brought the Pilgrims to New England.

Gettysburg National Military Park — The Union victory here halted Confederate momentum and inspired Lincoln’s most famous speech.

Colonial Williamsburg — Restored streets, homes and shops immerse visitors in the political debates and daily life of colonial America.

Antietam National Battlefield — The staggering casualties of America’s bloodiest day gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Mount Vernon — The plantation home of George Washington reveals the life, leadership and contradictions of America’s first president.

Monticello — Thomas Jefferson designed this mountaintop estate while shaping many of the ideals that defined the new nation.

Valley Forge National Historical Park — The harsh winter encampment tested the endurance and resolve of Washington’s Continental Army during the Revolution.

Bunker Hill Monument — Though technically a British victory, the battle proved colonial forces could stand against the world’s most powerful army.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum — The protest against British taxation without representation helped

A 1941 photo of Independence Hall, formerly State House, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. The building is located on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, Pa. push the colonies toward revolution.

Old North Church — Lanterns hung in the church steeple warned patriots of approaching British troops before the Revolution’s opening battles.

Paul Revere House — The preserved home tells the

Fort Sumter National Monument — Confederate cannon fire against the federal fort in 1861 officially began the Civil War. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park — Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant here effectively ended the Civil War. Ford’s Theatre — Abraham Lincoln was assassinated here just days after the Civil War ended.

Lincoln Memorial — The towering memorial honors Lincoln’s role in preserving the Union and ending slavery.

United States Capitol — The Capitol has served as the center of American democracy and debate for more than two centuries.

White House — Home and workplace of U.S. presidents, the White House symbolizes executive leadership and national power.

National Museum of American History — From the Star-Spangled Banner to presidential artifacts, the museum preserves the objects that shaped the American story.

National Museum of African American History and Culture — The museum chronicles centuries of struggle, resilience, achievement and cultural influence.

National Archives Building — America’s founding documents are safeguarded here under heavy protection and public trust.

Arlington National Cemetery — Rolling hills filled with white headstones honor generations of military sacrifice.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial — The black granite wall quietly lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans lost in Vietnam.

Korean War Veterans Memorial — Lifelike statues and memorial walls honor those who fought in the often-forgotten Korean War.

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, wearing top hat, is shown with Union Army Gen. George B. McClellan, facing Lincoln, and McClellan’s staff at Antietam, Maryland, 1862 during the American Civil War.

World War II Memorial — The memorial pays tribute to the Americans who fought and worked to secure victory in World War II.

The information on the pages about “100 Places That Tell America’s Story” was created by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

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Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial — Quotes and towering stone honor the pastor whose leadership transformed the civil rights movement.

Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail — The route traces the courageous marches that helped secure voting rights protections for Black Americans.

Edmund Pettus Bridge — Images of peaceful marchers beaten here on Bloody Sunday shocked the nation and accelerated civil rights reforms.

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site — Federal troops escorted nine Black students into the school during a pivotal desegregation battle.

Lorraine Motel — Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated outside Room 306, forever linking the site to the struggle for equality.

Stonewall National Monument — Protests following a 1969 police raid here launched the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

Photos by The Associated Press

Colonial Williamsburg historical interpreter Bill Barker holds a public audience as Thomas Jefferson in the restored area behind the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg, Va., in September 2003.

Custer here in one of the West’s most famous battles.

Alcatraz Island — Beyond its prison history, Alcatraz became a symbol of Native American activism during a 19-month occupation.

Mesa Verde National Park — Ancient cliff dwellings carved into canyon walls preserve the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people.

Golden Gate Bridge — The massive suspension bridge became an icon of American engineering, ambition and the Pacific Coast.

Cahokia Mounds — The sprawling earthworks reveal the remains of a sophisticated Native American city that thrived centuries before Columbus.

Gateway Arch — Rising above the Mississippi River, the arch commemorates America’s westward expansion and the pioneers who pushed toward the frontier.

Taos Pueblo — The multistory adobe community has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years.

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center — Through wagons, diaries and exhibits, the center tells the story of settlers risking everything to move west.

Trail of Tears National Historic Trail — The trail remembers the forced relocation and suffering endured by Native American tribes removed from their homelands.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site — The reconstructed adobe fort illustrates trade, travel and cultural exchange along the Santa Fe Trail.

The Alamo — The former mission became legendary after Texan defenders died fighting Mexican forces in 1836.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial — The devastating Japanese attack here in 1941 thrust the United States into World War II. Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park — Factories and shipyards here honor the millions of civilians, especially women, who powered America’s wartime industry.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — America’s earliest space launches lifted off here as the nation raced to explore space

Workers continue work carving the Crazy Horse memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota on April 15, 1998. The project, begun 50 years ago, would be the largest sculpture on Earth when finished. The stone carving of Crazy Horse sitting atop his stallion is to be 563 feet high and 641 feet long. during the Cold War.

landings.

Kennedy Space Center — From Apollo moon missions to modern launches, the center remains at the heart of America’s space program.

Wounded Knee Massacre Site — The killing of hundreds of Lakota men, women and children here symbolized the violent close of the Indian Wars.

Johnson Space Center — Mission Control guided astronauts through triumph and tragedy, including the Apollo moon

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument — Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors defeated Lt. Col. George

Fort Laramie National Historic Site — Once a frontier outpost, the fort served fur traders, pioneers, soldiers and settlers heading west.

Homestead National Historical Park — The park tells how millions sought opportunity through the Homestead Act and transformed the Great Plains.

Mount Rushmore — The giant stone faces of four presidents symbolize America’s founding, expansion and preservation.

Crazy Horse Memorial — Still under construction, the monument honors Native American culture and resistance.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park — Abolitionist John Brown’s raid here intensified tensions that pushed the nation

6 | JULY 1, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 17

toward civil war.

New Orleans French Quarter — The historic district reflects the blending of French, Spanish, African and American influences that shaped the Gulf South.

Preservation Hall — The intimate venue helped preserve traditional New Orleans jazz for future generations.

Graceland — Elvis Presley’s mansion reflects the rise of rock ’n’ roll and the global influence of American music.

Sun Studio — Music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded here during rock music’s formative years.

Woodstock Museum at Bethel Woods — The museum preserves the story of the 1969 festival that became a defining symbol of the counterculture era.

Hollywood Walk of Fame — The stars embedded in the sidewalks celebrate entertainers who shaped global popular culture.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum — Historic aircraft and spacecraft chronicle America’s achievements in flight, exploration and innovation.

Kitty Hawk — The Wright brothers achieved the world’s first powered airplane flight on these windswept dunes in 1903.

Chrissy Bortz of Latrobe, Pa., pays her respects at the Wall of Names at the Flight 93 National Memorial in 2018 in Shanksville, Pa. The Wall of Names honors the 40 people killed in the crash of Flight 93.

Transcontinental Railroad Golden Spike Site — The ceremonial driving of the golden spike united the country coast to coast by rail in 1869.

Yosemite National Park — Yosemite’s granite cliffs and giant sequoias inspired generations of environmental preservation efforts.

Hoover Dam — Built during the Great Depression, the massive dam showcased American engineering and economic recovery efforts.

Grand Canyon National Park — Carved by the Colorado River, the canyon became one of America’s most awe-inspiring natural landmarks.

Grand Coulee Dam — The New Deal-era megaproject brought electricity, irrigation and industrial growth to the Pacific Northwest.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — America’s most-visited national park preserves Appalachian traditions, forests and wildlife.

Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum — Exhibits celebrate the famous highway that embodied road trips, migration and roadside Americana.

Denali National Park — Vast wilderness surrounding North America’s tallest peak reflects the scale and ruggedness of the American frontier.

Times Square — Bright lights, giant billboards and crowds turned the intersection into a symbol of American entertainment and commerce.

Wall Street — America’s financial markets grew here into a driving force of global capitalism.

Muir Woods National Monument — Towering coastal redwoods helped inspire America’s conservation and national monument movements.

Chicago Board of Trade Building — The towering exchange became synonymous with American agriculture, commodities trading and economic power.

9/11 Memorial & Museum — The memorial and museum honor the victims and recount the events of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Empire State Building — Completed during the Great Depression, the skyscraper symbolized optimism and modern American ambition.

Brooklyn Bridge — The groundbreaking suspension bridge transformed transportation and engineering in the modern city.

Faneuil Hall — Fiery speeches and protests here earned the marketplace its nickname as the “Cradle of Liberty.”

Salem Maritime National Historic Site — The waterfront preserves the story of America’s early shipping trade and global commerce.

Photos by The Associated Press

The Empire State Building in New York City, once the world’s tallest building, is pictured from 27th Street and Fifth Avenue, on May 31, 1951.

Sutter’s Mill — Gold discovered here in 1848 triggered a rush that rapidly transformed California and the American West.

Deadwood — The rough mining town became legendary for gamblers, gunslingers and Wild West lore.

Dodge City — Cowboys, cattle drives and frontier justice made Dodge City a lasting symbol of the Old West.

Flight 93 National Memorial — The site remembers passengers who fought hijackers and prevented further destruction on Sept. 11, 2001.

Oklahoma City National Memorial — The memorial honors the victims of the 1995 bombing that shocked the nation.

Manzanar National Historic Site — Barracks and exhibits preserve the story of Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II.

Tombstone — The infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral cemented the town’s place in Western legend.

Angel Island Immigration Station — Often called the “Ellis Island of the West,” the station processed immigrants arriving from Asia and the Pacific.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal — The canal reflects the era when waterways powered commerce and westward development.

Pullman National Historical Park — The company town and labor strikes here became defining chapters in the history of unions and workers’ rights.

Seneca Falls Convention Site — America’s first women’s rights convention convened here in 1848, launching the organized suffrage movement.

Erie Canal — Linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic transformed trade and fueled New York’s rise as an economic giant.

Yellowstone National Park — Established in 1872, Yellowstone became the world’s first national park and a model for conservation.

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site — The site honors the pioneering Black military aviators whose success challenged segregation in the armed forces.

Fort McHenry — Watching the fort withstand British bombardment inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

18 | JULY 2, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

Rich Cooley/NVDaily

Mike Kehoe, historian and president of Strasburg Museum, holds a deer antler that is part of the children’s display of Native American pottery and artifacts inside the Strasburg Museum, 440 E. King St.

Before the first settlers Exploring Shenandoah County’s earliest history

BY ASHLEY MILLER

The Northern Virginia Daily

L

ong before Shenandoah County had roads, farms or boundary lines, people were already living along its rivers and mountain ranges.

According to archaeologist and local historian Mike Kehoe, evidence of human life in the Northern Shenandoah Valley stretches back thousands of years, far beyond the county’s official history.

“The area goes back 12,000 years at least and probably as much as 15,000 years ago,” said Kehoe while standing in the prehistoric exhibit on the second floor of the Strasburg Museum on East King Street.

For Kehoe, who is also the museum’s president, preserving history means looking beyond the layers

of dirt and limestone. It means recognizing the generations of Native American nations and early people who once lived, hunted, farmed and traveled through the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

Reading history Much of what archeologists like Kehoe know about the Valley’s earliest inhabitants comes from pottery fragments, arrowheads and stone tools uncovered throughout the region.

While historians may not know the names of every group that once occupied the Valley, archeological evidence helps paint a picture of who they were and how they moved through the region, Kehoe explained.

“They know that the Algonquin were the Palatines and the coastal tribes,” he said. “I understand that in

the Piedmont area (were) people that spoke Siouan linguistics or dialect, and then here in the valley it was Iroquois.”

Artifacts discovered throughout Shenandoah County reveal repeated settlement patterns. Communities often returned to the same fertile land generation after generation.

“According to state archeologists, that’s the theory,” said Kehoe. “They would find a nice place, based on game; they were into agriculture, ‘The Three Sisters’, which was corn, squash and beans.”

The Valley’s springs, rivers and rich soil made it an ideal location for settlement. Kehoe said he believes that many early European settlers may have intentionally chosen land that had already been cleared and cultivated by Native American communities.

“I’ve always thought that the reason George Bowman settled where he did was that the land was

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amples have been discovered across the East Coast.

“What’s going on? How did this particular style become common all over the East Coast during that period,” he wondered. “Through trade, I guess.”

Land relationships Kehoe noted that one of the most important lessons today’s residents can learn from the Valley’s earliest inhabitants was their relationship with the land itself.

“They had a pretty good culture going for thousands of years and developed to live off the land,” he said.

That relationship shifted dramatically with European colonization.

“The Europeans come in with a whole new concept about owning the land,” said Kehoe. “But here they shared the land.”

According to Kehoe, the Valley’s earliest decades of settlement were not always marked by violence.

He described accounts of peaceful interactions between Quaker settlers and Native Americans traveling through the region.

“A lot of the people that came here were Quakers, and they didn’t believe in, you know, war,” he said.

“From what I’ve read, it was a good, peaceful time.”

Over time, however, conflict escalated as settlers expanded farther west.

“They wanted more and more and more land,” he said, highlighting the various events that led to British control.

Preserving stories Some of Shenandoah County’s most notable stories continue to survive through oral histories and historic accounts passed down through cultural preservation.

Kehoe pointed to the Miller Massacre in July 1763 and the historic Miller Bible, housed at the museum, as one of the Valley’s most powerful reminders of that turbulent era.

“It’s one of the most amazing pieces, I think, in the entire Valley,” he said of the Bible.

He also referenced Samuel Kercheval’s early writings documenting life in the Shenandoah Valley during the 18th century.

“He wrote down a lot of their stories,” explained Kehoe. “It’s the best viewpoint of what happened here overall in the early days.”

For Kehoe, preserving those stories is just as important as preserving physical artifacts.

Connecting ahead

Rich Cooley/NVDaily

Kehoe holds a piece of quartzite stone that was most likely used as a spear point or knife. already cleared,” he said.

Discovering artifacts Even today, traces of ancient history remain scattered across the county.

“There’s still on the mountain ridges; a lot of what they call rock cairns, which are graves,” Kehoe said.

Arrowheads continue to surface in gardens and plowed fields, particularly near rivers and streams.

Kehoe recalled walking cornfields as a teenager searching for artifacts after heavy rains exposed objects hidden beneath the soil.

“One day I found an Indian pipe,” he said. “So that’s probably my favorite.”

His collection, built over decades of exploration around Cedar Creek and Strasburg, includes pottery fragments, stone tools, Civil War relics and projectile points dating back hundreds of years.

“The style of arrowheads can date the age,” he explained while examining pieces inside the museum.

“The notched arrowheads are older archaic points — some of them go back 7,500 years.”

One particular point, known as a Savannah River point, continues to fascinate him because similar ex-

Today, Kehoe worries about what may be lost as development continues across the Valley.

Sites that once held Native American settlements are disappearing beneath roads, construction projects or expanding neighborhoods.

“If a bulldozer comes in, it winds up under a roadbed or something,” he said, pointing to an arrowhead.

He understands why people feel drawn to discovering artifacts and learning about the past.

“When you find something, it takes you back to that time and makes you think,” he said. “And then it develops a sense of history.”

As Shenandoah County celebrates 250 years of American history, Kehoe said he hopes residents remember that the Valley’s story did not begin with the arrival of European settlers.

For thousands of years before towns like Strasburg and Woodstock existed, people were already building lives here along the rivers, springs and mountain ranges that continue to define the Valley today.

“History is a long, continuous line,” he said.

— Contact Ashley Miller at amiller@nvdaily.com

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The Innovators 250 of America’s most important and influential people Paul Revere Paul Revere became an American legend for his midnight ride in April 1775, warning colonial militias that British troops were advancing toward Lexington and Concord. A skilled silversmith and engraver, he was also an active member of revolutionary organizations such as the Sons of Liberty. His ride symbolized the courage and urgency that helped ignite the American Revolution. _____ Nathanael Greene Henry Knox Marquis de Lafayette Baron von Steuben

George Washington George Washington is considered the “Father of His Country,” and for good reason. As commander of the Continental Army, he led an undertrained and underfunded force to victory over Great Britain in the Revolutionary War. He then became the first president of the United States, setting enduring precedents such as a peaceful transfer of power and a voluntary two-term limit. His leadership established the tone and legitimacy of the new republic.

Thomas Jefferson John Adams Benjamin Franklin Alexander Hamilton

Dolley Madison Betsy Ross Phillis Wheatley Judith Sargent Murray James Monroe

John Marshall John Marshall transformed the Supreme Court into a coequal branch of government. Serving as chief justice from 1801 to 1835, he authored landmark decisions that established judicial review and strengthened federal authority. His influence on constitutional law was so profound that many historians consider him the most important jurist in American history.

Abigail Adams Mercy Otis Warren

Sacagawea

Gouverneur Morris

Sequoyah

George Mason

Red Jacket

Richard Henry Lee

Black Hawk

Roger Sherman

Pontiac

Robert Morris

Ethan Allen

Crispus Attucks

Charles Carroll

John Jay Samuel Adams Patrick Henry Thomas Paine John Hancock

Haym Salomon Andrew Jackson

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln guided the nation through the Civil War and preserved the Union during its gravest crisis. His Emancipation Proclamation transformed the conflict into a fight against slavery, and his leadership paved the way for the 13th Amendment. Lincoln’s words and moral clarity continue to define America’s highest ideals.

Ulysses S. Grant Theodore Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Woodrow Wilson James K. Polk Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. Kennedy

as the Vietnam War overshadowed his achievements. _____ Richard Nixon Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton George W. Bush Barack Obama Donald Trump Joe Biden Henry Clay Daniel Webster John C. Calhoun Thurgood Marshall Earl Warren Sandra Day O’Connor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Lyndon B. Johnson

Antonin Scalia

Lyndon B. Johnson used his extraordinary political skills to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Great Society programs.

Few presidents have had a more direct impact on modern American life, even

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. became the moral voice of the civil rights movement, advocating nonviolent resistance to segregation and injustice. His leadership helped

Tecumseh Tecumseh was one of the greatest Native American leaders in U.S. history. He sought to unite tribes across the Midwest and South to resist American expansion and protect Indigenous lands. Though he was killed during the War of 1812, his vision of intertribal cooperation and defense of sovereignty made him a lasting symbol of Native resistance. _____

James Madison

Elbridge Gerry

Frederick Douglass Born into slavery, Frederick Douglass escaped and became one of America’s most powerful advocates for abolition and equal rights. His speeches and autobiographies exposed the brutality of slavery and challenged the nation to live up to its ideals.

The information on the pages about “The Innovators” was gathered by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 23

24 | JULY 2, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 1, 2026 | 19

secure landmark civil rights legislation and inspired generations to pursue equality through peaceful protest.

Jonas Salk Jonas Salk developed the first successful vaccine against polio, a disease that once paralyzed or killed thousands of children each year. Introduced in 1955, the vaccine became one of the greatest public health breakthroughs in history.

Salk refused to patent it, saying, “Could you patent the sun?”

Harriet Tubman Rosa Parks Malcolm X W.E.B. Du Bois Booker T. Washington Ida B. Wells A. Philip Randolph Bayard Rustin Cesar Chavez Dolores Huerta

Walter Reuther Walter Reuther transformed the United Auto Workers into one of the nation’s most influential unions. He helped secure better wages, pensions and health benefits while also supporting civil rights and environmental causes, linking labor progress to broader social justice.

Ella Baker Fannie Lou Hamer Medgar Evers John Lewis Coretta Scott King Bryan Stevenson

Associated Press

President Dwight D. Eisenhower talks in his White House office on April 29, 1960 with Dr. Jonas Salk, discoverer of the antipolio vaccine bearing his name. across political lines.

William Tecumseh Sherman

Henry Kissinger

Hyman Rickover

Alexander Graham Bell

Clara Barton

Madeleine Albright

Margaret Sanger

Hillary Clinton

Dorothea Dix

George C. Marshall

Carter G. Woodson

George S. Patton

William Tecumseh Sherman’s campaigns in the Civil War, particularly his March to the Sea, helped break the Confederacy’s capacity to continue fighting. His use of total war tactics changed military strategy and hastened Union victory.

Wilma Mankiller

Douglas MacArthur

Robert E. Lee

Russell Means

Omar Bradley

Stonewall Jackson

Vine Deloria Jr.

Chester Nimitz

Winfield Scott

Frances Perkins

Harvey Milk Marsha P. Johnson Shirley Chisholm Benjamin Banneker

Colin Powell Colin Powell rose from humble beginnings in the Bronx to become one of the most respected military and diplomatic leaders in modern American history. A decorated Vietnam veteran, he later served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Gulf War, helping oversee a swift coalition victory.

In 2001, Powell became the first African American Secretary of State, representing the United States on the world stage during a pivotal period after the September 11 attacks. Known for his leadership, discipline and emphasis on public service, Powell remained a widely admired figure

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary McLeod Bethune founded Bethune-Cookman University and advised President Franklin Roosevelt. She championed education as the pathway to advancement and became one of the most influential Black women leaders of the 20th century.

John J. Pershing Curtis LeMay Norman Schwarzkopf David Petraeus Thomas Edison

Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized human communication by inventing the telephone. His work laid the foundation for modern telecommunications and transformed business, journalism and personal life.

Nikola Tesla Henry Ford Andrew Carnegie John D. Rockefeller Cornelius Vanderbilt J. P. Morgan Eli Whitney Samuel Morse Orville Wright

Wilbur Wright Wilbur Wright, working alongside his brother Orville, helped achieve the first controlled, powered airplane flight in 1903. Though both brothers were essential, Wilbur was often regarded as the chief theoretician and strategist behind their efforts. Their success launched the

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aviation age and forever changed travel, commerce and warfare. _____ Robert Fulton Cyrus McCormick George Westinghouse Charles Goodyear Philo Farnsworth Grace Hopper Bill Gates Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak

Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos transformed global commerce by founding Amazon, which began as an online bookstore and grew into one of the world’s largest companies. His innovations in e-commerce, cloud computing and logistics reshaped consumer behavior and business practices across the globe. _____ Elon Musk Larry Page Sergey Brin Mark Zuckerberg Katherine Johnson Neil Armstrong

Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, opening the door for countless Black athletes. His courage, dignity and athletic excellence made him a pivotal figure in both sports and the broader civil rights movement.

John Glenn Sally Ride

Warren Buffett

Carl Sagan

Walt Disney

Benjamin Spock

Mark Twain

Norman Borlaug

Walt Whitman

Vannevar Bush

Emily Dickinson

J. Robert Oppenheimer

Ernest Hemingway

Enrico Fermi

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Gordon Moore

John Steinbeck

Andy Grove

Toni Morrison

Sam Walton

Maya Angelou

Ray Kroc

Estee Lauder Estée Lauder built one of the world’s most successful cosmetics companies from a small family business.

Through innovative marketing and a keen understanding of branding, she transformed the beauty industry and became one of America’s most influential female entrepreneurs. _____

Fred Rogers Fred Rogers used children’s television to teach kindness, empathy and emotional intelligence. Through Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, he created a safe and thoughtful space that influenced generations of children and parents.

Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and her poetry gave voice to themes of resilience, dignity and justice. As a writer, performer and civil rights activist, she became one of the most important literary and cultural figures of modern America. _____ Langston Hughes Bob Dylan

AMERICA AMERICAAT AT250 250 || JULY JULY2, 1, 2026 | 21 27

Elvis Presley

Nat Turner

Louis Armstrong

John Brown

Duke Ellington

Eugene V. Debs

Miles Davis

Angela Davis

Aretha Franklin

Claudette Colvin

Johnny Cash

Alice Paul

Bruce Springsteen Michael Jackson

Betty Friedan

Madonna

Gloria Steinem

Beyoncé

Jane Addams

Oprah Winfrey Edward R. Murrow Steven Spielberg George Lucas Martin Scorsese Clint Eastwood Marilyn Monroe Tom Hanks Denzel Washington Meryl Streep Robin Williams Norman Rockwell Andy Warhol

Walter Cronkite Walter Cronkite became the most trusted voice in American journalism during a period marked by war, political turmoil and technological triumph.

His reporting on the Vietnam War, the assassination of President Kennedy and the moon landing shaped the public’s understanding of history as it unfolded.

Jane Addams founded Hull House in Chicago and pioneered the settlement house movement. Her work improved the lives of immigrants and the urban poor and helped establish the profession of social work in the United States.

Rachel Carson Ralph Ellison James Baldwin Harriet Beecher Stowe

Georgia O’Keeffe

Louis Sullivan

Frank Lloyd Wright

Margaret Mead

Maya Lin

Roberto Goizueta

Babe Ruth

Sandra Cisneros

Hank Aaron

Toni Stone

Jack Johnson

Bill Russell

Muhammad Ali Michael Jordan

Roberto Clemente

LeBron James

George Washington Carver

Kobe Bryant

Lou Gehrig

Serena Williams

Ralph Bunche

Tiger Woods

Ella Fitzgerald Charles Drew

Tiger Woods revolutionized golf with his extraordinary talent and global appeal. His dominance expanded the sport’s popularity and inspired a new generation of athletes from diverse backgrounds.

Tom Brady Joe Montana Billie Jean King Arthur Ashe Jesse Owens Simone Biles Jim Thorpe Bo Jackson Peyton Manning Derek Jeter

Daniel Boone George Rogers Clark

Davy Crockett Photos by The Associated Press

First lady Michelle Obama applauds during the unveiling of the bust of Sojourner Truth in the Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 28, 2009, in Washington. Obama said she hopes Truth, the first black woman to be honored with a bust at the Capitol, would be proud to see a descendent of slaves as America’s first black first lady.

Sojourner Truth Born into slavery, Sojourner Truth became one of the nation’s most powerful voices for abolition and women’s rights. Her “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech remains one of the defining statements of American reform.

Davy Crockett embodied the rugged frontier spirit that became central to America’s national mythology. A hunter, soldier, congressman and storyteller, he rose from humble beginnings in Tennessee to national fame through his larger-thanlife personality and colorful exploits.

Crockett served in Congress, where he opposed some of Andrew Jackson’s policies, including the Indian Removal Act. He later joined the Texas Revolution and died at the Battle of the Alamo, cementing his status as one of the nation’s enduring folk heroes.

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An A-to-Z of American History A

pollo 11

In 1969, Apollo 11 carried Americans to the Moon, fulfilling President John F. Kennedy’s challenge and marking one of humanity’s greatest achievements.

B

ald Eagle

Adopted as the national emblem in 1782, the bald eagle symbolizes strength, freedom and the independence of the United States.

C

onstitution

The United States Constitution established the framework of American government and remains the oldest written national constitution still in use.

D

eclaration of Independence

Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration announced America’s separation from Britain and proclaimed that all men are created equal.

NASA

In this July 1969 file photo, Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module.

E

llis Island

More than 12 million immigrants entered the United States through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954.

F

ord’s Assembly Line

In 1913, Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing with the moving assembly line, making automobiles affordable for millions.

G

ettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 marked a turning point in the Civil War and inspired the Gettysburg Address.

H

omestead Act

Signed in 1862, the Homestead Act encouraged westward expansion by granting settlers land in the American frontier.

I

nterstate Highway System

Authorized in 1956, the Interstate Highway System became the largest public works project in American history.

J

azz

On April 27, 1937, men work at the Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, Mich.

Born in New Orleans, jazz became America’s original art form and influenced music around the world.

The information on the pages about “An A-to-Z of American History” was gathered by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 29

CELEBRATING AMERICA 250 We thank those that serve our country, both past and present.

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W

ashington, D.C.

The nation’s capital serves as the seat of the federal government and a symbol of American democracy.

X

-15

The North American X-15 helped pave the way for the American space program by setting speed and altitude records.

Y

osemite

Yosemite National Park showcases some of the most spectacular landscapes in the United States and helped inspire the conservation movement.

Library of Congress

Orville Wright, lying at the controls on the lower wing, pilots the Wright Flyer on the first powered flight by a heavier-than-air aircraft on Dec. 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C. In the moments before going airborne, his brother, Wilbur Wright, watching right, guided and steadied the plane as it accelerated along the starting rail at left.

K

itty Hawk

At Kitty Hawk in 1903, Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered flight.

L

iberty Bell

The Liberty Bell became an enduring symbol of American independence and freedom.

M

ount Rushmore

This iconic monument honors Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

N

ational Parks

America created the world’s first national park, Yellowstone National Park, in 1872.

O

regon Trail

Hundreds of thousands of pioneers traveled the Oregon Trail during the 19th century in search of opportunity in the West.

P

lymouth Colony

Established in 1620, Plymouth Colony became one of the earliest permanent English settlements in New England.

Z

immerman Telegram

The Zimmerman Telegram helped draw the United States into World War I after Germany sought an alliance with Mexico against America.

Q

uakers

Members of the Religious Society of Friends helped shape the American character through their commitment to religious freedom, equality, abolition of slavery and social justice. Their influence can be seen from colonial Pennsylvania to the reform movements that helped define the nation.

R

evolutionary War

The American Revolution secured independence from Great Britain and created the United States.

S

tatue of Liberty

Gifted by France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty welcomed generations of immigrants to America.

T

ranscontinental Railroad

Completed in 1869, the railroad connected the East and West coasts and transformed commerce and travel.

U

ncle Sam

Uncle Sam emerged during the War of 1812 and became the personification of the United States.

V

alley Forge

At Valley Forge, George Washington and the Continental Army endured a difficult winter that strengthened the Revolutionary cause.

Associated Press

X-15 pilot Neil A. Armstrong is pictured in front of his experimental high-speed rocket-powered research aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in July 1962.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 31

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Fast Facts About America • The United States declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776.

• George Washington was the nation’s first president.

• The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country.

• The American Civil War remains the deadliest war in U.S. history.

• Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

• The Transcontinental Railroad linked the East and West coasts.

• The Wright brothers’ first flight launched the aviation age.

• Henry Ford popularized the assembly line.

• The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in U.S. history.

• Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to four terms.

• The Attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into World War II. Walt Disney World under construction near Orlando in central Florida in July 1971. At center is the amusement park’s Cinderella Palace in the Magic Kingdom.

• The United States helped lead the Allied victory in World War II. • The Apollo 11 Moon Landing put Americans on the Moon.

• Neil Armstrong took the first lunar step.

• Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.

• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public accommodations.

• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 strengthened ballot access.

• Jonas Salk created the first effective polio vaccine.

• Thomas Edison held more than 1,000 patents.

• Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.

• Walt Disney built one of the world’s most influential entertainment companies.

• Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

• Babe Ruth became America’s first great sports superstar.

Photos by The Associated Press

Youngsters lend an ear to Babe Ruth as he tells them stories of his life from orphanage to baseball fame on November 29, 1924.

• Muhammad Ali became a global symbol of courage and conviction.

• Michael Jordan helped globalize basketball.

The information on the pages about American History “50 Fast Facts About America” was created by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 33

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AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 1, 2026 | 29

LEFT: Michael Jordan of the USA goes up for a shot between Uruguay’s Hebert Nunez Gonzalez, left, and Alvaro Tito Moreno during the first half of their preliminary round game at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Long Beach, Calif., on Aug. 1, 1984.

RIGHT: New Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall has his robe buttoned by his wife, Cecilia Suyat, on Oct. 2, 1967. Other family members are unidentified.

• The Gold Rush accelerated westward migration.

• Grace Hopper helped pioneer computer programming.

• Sacagawea aided the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

• Bill Gates helped bring personal computers to millions.

• Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s voting rights.

• Steve Jobs reshaped consumer electronics.

• The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote.

• Thurgood Marshall helped end school segregation.

• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg advanced gender equality.

• Oprah Winfrey became one of the most influential figures in modern media.

• The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe and strengthened America’s global leadership.

• Clara Barton established one of the nation’s most important humanitarian organizations.

• Mark Twain helped define American literature.

• Benjamin Franklin was an inventor, diplomat and writer.

• Elvis Presley popularized rock and roll worldwide.

• Alexander Hamilton built the nation’s financial system.

• Jonas Salk created a vaccine that virtually eliminated one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century.

• John Marshall established judicial review.

• The Monroe Doctrine warned Europe against colonizing the Americas.

• Theodore Roosevelt created a lasting conservation legacy.

• The Manhattan Project brought together American scientists and engineers to create the first atomic weapons.

• Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first national park.

• Katherine Johnson performed calculations that helped send American astronauts into orbit and to the Moon.

• The Interstate Highway System transformed travel and commerce.

• In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday—its semiquincentennial.

Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, of the New Mexico laboratories working on the atomic bomb, testifies before the Senate Military Affairs Committee in Washington on Oct. 17, 1945. The U.S. Department of Energy declassified documents related to the Cold War hearing on Oppenheimer, who directed the Manhattan Project and was later accused of having communist sympathies. The department released transcripts of the 1950s hearings on Oppenheimer’s security clearance, providing more insight into the previously secret world that surrounded development of the atomic bomb.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 35

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America’s National Parks 63 national parks that preserve the nation’s greatest treasures

F

ew ideas are more distinctly American than the national park. The United States created the world’s first national park when Yellowstone National Park was established on March 1, 1872. Today, the National Park System includes 63 officially designated national parks spread across 30 states and two U.S. territories. The National Park Service itself was created in 1916 to protect these places “for the enjoyment of future generations.”

Yellowstone — 1872 — Wyoming, Montana, Idaho — Geysers, Old Faithful

Big Bend — 1944 — Texas — Rio Grande desert landscape

Sequoia — 1890 — California — Giant sequoias

Everglades — 1947 — Florida — Subtropical wetlands

Yosemite — 1890 — California — Granite cliffs, waterfalls Mount Rainier — 1899 — Washington — Volcano, glaciers

Virgin Islands — 1956 — U.S. Virgin Islands — Beaches, reefs

A coyote peers through the high grass in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville, Ohio, in 2004.

Though numerous in rural areas in Ohio, coyotes flee from the presence of humans.

Haleakalā — 1961 — Hawaii — Volcanic crater

Arches — 1971 — Utah — Natural stone arches

Crater Lake — 1902 — Oregon — Deepest U.S. lake

Petrified Forest — 1962 — Arizona — Fossilized wood

Capitol Reef — 1971 — Utah — Waterpocket Fold

Wind Cave — 1903 — South Dakota — Cave formations

Canyonlands — 1964 — Utah — Desert canyons

Mesa Verde — 1906 — Colorado — Cliff dwellings

Redwood — 1968 — California — Tallest trees

Guadalupe Mountains — 1972 — Texas — Texas’ highest peak

North Cascades — 1968 — Washington — Glaciers, rugged peaks

Voyageurs — 1975 — Minnesota — Lakes and waterways

Glacier — 1910 — Montana — Alpine scenery Rocky Mountain — 1915 — Colorado — High peaks Hawaii Volcanoes — 1916 — Hawaii — Active volcanoes Lassen Volcanic — 1916 — California — Volcanic features Denali — 1917 — Alaska — North America’s tallest peak Acadia — 1919 — Maine — Atlantic coastline Grand Canyon — 1919 — Arizona — Colorado River canyon Zion — 1919 — Utah — Sandstone cliffs Hot Springs — 1921 — Arkansas — Thermal springs Bryce Canyon — 1928 — Utah — Hoodoos Grand Teton — 1929 — Wyoming — Teton Range Carlsbad Caverns — 1930 — New Mexico — Limestone caves Great Smoky Mountains — 1934 — Tennessee/ North Carolina — Forested mountains Shenandoah — 1935 — Virginia — Blue Ridge vistas Olympic — 1938 — Washington — Rainforest, mountains, coast Kings Canyon — 1940 — California — Deep canyon, sequoias Isle Royale — 1940 — Michigan — Lake Superior wilderness Mammoth Cave — 1941 — Kentucky — World’s longest cave system

Photos by The Associated Press

In August 2005, visitors tour Cliff Palace, an ancient cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde National Park, Colo. The park celebrated its centennial that year.

The information on the pages about “America’s National Parks” was gathered by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AMERICAATAT250 250| |JULY JULY2,1,2026 2026 | | 39 9

RIGHT: In June 2006, maple and pine branches frame Horseshoe Bend at the North Overlook of the New River Gorge National River, which is now part of the New River Gorge National Park.

Badlands — 1978 — South Dakota — Eroded buttes, fossils Theodore Roosevelt — 1978 — North Dakota — Badlands, bison Channel Islands — 1980 — California — Island ecosystems Biscayne — 1980 — Florida — Coral reefs, bay waters Gates of the Arctic — 1980 — Alaska — Remote Arctic wilderness Glacier Bay — 1980 — Alaska — Tidewater glaciers Katmai — 1980 — Alaska — Brown bears, volcanoes Kenai Fjords — 1980 — Alaska — Glaciers, fjords Kobuk Valley — 1980 — Alaska — Arctic sand dunes Lake Clark — 1980 — Alaska — Volcanoes, lakes Wrangell–St. Elias — 1980 — Alaska — Largest U.S. national park Great Basin — 1986 — Nevada — Bristlecone pines, caves National Park of American Samoa — 1988 — American Samoa — Rainforest, reefs Dry Tortugas — 1992 — Florida — Fort Jefferson, islands Saguaro — 1994 — Arizona — Giant cacti Death Valley — 1994 — California/Nevada — Desert extremes Joshua Tree — 1994 — California — Mojave and Colorado deserts Black Canyon of the Gunnison — 1999 — Colorado — Steep canyon walls Cuyahoga Valley — 2000 — Ohio — River valley, waterfalls Congaree — 2003 — South Carolina — Old-growth floodplain forest Great Sand Dunes — 2004 — Colorado — Tallest dunes in North America Pinnacles — 2013 — California — Rock spires, condors Gateway Arch — 2018 — Missouri — Westward expansion monument Indiana Dunes — 2019 — Indiana — Lake Michigan dunes White Sands — 2019 — New Mexico — Gypsum dunes New River Gorge — 2020 — West Virginia — Gorge, bridge, whitewater

ABOVE: As mounted rangers present colors, Park Superintendent Michael Finley and other dignitaries kick off Yosemite National Park’s centennial observation in Sentinel Meadow in October 1990.

LEFT: The sun rises over the clouds in front of the summit of Haleakala volcano in Haleakala National Park on Hawaii’s island of Maui in January 2017. Park officials have said the sunrise on Haleakala attracts over a thousand people a day.

10 | | JULY 40 JULY1,2,2026 2026 | | AMERICA AMERICAAT AT250 250

America’s Waterways 25 rivers that built the nation Mississippi River — The great central artery of America, carrying trade, people and ideas from the nation’s heartland to the Gulf.

St. Lawrence River — A major international waterway connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic.

Missouri River — The longest river in the U.S. and the pathway of Lewis and Clark’s expedition into the West.

Erie Canal / Mohawk River system — Helped open the interior to trade and turned New York into the Empire State.

Ohio River — A key gateway to westward expansion that begins at Pittsburgh, linking Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.

Columbia River — Powered the development of the Pacific Northwest through trade, transportation and hydroelectric power.

Hudson River — Helped make New York a commercial powerhouse and became a vital Revolutionary War corridor.

Colorado River — Carved the Grand Canyon and later supplied water and power to the growing Southwest.

Potomac River — The river of the nation’s capital, tied to George Washington, Washington, D.C., and early American commerce.

Delaware River — Site of Washington’s famous 1776 crossing and a crucial river for Philadelphia and early America.

Susquehanna River — One of the oldest rivers in the world and a major force in the settlement of Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake region.

James River — The river of Jamestown, America’s first permanent English settlement.

Rio Grande — A defining river of the U.S.-Mexico border and the history of the American Southwest.

Snake River — A major route for western migration and development in Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Tennessee River — Transformed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, bringing power, flood control and development to the South.

Cumberland River — Helped shape settlement and commerce in Kentucky and Tennessee, including Nashville.

Yukon River — Central to Alaska’s settlement, the Klondike Gold Rush,

LEFT: Students from Concord High School kayak down the Merrimack River in September 2012 in Canterbury, N.H. RIGHT: The Arlington Memorial Bridge, over the Potomac River, leads to the Memorial Circle.

The information on the pages about “America’s Waterways” was gathered by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 41

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42 | JULY 2, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 1, 2026 | 11

Photos by The Associated Press

A tugboat pushes barges past the Louisiana State Capitol on the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, La.,in May 2011. and America’s northern frontier.

Monongahela River — One of the rivers that flows through Pittsburgh (it joins with the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio), leading that city to become America’s steel capital.

Arkansas River — A major route across the Plains and into the Southwest.

Red River — Important to the history of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Platte River — Followed by thousands of pioneers on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails.

Savannah River — A key colonial and commercial river dividing Georgia and South Carolina.

Connecticut River — Shaped settlement and

farming in New England.

Merrimack River — Powered textile mills at Lowell, Massachusetts, and helped launch America’s Industrial Revolution.

Kanawha River — A vital West Virginia river tied to salt, coal, industry and the movement of goods through Appalachia.

LEFT: The Pittsburgh skyline is seen from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh on July 26, 2017. RIGHT: A rainbow is reflected in the Susquehanna River as it arches over Harrisburg, Pa., as seen from Wormleysburg, Pa., after a thunderstorm rolled through in August 2008.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 43

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50 States: The Formation of the Union States Listed in Order of Admission to the Union: DELAWARE

Date of Statehood: December 7, 1787 Capital: Dover Largest City: Wilmington State Motto: Liberty and Independence Nickname: The First State State Bird: Blue Hen Chicken Name Origin: Named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr.

Historic Distinction: First state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Famous Resident: Joe Biden (longtime Delaware senator and resident) Key Contribution: Set the constitutional ratification process in motion.

Fun Fact: Delaware has fewer counties than any other state—just three.

PENNSYLVANIA

Date of Statehood: December 12, 1787 Capital: Harrisburg Largest City: Philadelphia State Motto: Virtue, Liberty and Independence Nickname: The Keystone State State Bird: Ruffed Grouse Name Origin: “Penn’s Woods,” honoring William Penn.

Historic Distinction: Home to Independence Hall, where both the Declaration and Constitution were debated.

Famous Native: James Buchanan Key Contribution: Cradle of American independence.

Fun Fact: Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital twice.

NEW JERSEY

Date of Statehood: December 18, 1787 Capital: Trenton Largest City: Newark State Motto: Liberty and Prosperity Nickname: The Garden State State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch Historic Distinction: Site of more than 100 Revolutionary War battles.

Famous Native: Frank Sinatra Key Contribution: Strategic crossroads during the Revolution.

Fun Fact: New Jersey has the highest population density of any state.

GEORGIA

Date of Statehood: January 2, 1788 Capital and Largest City: Atlanta State Motto: Wisdom, Justice, Moderation Nickname: The Peach State State Bird: Brown Thrasher Historic Distinction: Last of the original 13 colonies to be founded.

Famous Native: Martin Luther King Jr.

Key Contribution: Birthplace of one of America’s most influential civil rights leaders.

Fun Fact: Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics.

CONNECTICUT

Date of Statehood: January 9, 1788 Capital: Hartford Largest City: Bridgeport State Motto: Qui Transtulit Sustinet (“He Who Transplanted Still Sustains”) Nickname: The Constitution State State Bird: American Robin Historic Distinction: Home of the Fundamental Orders of 1639, often called America’s first written constitution.

Famous Native: Noah Webster Key Contribution: Influenced constitutional government and American language.

Fun Fact: Hartford was once known as the insurance capital of the world.

MASSACHUSETTS

Date of Statehood: February 6, 1788 Capital and Largest City: Boston State Motto: Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem (“By the Sword We Seek Peace, but Peace Only Under Liberty”) Nickname: The Bay State State Bird: Black-capped Chickadee Historic Distinction: Site of the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Famous Native: John Adams Key Contribution: Sparked the American Revolution.

Fun Fact: The first American public school opened in Boston in 1635.

MARYLAND

Date of Statehood: April 28, 1788 Capital: Annapolis Largest City: Baltimore State Motto: Fatti maschii, parole femine (“Strong deeds,

gentle words”) Nickname: The Old Line State State Bird: Baltimore Oriole Historic Distinction: Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” after witnessing the defense of Fort McHenry.

Famous Native: Thurgood Marshall Key Contribution: Birthplace of the national anthem.

Fun Fact: Annapolis served briefly as the nation’s capital.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Date of Statehood: May 23, 1788 Capital: Columbia Largest City: Charleston State Motto: Two — Dum Spiro Spero (“While I Breathe, I Hope”); Animis Opibusque Parati — (“Prepared in Mind and Resources.”)

Nickname: The Palmetto State State Bird: Carolina Wren Historic Distinction: The Civil War began with the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston

Harbor.

Famous Native: Dizzy Gillespie Key Contribution: Played a central role in both the Revolution and Civil War. Fun Fact: The palmetto tree on the state flag honors a Revolutionary War fort built from palmetto logs.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Date of Statehood: June 21, 1788 Capital: Concord Largest City: Manchester State Motto: Live Free or Die Nickname: The Granite State

State Bird: Purple Finch Historic Distinction: Ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the required state to put the Constitution into effect.

Famous Native: Daniel Webster Key Contribution: Secured the Constitution’s adoption.

Fun Fact: Its presidential primary is the nation’s first.

VIRGINIA

Date of Statehood: June 25, 1788 Capital: Richmond Largest City: Virginia Beach State Motto: Sic Semper Tyrannis (“Thus Always to

Tyrants”) Nickname: The Old Dominion State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: Birthplace of eight U.S. presidents, more than any other state.

Famous Native: George Washington Key Contribution: Produced many of the nation’s founders and early leaders.

Fun Fact: Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America.

NEW YORK

Date of Statehood: July 26, 1788 Capital: Albany Largest City: New York City State Motto: Excelsior (“Ever Upward”) Nickname: The Empire State State Bird: Eastern Bluebird Historic Distinction: Home to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the symbolic gateway for millions of immigrants.

Famous Native: Theodore Roosevelt Key Contribution: America’s financial, media and immigration capital.

Fun Fact: New York City has been the nation’s largest city since the first federal census in 1790.

NORTH CAROLINA

Date of Statehood: November 21, 1789 Capital: Raleigh Largest City: Charlotte State Motto: Esse Quam Videri (“To Be Rather Than to

Seem”) Nickname: The Tar Heel State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: Site of the Wright brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk.

Famous Native: Michael Jordan Key Contribution: Birthplace of powered flight.

The information on the pages about “50 States: The Formation of the Union” was created by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 45

Celebrate Warren County

Join us as Warren County, Virginia proudly celebrates 250 years of American independence by honoring the history, people, and places that shaped our nation—and continue to shape our community today.

Rooted in storytelling, community participation, and placebased history, Warren County’s VA250 programming highlights our role as a crossroads of cultures, commerce, and independence along the Shenandoah River and throughout the Shenandoah Valley.

Upcoming events:

Independence Day - Celebration

Friday, July 3, 2026 Gates Open - 5:30pm – Fireworks at Dusk Northern Virginia 4-H Center (600 4-H Center Dr)

Celebrate America’s 250th with Warren County’s biggest fireworks, food, live entertainment, and family fun.

Reading of the Declaration of Independence Saturday, July 4, 2026 9:00am Warren County Courthouse (1 E. Main St)

Be part of a timeless American tradition—a public reading of the Declaration of Independence with the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Liberty Day: Heritage Celebration

Saturday, October 3, 2026 10:00am – 6:00pm Rockland Park (250 Rockland Park Ct) Liberty Day delivers big fall family fun with living history, reenactments, hands-on activities, live entertainment, and a can’t-miss community celebration day.

Ongoing events: Celebrate 250 years of American independence across Warren County with the Let’s Rallie app—available on both mobile and web. Easily explore everything happening throughout the celebration: * A full calendar of upcoming events and activities * An interactive map of historic landmarks and sites * Check-in features to log your visits and unlock prizes * Real-time updates, alerts, and important information From planning your day to discovering hidden gems, Let’s Rallie keeps you connected, informed, and engaged —every step of the way.

Follow us on social media for year-round events and more. Warren County VA250

46 | JULY 2, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

Fun Fact: North Carolina supplied naval stores such as tar, pitch and turpentine, giving rise to the “Tar Heel” nickname.

RHODE ISLAND

Date of Statehood: May 29, 1790 Capital and Largest City: Providence State Motto: Hope Nickname: The Ocean State State Bird: Rhode Island Red Historic Distinction: Last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution.

Famous Native: H.P. Lovecraft Key Contribution: Pioneer of religious liberty and separation of church and state.

Fun Fact: Rhode Island is the smallest state by area.

VERMONT

Date of Statehood: March 4, 1791 Capital: Montpelier Largest City: Burlington State Motto: Freedom and Unity Nickname: The Green Mountain State State Bird: Hermit Thrush Historic Distinction: Existed as an independent republic before joining the Union.

Famous Native: Calvin Coolidge Key Contribution: Early abolitionist leadership and a tradition of local democracy.

Fun Fact: Montpelier is the least populous state capital in the United States.

KENTUCKY

Date of Statehood: June 1, 1792 Capital: Frankfort Largest City: Louisville State Motto: United We Stand, Divided We Fall Nickname: The Bluegrass State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: Birthplace of both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.

Famous Native: Abraham Lincoln Key Contribution: Border-state influence during the Civil War. Fun Fact: The Kentucky Derby has been run since 1875.

TENNESSEE

Date of Statehood: June 1, 1796 Capital: Nashville Largest City: Nashville State Motto: Agriculture and Commerce Nickname: The Volunteer State State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Historic Distinction: Home in part to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, consistently the most visited national park in the country.

Famous Native: Dolly Parton Key Contribution: A major force in American music, from country to rock ’n’ roll.

Fun Fact: Bristol is known as the “Birthplace of Country Music.”

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 1, 2026 | 43

OHIO

Date of Statehood: March 1, 1803 Capital and Largest City: Columbus State Motto: With God, All Things Are Possible Nickname: The Buckeye State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: Birthplace of seven U.S. presidents and aviation pioneer Orville Wright; the Wright brothers later made Dayton, Ohio, central to their work.

Famous Native: Neil Armstrong Key Contribution: Leadership in industry, aviation and politics.

Fun Fact: Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

LOUISIANA

Date of Statehood: April 30, 1812 Capital: Baton Rouge Largest City: New Orleans State Motto: Union, Justice and Confidence Nickname: The Pelican State State Bird: Brown Pelican Historic Distinction: The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States.

Famous Native: Louis Armstrong Key Contribution: Birthplace of jazz and a unique blend of French, Spanish and Creole culture.

Fun Fact: New Orleans hosts the world-famous Mardi Gras celebration.

INDIANA

Date of Statehood: December 11, 1816 Capital and Largest City: Indianapolis State Motto: The Crossroads of

America Nickname: The Hoosier State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: A manufacturing and transportation powerhouse in the Midwest.

Famous Native: Cole Porter Key Contribution: Leadership in agriculture, industry and motorsports.

Fun Fact: The Indianapolis 500 is the world’s most famous auto race.

MISSISSIPPI

Date of Statehood: December 10, 1817 Capital and Largest City: Jackson State Motto: Virtute et Armis (“By Valor and Arms”) Nickname: The Magnolia State State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Historic Distinction: The Mississippi Delta helped give birth to the blues.

Famous Native: B.B. King Key Contribution: Profound influence on American music and civil rights history.

Fun Fact: The Mississippi River forms much of the state’s western boundary.

ILLINOIS

Date of Statehood: December 3, 1818 Capital: Springfield Largest City: Chicago State Motto: State Sovereignty, National Union Nickname: The Prairie State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: Home of Abraham Lincoln during his rise to national prominence.

Famous Native: Ronald Reagan Key Contribution: A center of transportation, architecture, agriculture and political leadership.

Fun Fact: Chicago is the birthplace of the modern skyscraper.

ALABAMA

Date of Statehood: December 14, 1819 Capital: Montgomery Largest City: Huntsville State Motto: Audemus Jura Nostra Defendere (“We Dare Defend Our Rights”) Nickname: The Yellowhammer State State Bird: Yellowhammer Historic Distinction: A central battleground of the Civil Rights Movement, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Selma marches.

Famous Native: Rosa Parks (whose pivotal stand occurred in Montgomery) Key Contribution: Crucial chapters in both the space race and the struggle for civil rights.

Fun Fact: Huntsville is known as “Rocket City” because of NASA and the U.S. space program.

MAINE

Date of Statehood: March 15, 1820 Capital: Augusta Largest City: Portland State Motto: Dirigo (“I Lead”) Nickname: The Pine Tree

State State Bird: Black-capped Chickadee Historic Distinction: Admitted as part of the Missouri Compromise.

Famous Native: Stephen King Key Contribution: Maritime tradition, shipbuilding and lobster fisheries.

Fun Fact: Maine is the only state that borders exactly one other state.

MISSOURI

Date of Statehood: August 10, 1821 Capital: Jefferson City Largest City: Kansas City State Motto: Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto (“The Welfare of the People Shall Be the Supreme Law”) Nickname: The Show-Me State State Bird: Eastern Bluebird Historic Distinction: Gateway to westward expansion through St. Louis.

Famous Native: Harry S. Truman Key Contribution: Starting point for the Oregon, Santa Fe and California trails.

Fun Fact: The Gateway Arch is the tallest monument in the United States.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 47

Fourth of July

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44 48 | JULY 2, X, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

ARKANSAS

Date of Statehood: June 15, 1836 Capital and Largest City: Little Rock State Motto: Regnat Populus (“The People Rule”) Nickname: The Natural State State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Historic Distinction: Site of the 1957 Little Rock school integration crisis.

Famous Native: Bill Clinton Key Contribution: A pivotal state in the modern civil rights movement.

Fun Fact: Arkansas contains the world’s only public diamond mine, Crater of Diamonds State Park.

MICHIGAN

Date of Statehood: January 26, 1837 Capital: Lansing Largest City: Detroit State Motto: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice (“If You Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You”) Nickname: The Great Lakes State State Bird: American Robin Historic Distinction: Birthplace of the modern automobile industry.

Famous Native: Henry Ford Key Contribution: Revolutionized manufacturing and transportation.

Fun Fact: Michigan consists of two peninsulas and touches four of the five Great Lakes.

FLORIDA

Date of Statehood: March 3, 1845 Capital: Tallahassee Largest City: Jacksonville State Motto: In God We Trust Nickname: The Sunshine State State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Historic Distinction: Gateway to Latin America and home to America’s space coast.

Famous Native: Faye Dunaway Key Contribution: Tourism, aerospace and agriculture.

Fun Fact: Most U.S. crewed spaceflights have launched from Kennedy Space Center.

TEXAS

Date of Statehood: December 29, 1845 Capital: Austin Largest City: Houston State Motto: Friendship Nickname: The Lone Star State State Bird: Northern Mockingbird Historic Distinction: Former independent republic before joining the United States.

Famous Native: Lyndon B. Johnson Key Contribution: Energy production, cattle culture and aerospace.

Fun Fact: Texas is larger than any European country except Russia.

IOWA

Date of Statehood: December 28, 1846 Capital and Largest City: Des Moines State Motto: Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We

Will Maintain Nickname: The Hawkeye State State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch

Historic Distinction: The Iowa caucuses long played an outsized role in presidential politics.

Famous Native: Herbert Hoover Key Contribution: Agricultural leadership, especially corn and soybeans.

Fun Fact: Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch.

WISCONSIN

Date of Statehood: May 29, 1848 Capital: Madison Largest City: Milwaukee State Motto: Forward Nickname: The Badger State State Bird: American Robin Historic Distinction: A national leader in progressive reform and labor innovation.

Famous Native: Frank Lloyd Wright Key Contribution: Dairy production and political reform.

Fun Fact: Wisconsin is known as “America’s Dairyland.”

CALIFORNIA

Date of Statehood: September 9, 1850 Capital: Sacramento Largest City: Los Angeles State Motto: Eureka (“I Have Found It”) Nickname: The Golden State State Bird: California Quail Historic Distinction: Admitted during the Gold Rush, which transformed the American West.

Famous Native: Richard Nixon Key Contribution: Global leadership in technology, entertainment, agriculture and innovation.

Fun Fact: If California were a country, it would rank among the world’s largest economies.

MINNESOTA

Date of Statehood: May 11, 1858 Capital: Saint Paul Largest City: Minneapolis State Motto: L’Étoile du Nord (“The Star of the North”) Nickname: The North Star State State Bird: Common Loon Historic Distinction: Headwaters of the Mississippi River begin at Lake Itasca.

Famous Native: Prince Key Contribution: Leadership in healthcare, retail and outdoor conservation.

Fun Fact: Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” though it has more than 11,000.

OREGON

Date of Statehood: February 14, 1859 Capital: Salem Largest City: Portland State Motto: Alis Volat Propriis (“She Flies With Her Own

Wings”) Nickname: The Beaver State State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: Destination of the Oregon Trail.

Famous Native: Linus Pauling Key Contribution: Environmental stewardship, forestry and athletic innovation.

Fun Fact: Nike is headquartered near Portland.

KANSAS

Date of Statehood: January 29, 1861 Capital: Topeka Largest City: Wichita State Motto: Ad Astra per Aspera (“To the Stars Through Difficulties”) Nickname: The Sunflower State State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: “Bleeding Kansas” foreshadowed the Civil War. Famous Native: Amelia Earhart Key Contribution: Wheat production and aviation manufacturing.

Fun Fact: The state motto later inspired NASA’s spirit of exploration.

WEST VIRGINIA

Date of Statehood: June 20, 1863 Capital and Largest City: Charleston State Motto: Montani Semper Liberi (“Mountaineers Are

Always Free”) Nickname: The Mountain State State Bird: Northern Cardinal Historic Distinction: The only state formed by separating from a Confederate state during the Civil War. Famous Native: Jerry West Key Contribution: Coal, natural gas, labor activism and world-class outdoor recreation.

Fun Fact: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is home to the iconic New River Gorge Bridge.

NEVADA

Date of Statehood: October 31, 1864 Capital: Carson City Largest City: Las Vegas State Motto: All for Our Country Nickname: The Silver State State Bird: Mountain Bluebird Historic Distinction: Admitted during the Civil War to support the Union and Abraham Lincoln.

Famous Native: Andre Agassi Key Contribution: Mining, tourism and entertainment.

Fun Fact: Las Vegas is one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations.

NEBRASKA

Date of Statehood: March 1, 1867 Capital: Lincoln Largest City: Omaha State Motto: Equality Before

the Law Nickname: The Cornhusker State State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: The only state with a unicameral legislature.

Famous Native: Marlon Brando Key Contribution: Agriculture and transportation across the Great Plains.

Fun Fact: Berkshire Hathaway is headquartered in Omaha.

COLORADO

Date of Statehood: August 1, 1876 Capital and Largest City: Denver State Motto: Nil Sine Numine (“Nothing Without Providence”)

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 49

50 | JULY 2, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250 Nickname: The Centennial State State Bird: Lark Bunting Historic Distinction: Admitted exactly 100 years after the Declaration of Independence.

Famous Native: Byron White Key Contribution: Mining, skiing, outdoor recreation and aerospace.

Fun Fact: Colorado’s state flag includes a red “C” for both Colorado and “centennial.”

NORTH DAKOTA

Date of Statehood: November 2, 1889 Capital: Bismarck Largest City: Fargo State Motto: Liberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and

Inseparable Nickname: The Peace Garden State State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: Admitted the same day as South Dakota; the exact order remains intentionally uncertain.

Famous Native: Lawrence Welk Key Contribution: Agriculture and energy production.

Fun Fact: Theodore Roosevelt National Park honors the conservation-minded president.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Date of Statehood: November 2, 1889 Capital: Pierre Largest City: Sioux Falls State Motto: Under God the People Rule Nickname: The Mount Rushmore State State Bird: Ring-necked Pheasant Historic Distinction: Home to Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Famous Native: Tom Brokaw Key Contribution: Tourism, agriculture and Native American history.

Fun Fact: Badlands National Park preserves one of America’s most dramatic landscapes.

MONTANA

Date of Statehood: November 8, 1889 Capital: Helena Largest City: Billings State Motto: Oro y Plata (“Gold and Silver”) Nickname: Big Sky Country State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: Home to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, site of one of the most famous battles of the American West.

Famous Native: Jeannette Rankin Key Contribution: Mining, ranching and public lands conservation.

Fun Fact: Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.

WASHINGTON

Date of Statehood: November 11, 1889 Capital: Olympia Largest City: Seattle State Motto: Washington has no official state motto; ‘Al-ki’/‘Alki,’ meaning ‘by and by,’ is an unofficial territorial motto.

Nickname: The Evergreen State State Bird: American Goldfinch Historic Distinction: Home to Boeing and Microsoft, two companies that transformed aviation and computing.

Famous Native: Bing Crosby Key Contribution: Aerospace, software and global trade.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 1, 2026 | 45 Fun Fact: Mount Rainier rises 14,411 feet above sea level.

IDAHO

Date of Statehood: July 3, 1890 Capital and Largest City: Boise State Motto: Esto Perpetua (“Let It Be Perpetual”) Nickname: The Gem State State Bird: Mountain Bluebird Historic Distinction: Known for rich mineral deposits and fertile agricultural land.

Famous Native: Sacagawea Key Contribution: Potatoes, mining and technological innovation.

Fun Fact: Idaho produces roughly one-third of the potatoes grown in the United States.

WYOMING

Date of Statehood: July 10, 1890 Capital and Largest City: Cheyenne State Motto: Equal Rights Nickname: The Equality State State Bird: Western Meadowlark Historic Distinction: First territory to grant women the right to vote in 1869.

Famous Native: Jackson Pollock Key Contribution: Set the national standard for women’s political equality.

Fun Fact: Most of Yellowstone National Park lies within Wyoming.

UTAH

Date of Statehood: January 4, 1896 Capital and Largest City: Salt Lake City State Motto: Industry Nickname: The Beehive State State Bird: California Gull Historic Distinction: Settled by Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young.

Famous Resident: Mitt Romney Key Contribution: Religious settlement, mining and outdoor recreation.

Fun Fact: Utah has five national parks, known collectively as the “Mighty Five.”

OKLAHOMA

Date of Statehood: November 16, 1907 Capital and Largest City: Oklahoma City State Motto: Labor Omnia Vincit (“Labor Conquers

All Things”) Nickname: The Sooner State State Bird: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Historic Distinction: The 1889 Land Run remains one of the most dramatic settlement events in American history.

Famous Native: Woody Guthrie Key Contribution: Native American heritage, energy production and popular music.

Fun Fact: Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state.

NEW MEXICO

Date of Statehood: January 6, 1912 Capital: Santa Fe Largest City: Albuquerque State Motto: Crescit Eundo (“It Grows as It Goes”) Nickname: The Land of Enchantment State Bird: Greater Roadrunner Historic Distinction: Site of the Trinity test in 1945.

Famous Native: Neil Patrick Harris Key Contribution: Native American, Hispanic and scientific heritage.

Fun Fact: Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States.

ARIZONA

Date of Statehood: February 14, 1912 Capital and Largest City: Phoenix State Motto: Ditat Deus (“God Enriches”) Nickname: The Grand Canyon State State Bird: Cactus Wren Historic Distinction: Home to Grand Canyon National Park, one of the natural wonders of the world.

Famous Native: Barry Goldwater Key Contribution: Mining, aerospace and tourism.

Fun Fact: Arizona was the last of the contiguous 48 states to join the Union.

ALASKA

Date of Statehood: January 3, 1959 Capital: Juneau Largest City: Anchorage State Motto: North to the Future Nickname: The Last Frontier State Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Historic Distinction: Purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million.

Famous Native: Elizabeth Peratrovich Key Contribution: Strategic defense, oil and natural resources.

Fun Fact: Alaska is larger than Texas, California and Montana combined.

HAWAII

Date of Statehood: August 21, 1959 Capital and Largest City: Honolulu State Motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka Pono (“The Life of the Land Is Perpetuated in Righteousness”) Nickname: The Aloha State State Bird: Nene (Hawaiian Goose) Historic Distinction: America’s only island state and the only state once governed as an internationally recognized kingdom.

Famous Native: Barack Obama (born in Honolulu) Key Contribution: Strategic Pacific location and rich Polynesian heritage.

Fun Fact: Attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 51

250 Years.

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Of determination.

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America’s story is told through the people who show up for one another every day.

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30 52 | JULY 2, X, 2026 | AMERICA AT 250

America — A Year-By-Year Look 1777 The Continental Army endured Valley Forge and American forces won at Saratoga, a turning point that helped persuade France to back the Revolution.

1778 The Treaty of Alliance with France brought the United States its most important foreign partner in the Revolutionary War.

1779 John Paul Jones won fame aboard the Bonhomme Richard, answering surrender demands with defiance during a dramatic naval battle.

1780 The treason of Benedict Arnold shocked the Patriot cause and made his name a lasting synonym for betrayal.

1781 British General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, effectively ending major fighting in the American Revolution.

1782 Preliminary peace articles between the United States and Great Britain recognized American independence in principle.

1783 The Treaty of Paris formally ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent nation.

1784 The Confederation Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, completing the legal end of the war for independence.

1785 Congress adopted the Land Ordinance of 1785, establishing a system for surveying and selling western lands.

1786 Shays’ Rebellion exposed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and helped build momentum for a stronger national government.

1787 Delegates met in Philadelphia and wrote the United States Constitution, creating the framework still used today.

1788 New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, putting the new federal government into effect.

1789 George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States in New York City.

This image provided by the National Archives shows the 19th-century 1801 engraving “Drafting the Declaration of Independence” by Alonzo Chappel which depicts of the the committee chosen to draft a declaration of independence.

The five members are, from left, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman. One of the nation’s founding fathers - but never president -- Franklin was born to a soapmaker and earned his wealth as printer, publisher and inventor.

The information on the pages about American History “America — A Year-By-Year Look” was created by an editor and supplemented through the assistance of artificial intelligence, then reviewed by Ogden Newspapers employees.

AMERICA AMERICAAT AT250 250 | | JULY JULY2, 1, 2026 | 53 31

1812 Ships battle during the War of 1812. The war was primarily caused by British maritime blockades, the forced impressment of American sailors into the Royal Navy, and British military support for Native American tribes resisting U.S. expansion.

1790

1799

The first federal census counted nearly 4 million people in the young United States.

George Washington died at Mount Vernon, prompting nationwide mourning for the Revolutionary War leader and first president.

1791 The Bill of Rights was ratified, adding the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

1792 The Coinage Act created the U.S. Mint and established the dollar as the nation’s standard unit of money.

1793 Eli Whitney’s cotton gin was introduced, transforming agriculture and deepening the nation’s dependence on enslaved labor.

1794 The Whiskey Rebellion tested federal authority under President Washington and ended when militia forces marched into western Pennsylvania.

1795 The Treaty of Greenville opened much of present-day Ohio to American settlement after conflict in the Northwest Territory.

1796 George Washington’s Farewell Address warned against permanent foreign alliances and bitter partisan division.

1797 John Adams became the second president, marking the first peaceful transfer of executive power under the Constitution.

1798 The Alien and Sedition Acts ignited a national debate over civil liberties, immigration and federal power.

1800 The election of 1800 produced the first peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties in American history.

1801 Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated and called for unity after one of the nation’s most divisive early elections.

1802 Congress passed the Enabling Act of 1802, beginning the process that led to Ohio becoming the first state formed from the Northwest Territory.

1803 The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States and opened vast western lands to American expansion.

1804 The Lewis and Clark Expedition set out to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and the route to the Pacific.

1805 Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Ocean, completing one of the most famous exploratory journeys in U.S. history.

1806 Zebulon Pike began an expedition that helped map parts of the West and later gave his name to Pikes Peak.

1807 Congress passed a law ending the legal impor-

tation of enslaved people into the United States effective in 1808.

1808 The federal ban on importing enslaved people took effect, though slavery itself continued in much of the country.

1809 James Madison became president as tensions with Great Britain continued to rise.

1810 The United States continued expanding into the Mississippi Valley as tensions grew over Spanish control of nearby territories.

1811 William Henry Harrison’s forces fought Tecumseh’s confederacy at the Battle of Tippecanoe in Indiana Territory.

1812 The United States declared war on Great Britain, beginning the War of 1812.

1813 Oliver Hazard Perry won the Battle of Lake Erie, giving the United States control of the lake during the War of 1812.

1814 British troops burned public buildings in Washington, D.C., while defenders at Fort McHenry inspired the future national anthem.

1815 Andrew Jackson’s victory at the Battle of New Orleans became a legendary American triumph, though the peace treaty had already been signed.

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1816 Indiana entered the Union as the 19th state.

1817 Construction began on the Erie Canal, a project that would transform transportation and commerce in the young republic.

1831

1832

Nat Turner’s rebellion in Virginia became one of the most significant uprisings by enslaved people in American history.

South Carolina’s nullification crisis challenged federal authority over tariffs and foreshadowed later sectional conflict.

1818 Illinois became the 21st state, expanding the Union deeper into the Old Northwest.

1819 The Supreme Court’s McCulloch v. Maryland decision strengthened federal power and protected the national bank from state interference.

1820 The Missouri Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, temporarily balancing sectional tensions.

1821 Missouri entered the Union as the 24th state.

1822 Authorities in Charleston claimed to uncover a slave revolt plot allegedly led by Denmark Vesey, intensifying Southern fears of rebellion.

1823 President James Monroe announced the Monroe Doctrine, warning European powers against new colonization in the Americas.

1824 The presidential election ended without an Electoral College majority and was decided by the House of Representatives.

1825 The Erie Canal opened, linking the Great Lakes with the Hudson River and helping make New York a commercial powerhouse.

1826 John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

1827 New York abolished slavery within the state, a major step in Northern emancipation before the Civil War.

1828 Andrew Jackson won the presidency in an election that signaled the rise of mass democracy and modern campaigning.

1829 David Walker published his Appeal, one of the era’s most forceful antislavery writings.

1830 Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, leading to forced removals of Native peoples from their homelands.

1865

Main Street in Richmond, Va., in 1865. The city is undergoing reconstruction from the fires set in April 1865 during the city’s evacuation just before the Confederate surrender at the end of the American Civil War. The spire of Second Baptist Church can be seen in the background.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 55

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1833 The Compromise Tariff of 1833 helped defuse the nullification crisis between South Carolina and the federal government.

1834 The Whig Party began to emerge as a national opposition movement to Andrew Jackson’s Democrats.

1835 The Second Seminole War began in Florida, becoming one of the longest and costliest Indian wars in U.S. history.

1836 Texas won independence from Mexico after the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto.

1837 Michigan became the 26th state, and the Panic of 1837 triggered a severe economic depression.

1838 The forced removal of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears became one of the darkest episodes in American history.

1839 The Amistad case began after Africans aboard a Spanish schooner seized control of the ship, leading to a landmark freedom case.

1840 William Henry Harrison’s log-cabin campaign helped usher in a new age of popular presidential politics.

1841 William Henry Harrison died after only a month in office, making John Tyler the first vice president to become president by succession.

1842 The Webster-Ashburton Treaty settled boundary disputes between the United States and British North America.

1843 The Oregon Trail carried thousands of settlers westward in what became known as the Great Migration of 1843.

1844 Samuel Morse sent the famous telegraph message ‘What hath God wrought’ from Washington to Baltimore.

1845 Texas was annexed by the United States, intensifying tensions with Mexico and the debate over slavery.

1846 The United States went to war with Mexico, and Iowa entered the Union as the 29th state.

1847 American forces captured Mexico City during

1904

A steam shovel used for excavating and loading French dirt cars is shown in Culebra Cut, Culebra, in the Panama Canal Zone in 1904.

the Mexican-American War.

creation of the Republican Party.

1848

1855

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and added vast western territories to the United States.

Bleeding Kansas violence escalated as proslavery and antislavery settlers fought over the territory’s future.

1849

1856

The California Gold Rush drew thousands of fortune seekers west and accelerated California’s path to statehood.

1850 The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state and toughened the fugitive slave law.

1851 Abolitionist Sojourner Truth delivered her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in Ohio, becoming one of the most influential voices for both racial equality and women’s rights.

1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” became a publishing sensation and sharpened national debate over slavery.

1853

Preston Brooks caned Senator Charles Sumner on the Senate floor, symbolizing the collapse of civility over slavery.

1857 The Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision denied citizenship to Black Americans and inflamed sectional tensions.

1858 The Lincoln-Douglas debates made Abraham Lincoln a national figure in the struggle over slavery’s expansion.

1859 John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry intensified fears and hopes surrounding the coming conflict over slavery.

1860

The Gadsden Purchase added land in present-day Arizona and New Mexico for a southern railroad route.

Abraham Lincoln was elected president, prompting the first Southern states to move toward secession.

1854

1861

The Kansas-Nebraska Act reopened the slavery question in the territories and helped lead to the

The Civil War began with the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.

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1929

BELOW RIGHT: People gather on the sub-treasury building steps across from the New York Stock Exchange in New York on

“Black Thursday,” Oct. 24, 1929. Thousands of investors lost their savings in the worst stock market crash in Wall Street history after a five-day frenzy of heavy trading. Too much speculation with borrowed money had inflated market values unrealistically. Huge buying orders, hastily erected by powerful financial interest, finally checked a frantic sell-off. The Great Depression followed thereafter.

1862 The Homestead Act opened western land to settlers, while the Battle of Antietam led to the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

1863 Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, West Virginia became a state, and the Battle of Gettysburg marked a turning point.

1864 Lincoln won re-election as Union armies pressed toward victory in the Civil War.

1865 The Civil War ended, the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, and Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

1866 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, asserting citizenship rights for formerly enslaved people.

1867 The United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.

1868 The Fourteenth Amendment guaranteed birthright citizenship and equal protection under the law.

The Associated Press

1876

1883

The first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah.

The United States celebrated its Centennial while the disputed Hayes-Tilden election exposed deep postwar divisions.

The Pendleton Civil Service Act began replacing patronage with merit-based federal employment.

1870

1877

1884

The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited denying voting rights based on race, color or previous condition of servitude.

Federal troops withdrew from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

1869

1871 The Ku Klux Klan Act strengthened federal efforts to combat racial violence during Reconstruction.

1872 Yellowstone National Park was established, beginning America’s national park idea.

1873 The Panic of 1873 triggered a long economic depression and deepened political unrest during Reconstruction.

1874 The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was founded, becoming a powerful force in social reform and Prohibition politics.

1878 The Bland-Allison Act revived limited silver coinage amid national debate over money and debt.

1879 Thomas Edison demonstrated a practical incandescent electric light, helping launch the electric age.

1880 James A. Garfield won the presidency in an election that reflected the power of post-Civil War party loyalties.

1881 President Garfield was assassinated, and Chester A. Arthur became president.

1875

1882

The Civil Rights Act of 1875 sought to protect equal access to public accommodations, though it was later struck down.

The Chinese Exclusion Act became the first major federal law to bar immigration based on nationality.

Grover Cleveland was elected president, becoming the first Democrat to win the White House after the Civil War.

1885 The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor in pieces from France.

1886 The Statue of Liberty was dedicated. The Haymarket affair shook the American labor movement.

1887 The Dawes Act divided Native American tribal lands into individual allotments, with devastating effects on tribal sovereignty.

1888 Benjamin Harrison won the presidency despite losing the popular vote to Grover Cleveland.

1889 North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Washington all entered the Union.

1890 The Sherman Antitrust Act gave the federal government a tool to challenge monopolies and

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between workers and railroads.

1895 Booker T. Washington delivered the Atlanta Exposition address, shaping debate over Black advancement after Reconstruction.

1896 The Supreme Court’s Plessy v. Ferguson decision upheld racial segregation under the doctrine of ‘separate but equal.’

1897 The Klondike Gold Rush drew thousands of Americans and Canadians toward Alaska and the Yukon.

1898 The Spanish-American War made the United States a global power with new overseas possessions.

1899 The Philippine-American War began, raising fierce debate over empire and self-determination.

1900 The Galveston hurricane became the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.

1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president after William McKinley was assassinated in Buffalo.

1902 The Newlands Reclamation Act promoted irrigation projects that transformed parts of the American West.

1903 The Wright brothers achieved powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

1904 The United States began work on the Panama Canal after backing Panama’s separation from Colombia.

Photo by the U.S Navy

This is the scene as about 6,000 persons gathered before the Sub1941 Treasury building in New York City, Sept. 25, 1941, for the opening of the three-month celebration marking the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights.

1905 The Industrial Workers of the World was founded in Chicago as a radical labor union.

1906 The Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act marked major victories for Progressive Era reform.

1907 restrain corporate power.

1893

1891 Congress created the forest reserve system, an early milestone in federal conservation policy.

The World’s Columbian Exposition opened in Chicago, showcasing American industry, architecture and ambition.

1892

1894

Ellis Island opened as the nation’s main immigration station in New York Harbor.

The Pullman Strike became a national labor crisis and brought federal troops into a conflict

Oklahoma entered the Union as the 46th state.

1908 Ford introduced the Model T, putting automobile ownership within reach of millions of Americans.

1909 The NAACP was founded to fight racial discrimination and defend civil rights.

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1910 Angel Island immigration station opened in San Francisco Bay, processing many immigrants from Asia.

1911 The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York killed 146 workers and spurred workplace safety reforms.

1912 Arizona and New Mexico entered the Union, completing the 48 contiguous states.

1913 The Sixteenth Amendment authorized a federal income tax, and the Seventeenth Amendment provided for direct election of senators.

1914 The Panama Canal opened, dramatically shortening ocean travel between the Atlantic and Pacific.

1915 The first long-distance telephone call connected New York and San Francisco.

1916 Congress created the National Park Service to manage and protect the nation’s growing park system.

1917 The United States entered World War I after years of neutrality.

1918 American troops helped turn the tide on the Western Front, and the war ended with the armistice of November 11.

1919 The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified, paving the way for national Prohibition, and the Nineteenth Amendment was sent to the states for ratification.

1920 The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote nationwide.

1921 The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery.

1922 The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

1923 President Warren G. Harding died in office, and Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his father in Vermont.

1924 The Indian Citizenship Act granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans born in the United States.

Rosa Parks, left, who was fined $10 and court costs for violating 1955 Montgomery’s segregation ordinance for city buses, makes bond for appeal to Circuit Court on Dec. 5, 1955. Signing the bond were E.D. Nixon, center,

former state president of the NAACP, and attorney Fred Gray. Gray hinted that the ordinance requiring segregation will be attacked as unconstitutional.

1925 The Scopes Trial in Tennessee put evolution, religion and public education at the center of national debate.

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff raised import duties and worsened international trade tensions during the Depression.

1926

1931

Route 66 was established, eventually becoming one of America’s most famous highways.

The Star-Spangled Banner officially became the national anthem of the United States.

1927

1932

Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop flight from New York to Paris.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president after promising a New Deal for the American people.

1928 Herbert Hoover was elected president just before the nation entered the Great Depression.

1929 The stock market crash of 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

1930

1933 The New Deal began, and the Twenty-first Amendment repealed Prohibition.

1934 The Securities and Exchange Commission was created to regulate Wall Street after the market crash.

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1935

1943

into a major Cold War conflict.

Social Security was enacted, creating a lasting federal safety net for older Americans.

Allied victories in North Africa and Italy marked a turning point in World War II.

1951

1936

1944

The Twenty-second Amendment limited presidents to two elected terms.

Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, challenging Nazi racial ideology before the world.

Allied forces landed at Normandy on D-Day, beginning the liberation of Western Europe.

1952

1937

1945

The Golden Gate Bridge opened, becoming an engineering landmark and an American icon.

World War II ended, and the United Nations was founded with the United States as a central member.

1938

1946

The Fair Labor Standards Act established a federal minimum wage and restrictions on child labor.

Winston Churchill delivered his ‘Iron Curtain’ speech in Missouri, helping define the emerging Cold War.

1939

1947

The New York World’s Fair opened as war began in Europe, showcasing visions of America’s future.

The Truman Doctrine signaled a new American policy of containing communism as the Cold War emerged.

1940

1948

Franklin Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term as the world crisis deepened.

President Truman ordered the desegregation of the U.S. armed forces.

1941

1949

Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.

NATO was founded, binding the United States to a peacetime military alliance with Western Europe.

1942 Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps under Executive Order 9066.

1950

Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected president after commanding Allied forces in World War II.

1953 The Korean War armistice ended active fighting on the peninsula, though no formal peace treaty followed.

1954 The Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision declared public school segregation unconstitutional.

1955 The Montgomery Bus Boycott began after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat.

1956 The Federal-Aid Highway Act launched the Interstate Highway System.

1957 Federal troops escorted the Little Rock Nine into Central High School, enforcing school desegregation.

The Korean War began, drawing U.S. forces

1971 Newsmen wait in line outside the White House press office for their copies of the transcript of White House tapes related to the Watergate break-in.

Photos by The Associated Press

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 63

Honoring the Past, Celebrating Our Freedom While you enjoy time with family, we are here to help protect what matters most.

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1958

sassinated in Dallas.

most turbulent years.

NASA was created in response to the space race with the Soviet Union.

1964

1969

1959 Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states.

1960 John F. Kennedy won the presidency after the first televised presidential debates helped reshape modern campaigns.

1961 Alan Shepard became the first American in space, and the Freedom Rides challenged segregation in interstate travel.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public accommodations and banned employment discrimination.

1965 The Voting Rights Act became law after the Selma campaign exposed violent resistance to Black voting rights.

1966 The National Historic Preservation Act strengthened protection for historic places across the United States.

Apollo 11 landed on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on its surface.

1970 The first Earth Day was held, and the Environmental Protection Agency was created later that year.

1971 The Twenty-sixth Amendment lowered the voting age to 18.

1967

1972

John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.

Thurgood Marshall became the first Black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Watergate break-in began the scandal that would bring down a president.

1963

1968

1973

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and President Kennedy was as-

Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated during one of the nation’s

The Paris Peace Accords ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War.

1962

Photos by The Associated Press

area lies in ruins after an Iraqi Scud missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 18, 1991. The Iraqi missile attack came 1991 Aoneresidential day after U.S. forces launched Operation Desert Storm - the Gulf War - against Iraq.

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1984 Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated for vice president by a major U.S. political party.

1985 The first version of Microsoft Windows was released, foreshadowing a transformation in personal computing.

1986 The space shuttle Challenger exploded after launch, killing all seven crew members.

1987 President Reagan challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall’ during a speech in Berlin.

1988 George H. W. Bush was elected president after serving eight years as vice president.

1989 The Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the approaching end of the Cold War.

1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act became law, expanding civil rights protections for people with disabilities.

1991 A U.S.-led coalition liberated Kuwait in the Gulf War.

1992 The Twenty-seventh Amendment, first proposed in 1789, was finally ratified.

1993

2008

President-elect Barack Obama delivers his victory speech at his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago on Nov. 4, 2008. and Israel.

1974

1979

Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, and Gerald Ford became president.

The Iran hostage crisis began when Americans were seized at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

1975

1980

The Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon.

1976 The United States celebrated its Bicentennial with national commemorations of 200 years of independence.

1977 Jimmy Carter became president and emphasized human rights as a theme of American foreign policy.

The U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union in the ‘Miracle on Ice.’

1981 Ronald Reagan became president and survived an assassination attempt in Washington, D.C.

1982 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed into law, reshaping trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico.

1994 The Violence Against Women Act became law as part of a major federal crime bill.

1995 The Oklahoma City bombing killed 168 people and became the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

1996 Atlanta hosted the Summer Olympics, bringing the Games back to the United States.

1997 Madeleine Albright became the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state.

1998 John Glenn returned to space aboard the shuttle Discovery at age 77.

1978

1983

1999

The Camp David Accords were negotiated with U.S. mediation, leading to peace between Egypt

Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.

The Senate acquitted President Bill Clinton after his impeachment trial.

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2011 Construction continues on the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site, Tuesday, May 10, 2011, in New York.

On the left is 1 World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower.

Photo by The Associated Press

2000

2009

2018

The disputed presidential election was ultimately resolved by Bush v. Gore, leading to George W. Bush’s election as the 43rd president of the United States.

Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The First Step Act became law, one of the most significant federal criminal justice reforms in decades.

2010

2019

The Affordable Care Act was signed into law, reshaping health insurance and health policy.

The U.S. women’s national soccer team won its fourth World Cup title.

2011

2020

2001 The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and reshaped American security and foreign policy.

2002 The Department of Homeland Security was created in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

2003 The United States invaded Iraq, beginning a long and controversial war.

2004 The National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.

U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan nearly 10 years after the September 11 attacks.

2012 Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, causing severe damage from the Caribbean to New York and New Jersey.

The Boston Marathon bombing killed three people and injured hundreds at one of America’s most famous races.

2023

Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, exposing major failures in disaster preparedness.

2015

2007 The iPhone was introduced, accelerating the smartphone revolution in American life.

2008 Barack Obama was elected the first Black president of the United States.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday, recognizing the end of slavery in the United States.

2022

2014

Twitter was launched, becoming part of a new era of social media and public communication.

2021

2013

2005

2006

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted American life, and a presidential election produced record turnout.

The National Sept. 11 Memorial Museum opened in New York City.

Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The United States marked 247 years of independence while preparing for the coming semiquincentennial.

2024

The Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision recognized same-sex marriage nationwide.

A total solar eclipse crossed parts of the United States, drawing national attention to science and skywatching.

2016

2025

Donald J. Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States.

President Donald J. Trump began his second term in office.

2017

2026

A total solar eclipse crossed the United States from Oregon to South Carolina, drawing millions of viewers.

The United States celebrates its semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.

AMERICA AT 250 | JULY 2, 2026 | 69

THE MOUNT JACKSON MUSEUM Mount Jackson, Virginia

Celebrating 200 Years of History

The museum, which was established in 1997, offers an impressive collection of relics from Mount Jackson’s days gone by and is dedicated to the historic preservation of Mount Jackson and surrounding areas. Volunteers are on hand to offer their knowledge of the history that has taken place in this wonderful community. We continue to solicit the loan or donation of items and urge everyone to get involved in the support of their museum by becoming a member and taking an active part.

Bird Haven Set

Bird Haven Pottery Tea Set

Bird HavenToys

Hearty Virginia Apple Label

A Mount Jackson Museum Publication

Looking for the perfect way to celebrate Mount Jackson’s Bicentennial Year?

We have some exciting news!

The highly anticipated landmark book, Mount Jackson, Virginia: Celebrating 200 Years of History, is officially available for you to grab!

Whether you’re a lifelong resident, a “new neighbor,” or a history buff, this book is the definitive collection of our town’s resilience and spirit—from our roots as “Mount Pleasant” to the vibrant community we are today.

Don’t wait! Supplies are limited, so don’t hesitate.

Cost is $50 and available at the Museum during Museum hours.

Let’s make some history together!

Tisinger 1789 blanket chest

Billy Landis painting

Billy Landis Jug

Billy Landis painting with signature

Billy Landis Pottery

Fractur for Israel Putnum Rinker

1862 Mrs. Anna Wayland Quilt

Located at the Mt. Jackson Town Hall/Visitor Center 5901 Main Street • 540-477-3951 www.mountjackson.com • Thurs. & Fri. 1-4; Sat. 10-1

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