March 26 will be 100 Days to Go until July 4! | | Introductory Remarks for the Declaration of Independence | | |
One of our suggestions for every city, town and county in the state is to have a public reading of the Declaration of Independence during the Fourth of July holiday.
Many people know famous phrases, such as "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal," but have not actually read the entire document. America's 250th is the a great opportunity to read in full and seek to better understand this document.
To help communities present the document in a thoughtful and respectful way, Heather Miller the 2025 Washington State History Teacher of the Year, has shared the introductory comments she wrote for the public reading of the Declaration by six students in Olympia earlier this month at the Washington State Capitol Building.
You can find these remarks in the For Partners section of our Resources page, or click the button below to download.
| | Revolutionary Era Re-Enactors | | |
Many partners have asked about Revolutionary Era re-enactors to participate in local events this year. We have compiled a list of groups that might be available for your event.
The list is available here and can also be found in the For Partners section of our Resources page.
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National Civic Season
Scheduled for June 19 - July 4 | | |
Looking for ideas to engage with young people as part of our Day of Civic Engagement? The annual Civic Season might help. Civic Season is a nationwide effort that brings museums, libraries, historic sites, and community organizations together to connect young people with history, culture and civic life.
"Fueled" by Youth250, Civic Season this year arrives just as the largest youth generation in American history enters adulthood.
Here are some ideas for participation:
Lots of free resources are available including youth-led consultations, the Civic Superpower Quiz, and youth-created guides to help with planning.
| A letter from George Washington
in our State Archives | | |
We all know that our state was named after our first president, but you might be surprised to know that we also have a letter written by George Washington in our state archives.
The letter was written Nov. 8, 1777, during the Revolutionary War and a few days before the Continental Army camped for the winter in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
The letter was purchased by the Washington Society of Colonial Dames of America in 1961. In January 1977, the letter was placed on permanent loan with the State of Washington, and moved to the Washington State Archives in 2001.
As part of America's 250th, the letter is on display for the remainder of the year in the lobby of the Secretary of State's Office in Olympia.
The Washington State Archives collects, preserves, and makes available the records of Washington state and local government. The records date back to the territorial period beginning in 1853 and include the original territorial and state laws, the 1889 State Constitution, territorial tribal and local census documents, Supreme Court case files, executive-level subject files from state agencies, city council minutes, photographs, maps, and legislative records. These public records are secured to ensure government accountability and transparency while providing access to historical documents for research and public use.
| | America's 250th Day in Olympia | | |
The Washington State Semiquincentennial (250) Committee, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, hosted a special America's 250th event at the Washington State Capitol Building in March.
In addition to raising the Washington State 250 Flag, the program included a public reading of the Declaration of Independence by local students, a screening of the "We The People" video produced by TVW, a reading of the governor's America's 250th proclamation, and a reading of a letter from George Washington that is in the state archives (see story above).
Following the program, Secretary of State (SOS) Steve Hobbs and the Lieutenant Governor cut a ribbon to open a special Moments that Made US exhibit that will be on display in the SOS office lobby for the remainder of the year along with George Washington's letter.
“We are gathered here today to mark this historic occasion,” Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck said. “And perhaps to be reminded why the founders were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and their sacred honor in pursuit of this audacious and radical, and for the time completely radical, idea of democracy.”
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March 21- Nov. 15: An American Experiment (Washington's Version) Opens
This special America's 250th exhibit at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma invites people to explore the connections between Washington State's Constitution and America's founding documents.
March 25: America's 250th Presentation (10 a.m.)
Museums of the Gorge Meeting (Klickitat County)
March 31: Maximizing Moments that Made US Webinar (10 a.m.)
Moments That Made US is a FREE, customizable, print-on-demand panel exhibition exploring the ideals at the heart of the Declaration of Independence through moments in our national and regional history that have defined their meaning. In this session, we will walk through the implementation guide, offer suggestions for scaling the exhibit to fit your space, and discuss strategies for incorporating stories from your community. Register HERE.
April 2: Partner Office Hours (10 a.m.)
Join us for our monthly drop-in session for partners to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate. Use our drop-in link HERE.
April 9: State 250 Committee Meeting (1 p.m.)
Quarterly public meeting of the state 250 committee. Partner spotlights for this meeting: Quincy Valley Historical Society and Museum, NE Washington Fair, Cowlitz County 250 Committee (TBC), and the City of Pacific 250 Committee.
April 23-24: Saving Local History Roadshow – Kelso
The Washington State Historical Society is hosting free workshops around the state for history organizations around digitization and capacity building. In partnership with the Washington State Library and the University of Washington Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA), this two-day workshop will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.
The April workshop will be at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum in Kelso. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.
May 4-5: Saving Local History Roadshow – Moses Lake
The Washington State Historical Society is hosting free workshops around the state for history organizations around digitization and capacity building. In partnership with the Washington State Library and the University of Washington Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA), this two-day workshop will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.
The May workshop will be at the Moses Lake Museum & Arts Center. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.
May 6-7: Saving Local History Roadshow – Spokane
The Washington State Historical Society is hosting free workshops around the state for history organizations around digitization and capacity building. In partnership with the Washington State Library and the University of Washington Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA), this two-day workshop will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.
The May workshop will be at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture in Spokane. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.
May 7: Partner Office Hours (CANCELED)
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Ideas from our Partners
Need some inspiration about what you can do in your community for America's 250th? Check out some of our partner ideas.
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Special 250 Video in Arlington
The Stillaguamish Valley Museum in Arlington (Snohomish County) has produced a special video called "Where the River Meets the Rails: An American Story 1776-1910" as part of America's 250th. The documentary describes life in the Stillaguamish Valley up until 1910.
Commemorative Badges for Police in Pacific
The City of Pacific 250 Committee has created special badges as part of its 250th planning that will be presented to all police officers and worn as part of their uniform. The badges have an American bald eagle and American flag on them with the dates 1776-2026 and honor the police for their daily service and protection.
Walking Tour in North Bend
The North Bend Downtown Foundation, in collaboration with the Snoqualmie Valley Museum, is launching a new self-guided historic walking tour as part of America's 250th. Called "A Walk Through North Bend's Past" the tour was recently tested by a group called "North Bend Downtown Founding Fathers" who gave it a thumbs-up.
| | There are now too many partner events to list each month, make sure to regularly check the events calendar for events near you. | | Final Call: America's Field Trip
Contest Deadline is March 30 | | The Freedom Plane is Coming to Seattle | |
The Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents that Forged a Nation is coming to the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle this summer as part of America's 250th.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for people to see some of the country's original founding documents before they return to the National Archives vault.
This landmark exhibit of documents from the National Archives—including a copy of the Declaration of Independence, the 1783 Treaty of Paris, and a secret printing of the Constitution in 1787—will be at MOHAI from July 30 - Aug. 16. The exhibit will be free and open to the public. Additional visitor information will be released at a later date.
Inspired by the Bicentennial Freedom Train in 1976, the Freedom Plane National Tour brings nine founding-era documents to only eight locations in the country.
| | IDEA: Consider bringing local students to Seattle to see the documents this summer as part of our Day of Civic Engagement initiative. | |
Welcome to the Team!
Seymour History, our unofficial America's 250th ambassador,
welcomes the following cities to the America250 WA Team!
| | Benton City
(Benton County) | Mountlake Terrace
(Snohomish County) | Roslyn
(Kittitas County) | | Sultan
(Snohomish County) | Aberdeen
(Grays Harbor County) | Gig Harbor
(Pierce County) | Cathlamet
(Wahkiakum County) | | Ellensburg
(Kittitas County) | South Bend
(Pacific County) | Coupeville
(Island County) | Cle Elum
(Kittitas County) | | |
America Gives portal
The national America250 Committee is donating $1 million toward volunteer projects. log your volunteer hours on the national portal, to become eligible for a chance to be one of 250 winners who will choose where that million goes.
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This planning guide for partners provides an overview of America's 250th in Washington and includes ideas, tips, and resources for any partner to be part of this important historic milestone.
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Marketing Toolkit
The marketing toolkit has templates for posters, flyers, street banners, social media, etc. All templates can be customized with your logo and our Washington 250 logo.
Note: Partners must sign the logo use agreement to access and use the marketing toolkit.
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This Week in Washington History
"This Week in Washington History" is a social media project in collaboration with our partner HistoryLink that will highlight interesting facts and significant dates in our state's history during 2026. Find our @America250WA accounts on Facebook and Instagram to follow along.
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Partner Reporting Form
Share your America's 250th photos, videos, or digital copies of flyers, posters, articles, proclamations, etc., with this simple form. These materials will be used to help create our final report for the entire state.
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25 for 250
Here is a list of 25 simple things anyone in the state can do to be part of America's 250th. This list is ideal for public engagement in your community.
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Day of Service: Sunday, June 14, 2026
Communities will organize local service projects such as helping digitize historical photographs at your history museum or participating in community cleanup events.
Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, 2026
Incorporate our official themes of America's 250th anniversary—We the People, Power of Place, and Sharing History—into your existing July 4th activities.
Washington Museum Day: Saturday, August 8, 2026
In collaboration with the Washington Museum Association, museums across the state will offer free or discounted admission and promote the “Out of Many, One” project.
Day of Civic Engagement: Thursday September 17, 2026
Communities are invited to plan activities to inspire civic participation such as hosting voter registration, meet-and-greets with civic leaders, or a civics-themed trivia night.
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Coming Up: 250 State Committee Meeting
April 9, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. (PT) | Online
State committee meetings are quarterly and open to the public.
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Previous Meetings
View on TVW
Watch recordings of previous meetings courtesy of TVW.
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Please share this newsletter with any organization that might be interested in becoming an America's 250th WA partner. | | | | |
