Issue 14, January 2026

"My History is Here" on Social Media

This month we have launched a new social media initiative called My History is Here.

Designed for use with Instagram, My History is Here is a series of stickers that can be used to show local community pride and a connection to local history.

Anyone can find the stickers on Instagram and then add a photo. Full instructions will be available on the website soon so you can start encouraging people in your community to participate.

Don't forget to tag @America250WA in your posts and use #America250WA and #MyHistoryIsHere.

Calling All Museums:
Washington Museum Day Is For YOU

Every museum in the state is invited to participate in Washington Museum Day on August 8, 2026.

Museum Day is designed to engage communities in history, arts, and cultural experiences by offering free or reduced admissions. The event is a partnership between the Washington Museum Association and the Washington State Historical Society.

Participating museums are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible to be included in marketing and promotional activities.

COMING UP

Feb. 5: 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.

Feb. 26-27: Saving Local History Roadshow – Marysville

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 series will train organizations on digitization of archival collections, gathering and sharing new stories from your community, and strengthen your overall organizational capacity.

The February workshop will be at the Marysville Historical Society. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. Register HERE.

March 5: 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.

March 12-13: Saving Local History Roadshow – Shelton

The March workshop will be at the Squaxin Island Museum in Shelton. The content is designed for museums and libraries, but other groups can attend if space is available. 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.

PARTNER NEWS

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.

"America 250 in Uniform" in Quincy

The Quincy Valley Historical Society (Grant County) is planning an event in the fall to honor local veterans. There will be a wall of honor with photographs and stories from local veterans, as well as a display of uniforms from various conflicts. Families are encouraged to share stories and memorabilia for the exhibit.

Honoring Local Service in Leavenworth

The Greater Leavenworth Museum (Chelan County) is recognizing local citizens, volunteers, and organizations each month whose service to the community reflects the spirit of the nation. This "Honoring 250 Years of the USA" program includes posters listing volunteers that will be available around the town. People can nominate a local person or organization for recognition.

Trivia Night in North Bend

The North Bend Downtown Foundation (King County) is hosting an America250 trivia night; a fun way to test people's knowledge of American history. If you would like to do something similar in your community, please contact Jessica@northbenddowntown.org for a copy of the questions and answers.

Colonial Flag Kits in Shelton

Mason County's history is intertwined with the timber industry and one of the largest employers in the county is a timber company. The Mason County America 250 Committee has partnered with Sierra Pacific Industries to provide free kits of repurposed wood pieces to interested groups to create colonial flags. The flags will be displayed during the Forest Festival Parade in May and be part of a competition following the parade.

Flag Project for Students in Raymond

The Northwest Carriage Museum in Raymond (Pacific County) is working with local school districts to create decorative flags from the past 250 years of America. This project was inspired by a local one-room schoolhouse from the 1800s and the 48-star flag that is featured on its walls. Since 1776, the flag has changed 27 times, each time illustrating growth within our country. Getting local children involved is a chance for them to interact with national history and see their artwork on display in their local museum.

"Family Look Up" Activity in Leavenworth

The Greater Leavenworth Museum (Chelan County) is asking students in the local school district -- as well as the public -- to participate in a "Family Look Up" Activity. Every month a series of questions about American history will be posted in various locations around Leavenworth for people to answer. It is a great way to share history and "test" people on their knowledge of America. Answers are available online or at the museum.

Upcoming Partner Events

Don't forget to post your events on our statewide calendar.

Jan 27: Documentary Screening and Conversation

KBTC will host a FREE screening of The American Revolution documentary and a conversation about the Unheard Voices of the Revolution on Jan. 27 from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch. Register HERE.

Jan 30: Documentary Screening and Conversation (for young people)

KBTC will host a FREE screening of The American Revolution documentary and a conversation entitled "Why the Past Matters to Your Future" specifically for young people on Jan. 30 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch. Designed specifically for middle-schoolers, high schoolers and young adults who want to talk about history and how it connects to the world we live in today. Register HERE.

Feb. 4 and 11: Jacob Lawrence Prints in Olympia

The Governor's Mansion Foundation in Olympia (Thurston County) will feature large-scale prints of the George Bush series by acclaimed artist Jacob Lawrence at the mansion on Feb. 4 and Feb. 11. Additionally, throughout 2026 the mansion will have a new temporary exhibit in honor of our America's 250th theme "The Power of Place." Reservations required.

Feb. 11: Trivia Night in North Bend

The North Bend Downtown Foundation (King County) is hosting an America 250 Trivia Night at the Pearl & Stone Wine Company from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. RSVPs are encouraged. For more information, click HERE.

Feb. 12: Black History Month Celebration of America250 in Seattle

A FREE evening celebration event from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle (King County) with a panel discussion, music and light refreshments. For more information, click HERE.

Feb 18: Writing Your Family Story

The Sno-Isle Genealogical Society is hosting a FREE six-week writing course with four in-person sessions focused on helping participants write one meaningful or genealogy-based story from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 at the Humble House in Heritage Park in Lynnwood (Snohomish County). Registration required.

Feb. 19: Black History Month Celebration of America250 in Tacoma

A FREE evening celebration event from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma (Pierce County) with a panel discussion, music, and light refreshments. For more information, click HERE.

Feb 19: "We the People" Lecture Series

The sixth FREE lecture in this America's 250th series, presented by the Washington State Historical Society, will be the "Then and Now: 1776 and 2026" at 5:30 p.m. at the state history museum in Tacoma (Pierce County).

Feb 21: A Celebration of Americana Concert

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will perform a special concert from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Skyview Concert Hall in Vancouver. Tickets required.

Feb 22: A Celebration of Americana Concert

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will perform a special concert from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. at the Skyview Concert Hall in Vancouver. Tickets required.

NATIONAL RESOURCES

My America

Washington State students in elementary through high school are invited to participate in a FREE nationwide flag creation project called My America.

This project is a young-driven art and civic engagement campaign to honor our past, reflect on our present and inspire the future. It will empower young people to reflect on what being American means today by created a large mosaic of an American flag made up of thousands of individual fabric tiles with messages, drawing and poems.

Participation is FREE; the project is funded and organized by the Rendon Group and Empower Peace, plus other sponsors.

How to Participate

Teachers sign up their classes online (home schools can also participate)
School receives a kit with fabric tiles, markers and easy-to-follow instructions
Students design their tiles
Completed tiles are returned via a prepaid envelope NLT Oct. 1
The tiles will be pieced together to create a massive flag mosaic unveiled in Boston, Mass., in December

My America Registration

America Gives Portal Now Open

Our Washington Day of Service on June 14, 2026 is part of a greater national initiative called America Gives which is focused on reinvigorating a national year-round culture of service in the United States.

Our Day of Service is about volunteering in your local community, whether individually or as part of a community effort. While we are encouraging communities to participate on June 14, the point is to encourage volunteerism so any date in 2026 will work. The most important point is to volunteer in some way in 2026.

As part of the national America Gives initiative, individual volunteers and organizations around the country can now log their volunteer hours on the America Gives website. Every hour, the live counter will be updated for the total hours of service contributed in America. As of Jan. 21, more than 550,000 hours have already been logged.

In addition, the national America250 Committee is donating $1 million toward volunteer projects. When you log your volunteer hours on the national portal, you become eligible for a chance to be one of 250 winners who will choose where that million goes.

Log Your Volunteer Hours Here

AROUND WASHINGTON

REMINDERS

Events Calendar

Partners can now submit their America's 250th events and activities on our new statewide events calendar for 2026.

Deadline for Submissions
is March 30

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

KEY 2026 DATES

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.

STATE COMMITTEE