"Another of our friends of '76 is gone..." -- The 200th Anniversary of the Deaths of John Adams & Thomas Jefferson: Freedom Forever!

Most of what I have written here comes from other sites.  No,  I am not plagiarizing  (if I was,  I would call the writing my own,  which I do not claim it as my own).  Consider today's post a sort of Reader's Digest version of the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Independence Day - the 4th of July - in this year of 2026,  is a special anniversary for more than one reason.  While nearly everyone is celebrating the 250th year of the Birth of our great Nation,  contrary to what mainstream media states,  (as am I),  some of us are also remembering the deaths of two great men who were Founding Fathers.

But they weren't just Founding Fathers~~~

John Adams,  one of the writers and signers of the Declaration,  lived to be 90.  He died on July 4,  1826,  the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  And,  incredibly,  it was also the very same day and date - July 4,  1826 - that another former president,  writer,  and signer of the Declaration also died:  Thomas Jefferson,  who died at age 83---entwined with Adams in death as in life.

Methinks Providence had a hand in this.

>   >   >

Land that I love...

Because the original 1776 handwritten and signed engrossed copy on parchment,  done by Timothy Matlack,  began fading,  and as the Revolutionary generation began passing away from life and memory,  Congress authorized 200 exact copies of the Declaration to be created and distributed as an educational project.  Secretary of State John Quincy Adams,  son of John and Abigail Adams,  commissioned William J.  Stone in 1823 to create these exact physical replicas.  For Stone to make an exact copy without any means of a copy machine or photograph,  he pressed damp parchment directly against the original document to lift the ink,  transferred it to a copperplate,  and engraved it.

Only 31 of these survive today.

What this means is nearly all modern reproductions and facsimiles we purchase today stem from these 1823 engravings made on that copperplate by Mr.  Stone.  That same copperplate,  which is housed by the National Archives,  is the master template for the vast majority of replicas available.

Where are Those Two Hundred Copies Now?

Of the original two hundred prints on parchment,  31 have been located.  Twenty-three of these are in public institutions:

American Philosophical Society

Boston Public Library

Carroll Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation,  John D. Rockefeller,  Jr.  Library

Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village  (Dearborn,  Michigan)

Here is one of the 31 that have been located.
It's also one of the 23 in a public institution - The Henry Ford Museum.

In the center of the photograph.
The Henry Ford Museum - Dearborn,  Michigan

Harvard University,  Houghton Library

Indiana University,  Lilly Library

Jefferson County Court House, Kentucky

Library of Congress  [2 copies]

Maryland Historical Society

Massachusetts Historical Society, Adams Papers  [2 copies]

New Hampshire Archives  [2 copies]

New Haven Historical Society

New York Public Library

Rhode Island State Archives

Tennessee State Archives

Smithsonian Institution;  note:  in 1888,  Stone's elderly widow  (Elizabeth J.  Stone),  donated his personal impression on parchment to the Smithsonian Institution

Sweet Briar College

Virginia State Library Archives

The White House

Benjamin Rush
Born:  January 4,  1746
Died:  April 19,  1813

"Another of our friends of  76 is gone,  my dear Sir,  another of the Co-signers of the independance of our country.  and a better man,  than Rush,  could not have left us,  more benevolent,  more learned,  of finer genius,  or more honest.  we too must go;  and that ere long".  was written by Thomas Jefferson to John Adams in a letter dated May 27,  1813.  Jefferson was informing Adams of the death of Benjamin Rush,  a mutual friend,  fellow signer of the Declaration of Independence,  and the man responsible for reconciling the two former presidents after their bitter political rivalry.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson continued to remember when a long-time friend had passed away.  Those 56 men who signed that most important of American documents had a connection - a relation - unlike we could ever know.

And today we commemorate two more of our friends from  '76,  who left  "ere long"... 

Yes...two more of my American heroes...

The death of Adams and Jefferson,  like their lives,  left an indelible mark in our country's history,  for here is something that I feel is more than a coincidence - Providence,  mayhaps? - concerning these two founding fathers:

Thomas Jefferson

John Adams

both men,  co-writers of the Declaration of Independence,  died on the same day,  date,  and year.  That in itself is remarkable enough.  But then let's add something you just can't make up:  that the shared day,  date,  and year of the passing of these 

two revolutionaries occurred on July 4,  1826,  50 years to the day of the Declaration's adoption.

Simply chilling...

And now we can add to this 200 years ago to the date of this blog's publishing.

Their death signaled the end of the Revolutionary era,  for,  at that point,  there was only one signer left alive,  Charles Carroll,  who lived six more years,  until 1832.

So this post commemorates both Adams and Jefferson - a bit about their lives,  but mostly about their deaths.

",,,and that ere long"  indeed!

As everyone knew,  according to David McCullough in his book John Adams,  “Jefferson had been the author of the Declaration of Independence and Adams had been its chief advocate on the floor of Congress.  One was  ‘the pen’  the other  ‘the voice,’  of independence,  and the presence of either at any Independence Day celebration,  large or small,  would give it significance as nothing else could.

In 1826,  the time was past when either Adams or Jefferson could leave home.  Adams was ninety,  Jefferson would be eighty-three in April,  and each grew steadily more feeble.

After calling on Adams that spring,  Benjamin Waterhouse wrote to John Quincy,  ‘To the eyes of a physician your father appeared to me much nearer to the bottom of the hill.’   Yet he was determined to make it to the fourth of July.

On June 24,  writing from Monticello,  after considerable labor,  Jefferson completed a letter to the mayor of Washington declining an invitation to the Fourth of July celebration at Washington.  It was his farewell public offering and one of his most eloquent,  a tribute to the  ‘worthies’  of 1776 and the jubilee that was to take place in their honor.  Within days it was reprinted all over the country:”

Jefferson wrote of their work to found the nation,  “May it be to the world,  what I believe it will be  (to some parts sooner,  to others later,  but finally to all)  the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves,  and to assume the blessings and security of self-government…All eyes are opened or opening to the rights of man.

The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view and palpable truth,  that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs,  nor a favored few,  booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately by the grace of God.  These are the grounds of hope for others;  for ourselves,  let the annual return to this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights,  and an undiminished devotion to them.”

Signed...

It was said that scripture tells us that God had His hand on the American Founding,  and many leaders and foot soldiers carrying the unnoticed work for freedom thought so too  - (though the Bible does not explicitly mention the United States or its founding,  it contains several verses that the American Founders and modern religious thinkers use to argue that God’s  "Providential hand"  guided the nation's birth).  I've read that both Jefferson and Adams spoke later in life about this divine work they had done—the struggle to create a world where humanity could have what was each person’s inalienable right – freedom.  

(Directly from Boston Tea Party page):

"Thomas Jefferson was born April 13,  1743,  on his father’s plantation located along the Rivanna River in central Virginia at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

Jefferson married Martha Wayles Skelton,  a widow,  in 1772.  With her he fathered six children,  though only two daughters survived to adulthood. 

At the age of 33,  Jefferson was one of the youngest delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.  He became acquainted with John Adams,  a leader of the Congress,  and through this budding friendship,  Jefferson was appointed to the Committee of Five that was tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence.  

Thomas Jefferson...the...

...main author of the Declaration

Over the next 17 days,  he would create the first draft.  Jefferson is considered by many to be the primary author of the document because the committee left intact more than 75 percent of his original draft.  Many believed that John Adams would be the primary author of this important document,  but he had persuaded the Committee to choose Jefferson instead.  The preamble is regarded as one of the most enduring statements of human rights and the phrase  “all men are created equal”  is considered one of the most well-known expressions in the English language.  Jefferson was an eloquent writer,  but did not fancy himself a public speaker,  and chose to show his support of the Patriot cause through written correspondence.

The relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams deepened through years of letter-writing,  including letters written between Abigail Adams,  wife of John,  and Jefferson.  John and Thomas spent years in France together as the two men served as trade ministers in Europe.  They remained close friends despite their political differences;  that is,  until Jefferson beat Adams in the Election of 1801 to become President of the United States.  They resumed their close friendship after about 10 years of separation.

Early in his presidency,  Jefferson was able to achieve one of the greatest acquisitions of his political career with the Louisiana Purchase,  which more than doubled the size of the United States. 

Jefferson and Adams also share the distinction of being the only Declaration of Independence signatories who would later serve as President."

(from Boston Tea Party page)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,  that all men are created equal,  that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,  that among these are Life,  Liberty,  and the pursuit of Happiness."

Artist,  Thomas Sully,  traveled to Jefferson’s home,  Monticello, 
early in 1821 to create this image of the retired president and statesman, 
then age 78,  which was the final portrait of Thomas Jefferson
painted directly from life.

The interpreter you see in the photo below of Thomas Jefferson  (with yours truly on the left)  was amazing.  He spoke with a southern gentleman's accent and casually used 18th century slang,  verbiage,  & humor to give the audience a sense of immersion,  to give the impression we were actually listening to the Thomas Jefferson of 200 years ago.

Here I am with Thomas Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg.
This guy was great!

His eloquence and style made me feel as if I truly were in the company of our third president.

According to Robley Dunglison,  who was Thomas Jefferson's attending physician,  Jefferson slept through the day on July 3 and woke in the evening,  thinking it was morning.  He asked upon waking,  "Is it the Fourth?"  Dunglison replied,  "It soon will be."  Dunglison then recorded these words as the last words he heard Jefferson speak.  Nicholas Trist,  Jefferson's grandson-in-law,  wrote Jefferson's question in a slightly different form:  "This is the Fourth?"  Trist pretended not to hear the question so he wouldn't have to inform Jefferson that it was still July 3.  But Jefferson was insistent:  "This is the Fourth?"  he asked again.  This time Trist nodded.  Thomas Jefferson Randolph,  who was also there,  said there is no questioning Jefferson's remarks on waking,  "This is the Fourth of July."  Randolph goes on to say that the former President was roused a few hours later,  at 9 p.m.,  to be given a dose of laudanum.  But Jefferson refused the opiate,  saying,  "No,  doctor,  nothing more."

(Taken from the Monticello page)

"At Monticello,  Thomas Jefferson had been unconscious since the night of July 2,  his daughter Martha,  his physician  (Dunglison),  and others keeping watch.  At about seven o’clock the evening of July 3,  Jefferson awakened and uttered a declaration,  ‘This is the Fourth,’  or  ‘This is the Fourth of July.’  Told that it would be soon,  he slept again.  Two hours later,  at about nine,  he was roused to be given a dose of laudanum,  which he refused saying,  ‘no,  doctor,  nothing more.’

Here is another very similar take on the evening of July 3,  1826:

“Jefferson died at approximately one o-clock in the afternoon on July 4,  as bells in Charlottesville could be faintly heard ringing in celebration in the valley below.

On the morning of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,  Tuesday,  July 4,  1826,  only three signers of that most famous of historical American documents were still living;  Thomas Jefferson would pass away around 1:00 that afternoon,  John Adams'  time to meet his Maker was later that same day,  around 6:00 pm.  After that,  only eighty-eight year old Charles Carroll of Washington became the lone signing survivor.  He would live just a bit longer than six more years.

From the Wonders Untold Facebook page:

"Those at his bedside believed Jefferson had held on deliberately.  His last question was both practical and something else.  The man who had written  "all men are created equal"  wanted to know whether he had made it to the day those words turned fifty.  He had.  The republic he helped build had endured a half century.  Jefferson closed his eyes in the same house where he had drafted most of its founding documents.  He never learned that John Adams would follow him five hours later,  in Quincy,  Massachusetts,  whispering the wrong thing."

Jefferson's Monticello bedroom is preserved and open to visitors,  with his bed alcove,  writing table,  and personal library intact in the room where he died on July 4,  1826.
(photographed taken from the Monticello page)

 

The 4th of July is my 2nd favorite holiday - only Christmas tops it.  But Independence Day a close 2nd.  And,  yes,  I love all the booming fireworks! 

"July 2nd will be the most memorable Epocha,  in the History of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations,  as the great anniversary Festival.  It ought to be commemorated,  as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Act of Devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews,  Games,  Sports,  Guns,  Bells,  Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of the Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

John Adams had the date wrong,  for the Declaration was voted on July 2nd,  but was not approved until July 4th,  which is the date on the Declaration itself.

For those who get their historical information from Facebook memes or armchair historians,  they like to state that July 2nd actually is the real Independence Day,  based on the letter John Adams excitedly sent to his wife  (click HERE).  I have absolute proof that whoever says that is truly wrong,  and they show their lack of intelligence upon such a statement.

Look at the Declaration of Independence itself.  The actual document.  It gives you the date at the top:

In Congress,  July 4,  1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,  

When in the Course of human events...

So...don't bet against July 4 because you'll lose.

July 2nd,  1776 was the day that the Second  Continental Congress in Philadelphia passed the resolution for independence from Britain with no opposing vote cast. 

So why do we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day and not July 2nd as John Adams noted in his letter?

We do so because the Declaration of Independence itself was adopted   by the Continental Congress on July 4,  1776,  making it  "official,"  hence,  the date on the original printings 

in 1776:  July 4.

John Adams sort of jumped the gun.

From what I've read,  fireworks were first officially used for the Fourth of July on July 4,  1777.  Congress authorized the celebration in Philadelphia to mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,  which featured a grand showing of fireworks including exactly 13 rockets to represent the original colonies.

The tradition was heavily inspired by Founding Father John Adams,  who,  as previously noted,  envisioned Independence Day as a massive festival celebrated with  "pomp and parade,  with shows, games,  sports,  guns,  bells,  bonfires,  and illuminations."

Alongside Philadelphia's celebration, the Sons of Liberty also launched a grand fireworks display that same evening over the Boston Common.

Yet fireworks etc.,  in celebration for this holiday stemmed from Adams himself!

John Adams famously and frequently worried about being forgotten or overshadowed by his contemporaries,  particularly George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  He predicted that he would be a  "forgotten"  founder,  writing in 1819 that  "Monuments will never be erected to me... romances will never be written,  nor flattering orations spoken,  to transmit me to posterity in brilliant colors".   He felt that his critical roles in the Revolution and his presidency were ignored,  while figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson received the majority of the acclaim.  

Adams felt robbed of recognition for his work on the Declaration of Independence,   leading to a lingering fear that history would overlook his own massive efforts on the floor of Congress to pass it.  He famously acknowledged he was considered  "obnoxious,  suspected,  and unpopular,"  leading him to encourage Jefferson to write the Declaration instead of him.

Despite his fears,  John Adams is now widely recognized for his immense contributions,  particularly after the publication of David McCullough’s biography. 

We know he admitted to being obnoxious,  et al,  but he was still an amazing founder. 

John Adams painted by 

John Trumbull in 1793

It’s true that among the most prominent Founders — Ben Franklin,  George Washington,  Thomas Jefferson,  and John Adams — Adams has been the least known.  Part of that is due to the fact that he was a cranky guy,  and because he broke ranks with Thomas Jefferson.  Part of that is due to the fact that his presidency was ultimately  (considered)  a failure,  though not entirely of his own doing,  and he was crushed in his re-election bid — by Thomas Jefferson.  

John Adams has not traditionally been viewed as one of the great presidents of the United States.  Much of the lingering criticism of Adams can be traced to his re-election campaign of 1800,  which he lost to Thomas Jefferson,  becoming the nation's first one-term president.  During the campaign,  he was criticized by both the Republicans,  who supported Jefferson,  and his own party,  the Federalists. 

And part of that is due to the fact that Adams was an intellectual and a philosopher — and one of the most widely read men in American history — and his prose is more challenging to read than some of his contemporaries.

But then...

Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as John & Abigail Adams

from my favorite period movie/series, HBO's John Adams.

"All of that changed in the Spring of 2001, when historian David McCullough published his landmark biography  “John Adams,”  which won the Pulitzer Prize and numerous other awards,  and spent close to two years on The New York Times bestseller list,  including 14 weeks in the #1 spot.  Sales of the book were boosted,  and John Adams became known to a larger segment of Americans in the Spring of 2008 when HBO aired a 7-part drama based on the book starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney,  which also won numerous awards  (including 13 Emmy Awards)."

(the above came from James Keenley's response to a question on Quora,  the online knowledge sharing platform where users can ask and answer questions,  as well as the Teaching History web site - HERE ~)

I absolutely cannot recommend the John Adams HBO series enough - simply put,  it is amazing.  It brought the book and the times to life in ways no other movie has.  In fact,  it brought John Adams up to the top five of the founders for me - even above Jefferson - something I never would have even thought about back when I was younger.

So,  yes,  John Adams was pretty much ignored up until the late great David McCullough  "rescued"  him from almost being thrown into the realm of obscurity.

My question is,  why did McCullough write about John Adams,  of all founders,  when Adams was supposedly nothing to write home about?

Well,  his book was originally intended to be a dual biography of Adams and Jefferson,  and as he researched his subjects,  McCullough was increasingly drawn to Adams and away from Jefferson.  The author spent six years studying Adams,  reading the same books he had read and visiting the places he had lived.  McCullough was particularly drawn to Adams's letters with his wife,  Abigail,  which he says provided a chance to tell the story of a genuine love affair.  The book draws from more than one thousand surviving letters between the two,  nearly half of which had never been published. 

McCullough also believed that Adams was a true patriot who served the country with uncommon ability and force.  McCullough's biography portrays Adams as a human man and evokes his time.  It covers topics such as politics,  war,  social issues,  human nature,  love,  religious faith,  virtue,  ambition,  friendship,  and betrayal.  Some reviewers have called it  "the best biography of Adams ever written"  and  "a masterwork of storytelling".

David McCullough noted,  “Adams attempted to write nothing so ambitious,  and probably,  given his condition,  it would have proved impossible for him…

“But when on Friday,  June 30  (1826),  a small delegation of town leaders made a formal call on Adams,  he received them in his upstairs library seated in his favorite armchair.  They had come,  they told the old patriot,  to ask for a toast that they might read aloud at the town of Quincy,  Massachuetts'  celebration on the 4th of July.

“’I will give you,’  Adams said,  ‘Independence forever!’   Asked if he would like to add something more,  he replied,  ‘Not a word.’

“The following,  July 2,  Adams was so weak he could barely speak.  Family physician and granddaughter Louisa Smith and other family remained at his bedside around the clock.

The exterior of Peacefield - the final home of John Adams.

Photo Credit:  Bethany Bourgault

Photo courtesy of 

New England/Yankee Magazine

So many historic documents were written or drafted in the study at Peacefield.  John Adams was sitting in the upholstered chair in the corner when he died.

Photo Credit:  Bethany Bourgault

Photo courtesy of 

New England/Yankee Magazine

“Early on the morning of Tuesday,  July 4,  as the first cannon of the day commenced firing in the distance,  the Reverend George Whitney arrived at the house to find  ‘the old gentleman was drawing to his end.  Dr. Holbrook was there and declared to us that he could not live more than through the day.  Adams lay in bed with his eyes closed,  breathing with great difficulty.  Thomas sent off an urgent letter to John Quincy to say their father was  “sinking rapidly.”

As efforts were made to give Adams more comfort,  by changing his position,  he awakened.  Told that it was the Fourth,  he answered clearly,  “It is a great day.  It is a good day."

“At Quincy the roar of cannon grew louder as the hours passed,  and in midafternoon a thunderstorm struck—’The artillery of Heaven,’  as would be said—to be followed by a gentle rain.

“Adams lay peacefully,  his mind clear,  by all signs.  Then late in the afternoon,  according to several who were present in the room,  he stirred and whispered clearly enough to be understood,  ‘Thomas Jefferson survives.'

“…At about six-twenty his heart stopped.  John Adams was dead.

Cannons were booming,  crowds were outside.  It was raining.  And when he died,  according to all the accounts written at the time,  the skies cleared,  and this huge burst of sunlight came in.  And nobody could ever forget it,  who was present."

“As those present would remember ever after,  there was a final clap of thunder that shook the house;  the rain stopped and the last sun of the day broke through dark,  low hanging clouds—‘bursting forth…with uncommon splendor at the moment of his exit…with a sky beautiful and grand beyond description,’  young messenger John Marson would write to John Quincy  [Adams]."

By nightfall the whole town knew.

Said McCullough about the day and date of the death of Adams,  "If it were a movie,  and you recreated it exactly as it was,  people would say,  'Well,  that was overdoing it.'  Cannons were booming,  crowds were outside.  It had started to rain.  And when he died,  according to all the accounts written at the time,  the skies cleared,  and this huge burst of sunlight came in.  And nobody could ever forget it,  who was present."

And now we have~~~

He was a true patriot" -

David McCullough

I searched far & wide for

a decanter of John Adams.

In the cool grandeur of the National Archives in Washington,  where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are enshrined,  historian David McCullough is anything but cool about how history has treated one of the major forces behind those two documents:  John Adams. 

"There's no statue to him in Washington,"  McCullough told correspondent Rita Braver.  "There's no face on Mount Rushmore.  There's no monument.  There's no picture of John Adams on our money.  There isn't a postage stamp in circulation with John Adams'  picture on it.  This is a disgrace!" 

But now McCullough,  one of the most influential historians of our time,  has become an Adams advocate,  using his skills and his celebrity to introduce Americans to this forgotten patriot,  mostly through his biography,  "John Adams."

As McCullough told a Congressional hearing  (175 years after Adam's death),  "The idea that he has stood in the shadows all these years does not reflect well on any of us.  The time is long past due to give him his place in the American pantheon and in our American hearts."

John Adams,  as I mentioned earlier,  truly did worry that future generations would forget him and only Washington,  Jefferson,  and  Ben Franklin would be remembered. 

"As I sat at the  (2008)  Emmy awards last Sunday in Los Angeles,  I hoped,  somewhere,  that John Adams was smiling.  He'd won best actor while those three great men were competing only for the best supporting role.  And he would appreciate the irony:  an English filmmaker directed his story."  

Betsy Reed - Editor,  Guardian US

(John Adams information came directly from a number of different sites)

Click HERE to purchase

the book.

Click HERE to purchase

the HBO miniseries

Why is Adams the least-known of the Founding Fathers?  McCullough added to the other comments mentioned earlier:  "...it's in part because he was not as dashing as Washington or Jefferson,  not as folksy as Benjamin Franklin.  "He's quick-tempered,"  explained the historian.  "He's abrasive at times.  He's often tactless.  He can be vain.  He's brilliant.  I think that's probably the main thing to know about John Adams:  He had a great capacity to move people with the force of argument.  He was,  himself,  a force."

"John Adams was one of our best ever,"  says the author.  "He was brave.  He was honest.  His devotion to the service of the country,  the public good,  was beyond almost any other public example.  He was a true patriot in every sense of the word."  

Adams lived to be 90.  

This is the last portrait of former U.S.  president John Adams, 
completed shortly before his death. 
Oil on canvas by Gilbert Stuart,  1826.

Peacefield surrounded by living historians.

Well,  Mr.  McCullough,  looks like your
complaints worked,  for here in 2026 we
finally have a John Adams  "forever"  stamp!
Well done!

As David McCullough told a Congressional hearing  (in 2001,  175 years after Adam's death),  "The idea that he has stood in the shadows all these years does not reflect well on any of us.  The time is long past due to give him his place in the American pantheon and in our American hearts."

John Adams,  by the way,  worried that future generations would forget him and only Washington,  Jefferson,  and Franklin would be remembered. 

"As I sat at the  (2008)  Emmy awards last Sunday in Los Angeles I hoped,  somewhere,  that John Adams was smiling.  He'd won best actor while those three great men were competing only for the best supporting role.  And he would appreciate the irony:  an English filmmaker directed his story."  

Betsy Reed - Editor,  Guardian US

(Unless otherwise noted,  John Adams information in today's posting came from a number of different sites)

David McCullough concludes,  “That John Adams and Thomas Jefferson had died on the same day,  and that it was,  of all days,  the Fourth of July,  could not be seen as a mere coincidence:  ‘It was a visible and palpable manifestation of  ‘Divine Favor’  wrote John Quincy in his diary that night,  expressing what was felt and would be said again and again everywhere the news spread.”

And,  though a part of a larger collection,  you can see to the right,  here,  we now have a John Adams stamp!

The poet W.B.  Yeats anticipated a time when  “Things fall apart;  the center cannot hold…The best lack all conviction,  while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”

This Fourth of July,  what if we turned that idea on its head,  and,  instead of the worst being full of passionate intensity who would take your freedom away,  let the best of us be full of passionate intensity for the liberty of every soul,  for the freedom that is our birthright?  That would be a celebration.

By Maurine Proctor · July 3, 2023

Could the Declaration of Independence and the revolution that followed be waged today by this generation,  or would we choose safety over freedom...choose comfort and popularity over eternal truths?

It is the 3rd of July as this blog post is published - here is a quote for the 4th:

"Freedom Forever!" - John Adams  (quote for the 4th of July given on June 30th,  1826)

Until next time,  see you in time.

Sources for this blog post came from all over,  including various quotes.  If you read the post,  I have been documenting my sources throughout.  Some I even pulled from a blog post I wrote a couple of years earlier - click HERE

Here are a few books in my collection where I have found many other bits of my John Adams & Thomas Jefferson information.  The bottom left shows three Adams videos.  The two 1776 pieces top center left go together - one is the book and the other is its slipcover.
Great reading and watching!

Have a safe and wonderful 4th of July.

Postscript:

James Monroe also
died on July 4th,  but in 1831.

James Monroe,  our fifth president,  by a striking historical coincidence,  passed away exactly five years after Adams and Jefferson,  also on July 4th,  in 1831.  Monroe did not sign or have any direct involvement in the creation of the Declaration of Independence.  I just thought this would be an interesting postscript to today's post.  Instead of participating in anything with the Declaration,  Monroe fought in the Revolutionary War.   He was heavily involved in military actions,  most notably crossing the Delaware River with George Washington and sustaining a severe shoulder injury at the Battle of Trenton in late 1776.

He became the fifth President of the United States in 1817 and is considered by many to be the last of the Founding Father presidents  (though John Quincy Adams,  son of John Adams,  followed Monroe directly after in the line of Presidents.  Due to his direct lineage,  many consider him to be the last---I see a good argument for both). 

Adams,  Jefferson,  and Monroe have been the only US Presidents to die on July 4th. 

 

Throughout the years I have been taking part in some serious living history,  deeply researching America's past,  and writing in this Passion for the Past blog,  I have come to look at our history - and oftentimes,  history in general - quite differently than I used to.

I hope you do,  too.

And I hope what I have written here in this blog has helped you on your journey to the past.

Again:

Until next time,  see you in time.

Happy 4th of July.

Freedom Forever!

"Something special happened nearly two and a half centuries ago.  But is that story being told and promoted?  And to do that,  you also have to be willing to promote what makes America special.  That's not very PC/woke these days,  but maybe it's time to start celebrating America again,  especially in the run up to the 250th in 2026."

And here are links to help you to understand this holiday's history:

Declaring Independence:  The Spirits of  '76 - I had a conversation with Benjamin Franklin for this posting.  Check it out and see!  There is a lot of cool information about the writing of the Declaration and of those who signed it.  

Unsung Patriots:  The Printing of the Declaration of Independence - We have all heard on how those who signed the Declaration of Independence were putting their own lives on the line by signing such a treasonous document,  right?  But what about those who printed it?  They were also putting their lives on the line as well.  And just how did they spread the word and distribute this most important of all America's papers?  How long did it take to get it from the printer's to other cities and towns?

Yep---you'll find the answers here!

The Great Declaration of July 4th, 1776: Reactions From Those Who Were There - So now we've learned about the Declaration of Independence and of its printing in the above posts.  But how did the public respond when they first heard it??

Independence Day:  A  "Passion for the Past"  History of This Grand Holiday - So,  just what were the causes for the Founding Generation to want to claim Independence from Britain,  and what were some of the events that occurred?

Here is a post of links to other postings I wrote on those issues.

August 2nd,  1776:  The Signing of the Declaration of Independence - Contrary to popular belief,  the Declaration was not signed on the 4th of July.

Wha---?

Yep--it's true.  Here,  click the link and see for yourself.

With Liberty and Justice For All - A pretty amazing collection of  American history,  many of the earlier items displayed here were a part of the The Struggle and the Glory exhibit from the Bicentennial.

I've also written on and about people and things from America's founding generation called Buried Treasure:  Stories of the Founding Generation - there are some very cool stories and objects here I think you may be interested in.

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The Semiquincentennial - Collectibles Celebrating America's 250th: 1776---2026

It's here!

America's 250th---the Semiquincentennial is here!

250 years ago...

I've been waiting fifty years to make up for what I did not do during the Bicentennial.

As a 15 year old,  I could not drive yet,  so I had to rely on others,  mainly my parents,  to take me places.  And since both my mom and dad worked full-time jobs,  the last thing they wanted to do was to chauffeur their teenage son to some history thing---and now I completely understand.

Most of my Bicentennial experiences took place through me reading books,  magazines,  and newspapers,  as well as watching every show about history that I could on TV.

50 years ago---I remember the Bicentennial~~~~

It seemed from the early 1970s through the end of 1976,  wherever one turned there was something being written in newspapers and magazines about our colonial roots and the Revolutionary War.  Does anyone else remember  "Bicentennial Minute"?

That was fifty years ago. 

I first read the following quote about a decade ago,  and have held it dear to my heart ever since.  I do not know the writer of it,  for I found it on an Amazon book review.  But I have loved it since first reading it.  I find it fitting:

"Something special happened over two centuries ago.  But is that story being told and promoted?  And to do that,  you also have to be willing to promote what makes America special.  That's not very PC these days,  but maybe it's time to start celebrating America again,  especially in the run up to the 250th in 2026."

 It's amazing to think that's how long it's been since our country celebrated that special landmark anniversary.  No political views got in the way back then;  we all - hippies,  punk rockers,  disco folk,  country folk,  old and young - celebrated like never before...or since.

We were all one.

You may recall that I've written numerous blog postings about that gigantic celebration from 1976.  If you missed  'em,  all four links are at the bottom of today's post.  

Being that I am a collector - not a hoarder - I have amassed a good quantity of  Bicentennial items,  and have acquired a decently large and eclectic collection.  More recently I've been collecting cool things for our Nation's 250th birthday,  though I don't have nearly as much in comparison to 50 years ago...this stuff can be expensive!  And as we get closer to the big day,  more and more cool keepsakes seem to be finding their way to my house.

And that's what I intend to show you today~~~

This is it - - the last  "big one"  for another fifty years!

I hope you enjoy looking at my America 250 collectibles.

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Now I don't give a hoot on whether or not you like Trump - politics be damned! - I think our 250th celebration is pretty awesome,  and I love when I see people on both sides of the political fence celebrating together.  We are celebrating America as Americans!

Presidential Actions

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

EXECUTIVE ORDER

January 29, 2025

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America,  and in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4,  2026,  it is hereby ordered:

Section 1.  Purpose.  It is the policy of the United States,  and a purpose of this order,  to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4,  2026.  It is also the purpose of this order to take other actions to honor the history of our great Nation.

Section 2.  Establishing the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday.  

(a)   There is hereby established the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday  (Task Force 250).

(b)   The President shall be the Chair of Task Force 250 and the Vice President will serve as Vice Chair.  

Celebrate America!

Many of the items in this post,  like my previous posts of my collectibles,  are not worth a ton of money - what I have won't make me  (or my kids)  rich.  I collect because I've always liked to collect.  "Decluttering boomer junk is a major,  emotional task for aging parents and their children,  often solved through cleaning,  garage sales,  and gifting items to family early to avoid leaving a burden.  The process requires digitizing sentimental items and recognizing that decluttering is a gift to families."

Oh how sentimental.😰😉😆

Nope.

I still collect.  More and more.  Almost weekly.  It makes me happy.  And I'm still alive.  My  "gift to families"  is my stuff they can go through after I'm gone,  and they can keep what they want,  sell what they don't want.  That's it in a nutshell.

Today's post shows that~~~

~~~

America's current commemorations actually began back in 2020 for the 250th anniversary of the Boston Massacre.  Unfortunately,  that was somewhat marred by the covid fear.  And then in December of 2023,  there was an even bigger showing for the 250th of the Boston Tea Party,  which seemed to go off pretty well.  I was not at either event,  but I did watch the Boston Tea Party reenactment live on Fox Nation.  In fact,  I believe viewers can still watch it streaming.  It was good.

Then,  in 2025 there was the 250th of the start of the battles of the American Revolutionary War - Battles of Lexington and Concord.  I watched numerous clips of the reenactment.  I wish I could have been there---actually,  I was,  just about a month after the commemorative reenactment  (click HERE)!

I also hosted a commemoration and celebration of that first major outbreak of the American Revolution of 250 years previous - click HERE~~~

Now that we are into America's big 250th birthday,  the time is nigh!

In other words...It's here!!

Gadsden Flag

Stop thinking that having pride in your country and waving the flag - historic or modern - has been hijacked by any political party.  I recall being at a protest and they handed out the Gadsden Flag.  Understand,  this was a show of arms for Unions,  and there were some mighty upset people there.  "This is a conservative flag!" some yelled.  "This is a Republican flag!"  others screamed.  And I loudly proclaimed that this was a historical flag for all Americans.  One nut-job yelled that she was embarrassed to be an American.  And I replied,  "Yet,  here you are,  in America."  We ended up protesting and most of us carried our  'Don't Tread On Me'  flags high in the air.  Please stop getting your information from Facebook memes or some agenda-filled nincompoop.  It makes you look foolish.   My hope is for us all to be American no matter which side of the political fence anyone is on.  I have waved  'Old Glory'  and historical flags no matter what party runs our country.  

So let's get down to celebratory business:

Here is something I think is very cool that occurred in spring 2026. Our founders could never even have fathomed anything such as this - - it is so cool:

"This month  (April),  America250 joined in celebrating NASA’s Artemis II mission,  an important step in returning humans to the Moon and preparing for future journeys beyond.  In a powerful tribute to this legacy, astronauts carried the spirit of 250 years of American history 250,000 miles to the Moon,  featuring the America250 flag in a live telecast to Earth just after completing their historic lunar flyby.  As we look ahead to America’s 250th anniversary,  milestones like Artemis II reflect the same spirit of curiosity, courage,  and innovation that has defined our nation for generations."

This is the official logo of America's 250th celebration. 
I made sure to get a few window stickers of this.
Can you see it beneath the American  (and Canadian)  flags in the spaceship
in the photo above this one?

Gotta love all the very cool Americana items out there.  I don't collect everything,  just the things that I like.  Sometimes others may get some items for me,  which I do appreciate. 

I wonder...will what I have in my possession at this time be around in 50 years?   I am quite certain I won't see the Tricentennial  (America 300),  for I would be 115 years old---on the very slight odd chance I do make it,  my brain will probably be too old to comprehend.  But still,  how awesome would that be to have such cool Americana collectibles from 1976 and 2026?

Here are two America 250 flags I purchased.
The flag on top is the official Semiquincentennial logo.
I like how the bottom flag pays an homage to the Bicentennial and those who celebrated and experienced that milestone as well  (my hand is raised here!).
It is very very doubtful I'll see the Tricentennial.  Only God knows,  though...

Long may they wave...perhaps until the Tricentennial!!

As we get closer and closer to July 4th,  there seems to be more celebrations for America's 250th,  and I become more and more excited.  In fact,  I purchased many,  many hand-held flags - 70-ish - in various styles to pass out to the lads and lasses at our Mill Race Village commemoration:

I think kids should have such souvenirs - helps to keep their American pride,  I would hope.

From what I understand,  the nationwide commemoration of the Semiquincentennial formally kicked off around Memorial Day 2025,  and will continue throughout 2026.   

The commemoration period culminates on July 4,  2026.  Because this is a massive milestone,  the ⁠United States Semiquincentennial Commission  (also known as ⁠America250)  has spent the last several years planning events,  and the U.S. Mint has even begun shipping unique ⁠Semiquincentennial Circulating Coins into everyday commerce.

The two dollar bill is one of the very first collectible items commemorating the historic anniversary.

Not my first - you'll see that soon enough - but one of the  first put out there.

• Each Bill is Handsomely Showcased in Blue 2-Sided Display Folio

• Genuine U.S. Legal Tender $2 Bill
• Full-Color Certificate of Authenticity is Included with Each Bill 
(the Semiquincentennial colorized two-dollar bill is a genuine piece of U.S.  legal tender,  but the colorization is an aftermarket enhancement applied by a private company rather than the government)

• High-Definition Colorization Process
• Highest Quality Colorization in the World,   Accomplished Through a Revolutionary Technique
• Each Bill purchased this way is in Fresh,  Crisp,  Uncirculated Condition

As for the coins in the picture below:
"The U.S. Mint's 2026 circulating coin redesigns are being produced for one year only,  making them highly collectible."

Thus,  these pilgrim/Mayflower coins are considered to be the first actual  "legitimate"  Semiquincentennial collectibles.

Now,  there are more coins coming,  three more,  from what I understand,  but they have not been released as of the date of this post's publishing.  I'll add them as I get them.

TOP:  "The Mayflower Compact quarter stands out as a key release in this limited series, symbolizing the nation's earliest democratic roots and its 250‑year evolution toward liberty and self‑government."
Front side of the coin shows two Pilgrims.
The reverse side shows the Mayflower.

BOTTOM:  Another 2026 Revolutionary War quarter obverse features George Washington,  the first President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.  

The reverse shows a Continental Army soldier at Valley Forge,  Pennsylvania.  Washington’s forces endured defeat at the Battle of Brandywine and faced disease and extreme cold during their winter encampment from 1777 – 1778. 

I do like what the U.S.  Mint wrote:
This Semiquincentennial celebration represents a quarter of a millennium since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776,  marking the birth of the United States.  It's a momentous occasion that invites reflection on our rich history,  the struggles and triumphs that have shaped us,  and the values that continue to define us as a nation.

The United States Mint plans to release new coins in 2026 as part of their Semiquincentennial Coin Program to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.  The program will see new designs on many circulating coins just for 2026,  including the Lincoln cent,  Jefferson Nickel,  and Roosevelt Dime,  with special provisions for quarter,  half-dollar,  and dollar-denominated coinage.  Up to five quarter designs may be issued,  one of which must be  "emblematic of a woman's or women's contribution to the birth of the Nation or the Declaration of Independence or any other monumental moments in American History."

As excited as I was back in 1976 for the Bicentennial,  but I think I'm more excited now for the Semiquincentennial,  for I am much older now and,  thanks to reenacting & living history,  can actually take part!

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of
Paul Revere's ride with Creative Cockades in 2025.
(click HERE)

My family,  in those long ago days,  was never big on vacationing or really going anywhere besides our family cottage  (a wonderful place,  by the way),  which was about a 60 to 90 minute drive from our home.  We didn't go to Boston,  Colonial Williamsburg,  Philadelphia,  or even locally to Greenfield Village  (which was only about 40 minutes from our home).  Please understand,  I'm not bashing or dogging my parents in any way.  To be honest,  none of my friends went on a cool historical vacation either,  so I couldn't even be jealous!  I do recall asking my mom & dad about going to Greenfield Village,  but,  because of the fact that the amount of visitors were very large there,  my parents didn't want to fight with the crowds.  I suppose I kind of understand.  I probably would have been miserable,  too.  And not only due to the throngs of people,  but hearing my parent's complaints as well.  So,  I had to make do with my books,  the TV shows,  and the newspapers & magazines.  Oh---and pretending!  I used to pretend that I was a pioneer as I walked through the wooded areas and paths along the creek near where my cottage was located.  Oh yes,  I became a part of the Lewis and Clark expedition.  I was a frontiersman fighting my way through the trees and bushes.  I was a part of the Hamilton Family from my favorite book,  The Cabin Faced West  (click HERE).  I was a cowboy riding with John Wayne out west.  I was a warning rider with Paul Revere.  And when my dad made a fire in our fireplaces  (we had two),  I was living in a cabin - sometimes with young Abe Lincoln,  and other times with George Washington.  I remember asking my mom to please cook a meal on the hearth so we could eat like they did in colonial times.

Nope lol.

And when we were lucky enough to go to Cedar Point in Ohio,  the train ride through  "Frontier Town"  was my favorite part.

So I did make the best of it.

Years later,  as an adult,  long after the excitement of the Bicentennial had ended,  my wife & I and our kids went to Greenfield Village,  and we went often.  I mean...a lot!  And Crossroads Village in Flint  (click HERE).  And to reenactments as well.  Then we became reenactors ourselves - now we we could live  history!  With my wife and our children,  we also traveled to Gettysburg,  Antietam,  and Colonial Williamsburg.  Not a lot,  mind you,  but reenacting filled in the gaps.  And so did movies like Gettysburg,  Gods & Generals,  The Patriot,  and many other films that filled my/our historical hearts  (click HERE).

I often think about the Bicentennial and how I wish I could have taken part.

Well,  I can't go back - go figure,  right?  lolol

However,  now I get to take part.   In 2019 I planned and hosted Metro-Detroit's own version of Patriot's Day - the Battles of Lexington & Concord reenactment.  Oh,  I know back east is where it's at,  but that doesn't mean we still can't put together things here.  I revel in America's past and how far we've come - yes,  we still have a ways to go,  and we'll get there.  But I will celebrate how far we've come,  in contrast to what too many kids are being taught.  We do have cause to celebrate!  We're 250 years old! 

My biggest frustration is that such a major event as the Semiquincentennial has been  "officially ignored"  by many cities and states with little mention:

New York Post

Beloved Fourth of July parade for America’s 250th anniversary is axed

By Zain Khan

Published April 20, 2026

A beloved Fourth of July parade marking America’s 250th anniversary has been canceled after more than three decades due to crippling red tape.

The event in the Westchester neighborhood of Bakersfield was shelved last week due to the town and cops enforcing city permits and safety rules.

Organizers said the regulations,  which included waste management,  road closures and an expensive special application fee,  made it too costly to continue.

It comes as Fourth of July appears to be under attack in California,  with Long Beach’s popular display banning fireworks and SeaWorld being forced to switch the drones in San Diego. 

A 50th anniversary plate for
Greenfield Village & the Henry Ford Museum.
Not Bicentennial or Semiquincentennial, 
but historical and an anniversary involving history.

To be honest,  I find that to be very sad.  Anti-American-ism is running rampant,  especially in California  (but in a few other locations as well),  and has been building up way before Trump became president,  so it can't be blamed on him.  In Michigan we have a Democrat governor,  and,  yet,  we are celebrating fairly fervently.  I am so glad that we here are showing our patriotism. 

Here in Michigan we have had a good amount of historical reenactments,  utilizing real and true American history programming,  and,  outside of our state,  a national celebration of which will not be seen for another 50 years has been planned.  

And so far most of us have been enjoying a celebration and not a condemnation as what seems to be so popular in our culture today.  It was sure nice to hear that The Henry Ford  (The Museum and  Greenfield Village)  plan to have a commemoration with the annual Salute to America event  (click HERE),  as well as having the Freedom Plane with historical American documents make a visit to the grounds of these two museums in mid-July.  

They are also selling some pretty cool and unique souvenirs:

I very much enjoy visiting and learning in the weaving shop at Greenfield Village.  In fact, I found out that the handwoven towel in the patriotic red, white, and blue colors I purchased was made on the 18th century loom right there in that building by one of the Village weavers.  Best of all,  it was made for our country's 250th birthday celebration!

So,  after purchasing the towel,  I brought it back to the weaver's shop and took a picture of it with the 18th century loom on which it was made.

There it is---center left~~~

Here is a closer,  clearer picture across a Windsor chair...

Another Village souvenir for America's Semiquincentennial is this postcard printed in the print shop.

Working on the Betsy Ross flag inside the Pottery Shop.
By the way,  the structure of the Pottery Shop was made in 1787.

This is a nice little glass button also made at the Village in their glass blowing shop:
"AMERICA
250 YEARS
IN THE MAKING"
Perfect gift for the kid with only a little money.

A few more items I purchased made at the Village Pottery Shop.

Then,  only a few weeks after the previous plates became available,  this old-style sailing vessel was put out for sale.  There were only a very few of these made so I was very lucky to have gotten one  (I was bugging them and one of the ladies was kind enough to put one aside for me---love it!)
Also,  seen here are the Semiquincentennial glasses made at the glass shop inside Greenfield Village!
There are wonderful museum-quality souvenirs not only for Greenfield Village but for the America 250 celebrations.

Here we can see more in my Greenfield Village collection,  which includes all from the pictures posted previously,  just kind of as a patriotic group here  (though the George Washington plate I purchased a number of years ago no longer available).
Not only do we see the plates,  but the stoneware crock,  the Betsy Ross redware flag ornament,  the Semiquincentennial glasses,  and a small blue glass America 250 button.
And a cardboard America 250 tag.
All sitting atop the 18th century loom-woven red,  white,  and blue tea towel.

Here's something that's very cool that I am very excited to see:

March 2,  2026:  America’s Founding Documents Fly Out of Nation’s Capital For First Time On the Freedom Plane
(CNN Headline from March 3)

Washington, DC - - - - written by Alexandra Skores

 — For the first time in United States history,  several of the country’s founding documents will travel the skies to visit multiple cities on their own jet in honor of the nation’s founding.

“This initiative is all about bringing our history to life,  capturing the national mood of celebration,  and sending America’s big birthday party from the nation’s capital to the very heart of America,”  said Monica Crowley,  chief of protocol of the US.

The Freedom Plane took off Monday from a cold and windy Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for its first stop in Kansas City,  Missouri.  The documents will travel to eight cities through August.

Among the documents:  an original engraving of the Declaration of Independence;  George Washington,  Alexander Hamilton,  and Aaron Burr’s Oaths of Allegiance and the Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolution.

“Safety and security of the documents has been paramount from the point when this tour was first conceived,”  said Jim Byron,  with the National Archives while standing in front of the plane.  “They stay typically in secured vaults in the National Archives,  and they don’t come out very often.”

“This feels different this morning walking up to the airplane,”  Boeing pilot Joe Seymour said before he took off in the plane.  “You think about the names that are on these documents,  the signatures,  George Washington,  John Adams,  Alexander Hamilton,  Benjamin Franklin.  These are the founding fathers of the United States and so there’s a great pride that comes with that.”

The plane is a modernized homage to the Freedom Train of 1976,  which took founding documents on tour around the country for the bicentennial.

“We know that not everybody’s going to be able to come and see  (the documents)  in Washington DC,”  Byron said.  “So to be able to take those right up to people’s cities and towns and communities is a once in a generation opportunity.”

Freedom Tour city visits below.

Kansas City,  MO:   National WWI Museum and Memorial:  Friday,  March 6 – Sunday,  March 22

Atlanta, GA:  Atlanta History Center:  Friday,  March 27 – Sunday,  April 12

Los Angeles,  CA:  University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art:  Friday, April 17 – Sunday,  May 3

Houston,  TX:  Houston Museum of Natural Science:  Friday,  May 8 – Monday,  May 25

Denver, CO:  History Colorado Center:  Thursday,  May 28 – Sunday,  June 14

Miami,  FL:  History Miami Museum:  Saturday,  June 20 – Sunday,  July 5

Dearborn, MI:  Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation:  Thursday, July 9 – Sunday,  July 26

Seattle, WA:  Museum of History & Industry  (MOHAI):  Thursday,  July 30 – Sunday,  August 16

You can bet I will be doing a blog post about this later this summer!

On a personal level,  I have been working with historic Mill Race Village these past few years for celebrating Independence Day - the 4th of July celebrations there have been truly amazing.  I am actually one of the people - pretty much the main person - in putting it all on,  and for that I am very proud.  In fact,  you'll be seeing my post about the 2026 celebration in two weeks right here - same Bat time, same Bat channel!

A  "cool"ectible I picked up at a Frankenmuth  (Michigan)  general store probably about a decade ago.  I never opened the box - they've not ever been touched - and the Pez candy is still tucked inside.
My friend,  Carrie,  gave this the name  "The Pezidents"!!

It seemed initially there was not nearly the excitement and pomp & parade as it was for the Bicentennial.  However,  as we get closer to Celebration Day,  the excitement seems to be building up.  For too long,  when I would bring up the Semiquincentennial,  most I spoke to were totally oblivious to it.  I mean,  by the time 1974 came around,  virtually every American was well aware of the upcoming Bicentennial celebrations for 1976.  I think due to the fact that the Vietnam War and the protests had ended,  it seemed all were ready for some patriotic partying.  

More of late I have been seeing people coming to their senses and seeing just what a great country the United States actually is.  We've made mistakes,  just as every country on earth has done from time immemorial,  but we are - and have been - heading in the right direction.  I know,  that goes against the grain of today's thought,  but if people would use their critical thinking skills,  then I believe their minds would be open.

More need to think this way today.

Many from Europe who have grown up being taught about evil ugly America are coming over for the World Cup tournaments and are finding a very different America than what they've been told by mostly the media.  They are finding a wonderful country filled with beauty and people who are very welcoming and kind.  A country with a rich history.

 2025 - -- - The beginning of the end of colonialism in America:
the Battle of Lexington & Concord.

Last year I participated in the 250th celebration of this first day of the American Revolution by putting two lanterns in an upstairs window of my home.  It was asked that museums and people take part in this commemoration known as Two Lights for Tomorrow  (click HERE),  and by my own doing,  a number of my friends did.  

2025's  "Two Lights for Tomorrow"
The two lanterns lit for America's 250th
from inside a second floor window in my two-story house.

Well,  though The Henry Ford forgot about the 250th in 2025 and did not participate,  this year in 2026 they at least acknowledged the historic importance of April 18th and 19th of 1775 by posting on their page:
"Tonight is the 251st anniversary of Paul Revere’s midnight ride to warn Patriots of the British Army’s approach on the night of April 18,  1775.  Revere famously devised a system of lantern signals from Boston’s Old North Church to advise how the British were traveling — one if by land,  two if by sea.  

On the night of April 18, two lanterns were lit,  signaling that the British were using the Charles River to approach Concord, Massachusetts.  Revere and Billy Dawes rode by horse to Lexington then Concord to spread the word.  Militias gathered in both cities,  ready to confront the British.

In Lexington,  the first shots of the American Revolution were fired and eight Patriots were killed.  However,  the militia in Concord stood ready and waiting.  Hiding behind barns,  houses and other buildings,  they fired upon unsuspecting British soldiers,  killing 73 before the army retreated to Boston. 

The Patriots secured their first victory in the Battle of Lexington and Concord — a spark that ignited the rest of the Revolution."

Included was a picture of an old book about Paul Revere from 1907.

I like to think I may have had something to do with them paying tribute,  for I did send them a note stating my disappointment in their non-participation in 2025.

TOP:  My newest Paul Revere shirt
BOTTOM:  Me as Paul Revere at Michigan's own Lexington & Concord reenactment.

I have my t-shirt,  and proudly wear it!

I have numerous other shirt designs as well.

Michigan is getting in on the celebration.
It is my understanding that all of the 50 states have set up commissions to help commemorate the event. 

More cool stuff:   Boston Tea Party 250th Anniversary Tea Towel:

"Our original design,  available exclusively at The History List store,  commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party on December 16,  1773.  It is printed on a 100%  cotton premium flour sack towel with an off-white natural color.  Cut,  dyed,  sewn,  and printed in America."

This is my  first collectible for the Semiquincentennial - America's 250th.
It is a Tea Towel put out by the History List of Boston to commemorate
America's 250th birthday celebration.

This neat little gift tag  (hilarious!)  also came with the tea towel.

But I didn't stop there - - - - - - 

I purchased two more tea towels:
in the center is for Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
and the
one on the right is of Independence Hall.

A tea towel is  "a durable,  lint-free cloth,  usually made of linen or cotton,  used in the kitchen for drying delicate dishes,  glassware, and polishing silverware.  They are known for their flat-weave structure and absorbent,  quick-drying nature,  making them perfect for covering baked goods,  lining baskets,  or general cleaning without leaving lint behind."

The tea towel collection continues to grow...

A closer look - - - - 

The Old North Church~~

Independence Hall
~or~
the front facade of the Henry Ford Museum  (click HERE)

And then this was added not too long ago:

National Archives Museum in Washington D.C.

These tea towels are purely collectibles to me.

And from the Oliver Pluff and Co,  here are some things I picked up that are historically very cool.

Now,  "Oliver Pluff & Company is a veteran-owned,  Charleston,  South Carolina-based purveyor of historic American beverages.  The company focuses on connecting modern consumers to early American heritage by meticulously recreating the exact tea blends,  coffee roasts,  and spice kits consumed during the 17th,  18th,  and 19th centuries."

"Bringing early American history to life by acting as storytellers.  Their journey started by researching what teas were cast into the water during the Boston Tea Party of 1773."

So this first photo above is a display of the types of teas that were dumped into Boston Harbor on the night of December 16,  1773 - otherwise what became known as the Boston Tea Party.

According to researcher and historian Benjamin Woods Labaree,  it was all loose tea because the colonists had no taste for tea bricks,  and tea bags were still 150 years in the future.

The three tea ships contained 240 chests of Bohea,  10 of Souchong,  15 of Congou,  (all black teas),  60 of Singlo,  and 15 of Hyson  (both green teas),  all produced in China.  The teas mentioned here can be seen in this photo in the same order.

I love collecting Americana and American history almost as much as I enjoy  "living"  it.

Just because I'm not a coffee  (or tea)  drinker,  doesn't mean I still can't collect:

Coffee canister labeled  'Green Dragon'  by Oliver Pluff & Co on a blue background

Green Dragon coffee tin.  (This is a)  limited-Edition Paul Revere’s Ride Green Dragon Coffee Blend Commemorative Tin.

For Oliver Pluff & Co's Green Dragon coffee,  they have a wrap around photo as well as information about the Midnight Ride of April 18th/19,  1775 and the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston.

"Coffee was first brought to North America in the mid-1600s with Jamestown settlers.   Modeled after those in London,  colonial coffeehouses in places like Boston and Philadelphia acted as a mix of cafes,  inns,  and taverns.  They served as the central hubs for men to discuss commerce,  politics,  and Enlightenment ideals.

Tea was the premier beverage in the American colonies until Britain passed the Tea Act of 1773.  Colonists boycotted British tea in protest of  "taxation without representation".  Following the events of the Boston Tea Party in December 1773,  turning to coffee became a public display of colonial solidarity.   Coffee successfully dethroned tea as the beverage of choice,  permanently embedding the drink into American culture and future political landscapes."

Well,  now,  you just seen and read about their historic tea collection  (and by clicking HERE you can read more about the Boston Tea Party),  as well as a bit about coffee in colonial America.

And I've written previously about medicinal plants and herbs grown in the kitchen gardens of our colonial ancestors.  Well,  Oliver Pluff & Co now have available a Colonial Remedies Collection.

As stated on the card that came with these remedies:
"These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose,  treat,  cure,  or prevent any disease."

Peppermint:  "Quickens the occasional Absent Minde"
Ginger:  "Relieves the occasional upset stomach."
Lemon Balm:  "Makes the heart merry& joyfull."
Cinnamon:  "Warmes the body,  relieves the weake stomacke."
Lavender:  "Warmes the body."

History through beverages:

Peppermint was soaked in water to extract the flavor for the health benefits.

Ginger roots were also steeped  (soaked in liquid)  for the same reason.

Lemon balm was made as a tea.

Cinnamon was also made as a tea.

Lavender probably has the most recognized aroma and was thought to be able to cure over 40 ailments.  Like the others,  it could have been taken as a tea.

These are the unique ways to bring history to life.

And helps us to understand the way it really was.  I very recently read in a New York Times article  (courtesy of a friend):
"In the 50 years since the bicentennial,  the last major celebration of the nation’s birth,  our knowledge of the American Revolution has radically expanded.  The founding fathers remain the central figures.  But since the 1970s,  historians have uncovered the fascinating,  dramatic lives of many other players whose contributions were previously overlooked or lost in the archives."

I think the tea and coffee can mesh well with this statement,  don't you?

I make my own candles,  but then sometimes one just has to purchase the more unique ones:

A Paul Revere candle~

Resistance Candles:

"Every jar is hand-poured in the USA using premium wax and high-quality fragrance oils—not cheap outsourced fillers.  We don’t cut corners,  and we don’t answer to shareholders.  We answer to the spirit of 1776.  Supporting small,  American-made businesses is how we take back ground—economically,  culturally,  and spiritually." 

This next few items is to show the things one can find at CVS or Hobby Lobby if one plans to have a family BBQ or something:

A plastic party cup bought for me by a friend.

And what's a party without doughnuts!

Coke/Coca Cola celebrated back in 1976,  so why not here in 2026?

Back to a candle holder.

A small candle holder -
I with they would have put  "Semiquincentennial"  rather than  "USA Bicentenary Anniversary" - it does have the 1776 - 2026,  however.  Bicentenary still means 200.
Meh...it came from China...

How about something similar to baseball cards...but,  yet,  not baseball cards...or are they...lol...

Pieces of the Past Relics Edition Cards explanation from someone who goes by ThatsRippinGood on Reddit:

"They have been around for years and they are legit.  They specialize in autos  (including jerseys,  balls,  etc),  so for them to start faking things like original documents would ruin their reputation fast,  which would be devastating to them since they are based entirely around products marketed as being authentic.

They absolutely cut up historic documents.  The Presidents are quite easy,  because there is a crazy amount of documents from them in circulation.  Getting a Thomas Jefferson  (or any other President)  document is not difficult if you have the money.

Even if a document costs thousands to get,  they can piece it out into a hundred-plus cards just for the actual writing on something like a short letter."

Samuel Adams - front

Samuel Adams - back

Another of Samuel Adams - front
This is a more familiar image/painting

Samuel Adams - back

A 3-in-1---front
John Hancock,  George Washington,  Ben Franklin

3-in-1---back

President Washington and vice-president Adams - front

President Washington and vice-president Adams - back

Paul Revere - front

Paul Revere - back

Let's jump out of the Revolutionary times only for a quick moment and look into America's future from that 1776 perspective.  

"The Erie Canal is a historic 363-mile waterway in upstate New York that connects the Hudson River at Albany to Lake Erie at Buffalo.  Completed in 1825,  it was the first navigable water route to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes,  effectively opening the American interior to trade and westward expansion." 

I bought this card because I am fascinated on how the Erie Canal helped to build the western portions of our country - the Erie Canal helped to populate my home state of Michigan,  so I thought it a worthy purchase.

Erie Canal - front
With authentic dirt!
Of course,  this  I can't prove...lol...

Erie Canal - back - with historical information

Cockades,  typically rosettes or knots of ribbon worn on hats,  originated in 15th-century Europe as military identifiers to distinguish allies from enemies.  By the 18th century,  they became strong symbols of political allegiance,  nationality,  and revolutionary fervor and were used in the American Revolution for rank identification.

Heather Sheen,  whom I've not met in person  (but we have been long-time Facebook friends),  made the following patriotic cockades.  She is the proprietress of Creative Cockades.

The following cockades are all those I have purchased from her:

From left~~~~~
~250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington & Concord
The beginning of the Revolutionary War.
~Descendant of an American Colonial
I am a descendant of colonial Quakers who came to the colonies in 1710.
~Sons of the American Revolution
(for my sons and grandsons)
~Daughters of the American Revolution
(for my wife and eventually our daughter and granddaughters)

Cold-Cast Bronze 2nd Amendment Minute Man Tribute Sculpture

The Second Amendment Commemorative Sculpture

Handcrafted, hand-painted cold-cast bronze resin sculpture features a detailed
Minute Man atop a base graced with the words of the 2nd Amendment.

From the Bradford Exchange

I am so happy,  honored,  and proud to actually be a part of the Semiquincentennial in numerous ways,  but nothing like this:.  

This past spring - spring of 2026 - Macomb Community College's Lorenzo Cultural Center really went all out and put together a program like no one else in Michigan did:  

Chasing Liberty.

Celebrating America250 with a bang!
This was the trifold flyer.

This is what greeted those who stepped through the front doors of the exhibit area:  an immersive display of our founding fathers and mothers.
It was engulfing.

So let's take a stroll around the exhibit area:

A close up on what I like to think of as the all-important vote declaring independence,  but this is taken mostly from the painting depicting the signing.

They themselves created the stand ups.

Since I was a presenter there wearing period clothing,  I bet I could have gotten a nice photo of me mixing in with the founders here - perhaps even sitting at or bending over the table.

Here is another part of the display exhibit.

George and Martha.

There were also several large monitors throughout the exhibit area.  so I captured when the video playing showed the Betsy Ross flag.

There we are,  me and Larissa,  as presenters!  At the top left side of this flyer.
Macomb College did it right~
Being a patriot doesn't mean you are Democrat or Republican.
It means you are an American.

As you can see,  there's a lot going on here in Macomb County to celebrate America's 250th. 
Check out the 2nd one on the list - Friday March 6!

There we are 2nd from the very top  (March 6) - Larissa & I doing what we do best!  And friend Barb was there as well,  teaching folks to write with a quill pen and ink!

I've gone to many,  but not all,  of the presentations,  and simply very much enjoyed nearly each and every one I attended.  In fact,  myself and my presentation partner,  Larissa,  actually presented as well!!

Look out,  Martha...you got competition!

How's that for an honor?

From Kayla Svisco - Manager of Cultural Programs & Exhibits,  Lorenzo Cultural Center:

"This spring at the Lorenzo Cultural Center we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with our exhibit and programming series,  Chasing Liberty.  By examining the conditions of people before,  during,  and after the American Revolution,  we aim to reflect on the ways in which the ideals and actions of the era shaped the lives of all.

Recognition of the Semiquincentennial of America is taking place across the country.  There are many events and initiatives meant to honor this anniversary,  including America 250MI.  We are proud to be a part of this statewide calendar of recognized anniversary events.  Chasing Liberty,  which runs from March 2nd to May 2nd,  features a schedule of over 30 programs,  alongside our large-scale exhibit in Discovery Hall.

The exhibit features historical items on loan from other institutions including The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation,  the Detroit Historical Museum,  the Romeo Historical Museum,  private collectors,  and more!  See for yourself pelts and furs from the fur-trade era,  which helped set the stage for the Revolution;  muskets and pistols like those carried by American Patriots;  a pair of silver candlesticks used by the family of founding father Alexander Hamilton;  and even a fragment of the wooden coffin that once entombed our nation's first president,  George Washington.  

Our programming lineup is packed with diverse and exciting presentations!  We welcome experts from across the country to present on topics ranging from the revolutionary economy and indigenous nations to the Declaration of Independence in the news,  soldiers'  foodways,  and everything in between."    

(From the Chasing Liberty program)

This was a handout booklet that gave greater details about the presenters...

...including Larissa & I!

Daily life is our thing,  and we've been doing this for well over a decade now.  Between Larissa and myself,  we have many years of historical research between us.

Larissa and I have been working in the presenting capacity for over a decade now,  so we were quite honored to have been asked to speak on colonial daily life here at Macomb College.

March 6

 I am absolutely tickled that we,  my good friend Larissa and I,  were a part of this extraordinary celebration!

It is such an honor to be included in this wonderful celebration of America's birthday and history.  And our presentation went to well - probably our best one yet.  To begin with,  we had over a hundred people show up to see us---possibly our largest audience.

That's Larissa & I on the left.  On the right we have Barb,  who had quill and ink ready for folks to sign a personal copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Together,  the three of us gave the visitors quite a daily life history lesson!

AND we got a standing ovation!!

Click HERE for more photos and information about our presentation.

A few days later I returned as a member of the audience.

March 9

For  "Revolutionary Encounters":   Experience history come alive as Museum Theater actors perform short,  interactive scenes within the exhibit on select days.  Our exhibit comes to life as the actors from our Museum Theater program engage and interact with visitors in short,  impromptu performances within the exhibit. 

 

And then,  two days later,  I got to see a wonderful presentation given by food historian Jeff Pavlik:

March 11
For Jeff's presentation,  Taste of Revolution: Soldiers’  Food in the War for Independence,  we heard:

Look into the pack of a Continental soldier and discover what food sustained him through the War for Independence.  Explore the rations he received to wage war,  and the many ways he had to improvise and and endure in the face of hunger and hardship.  See how these soldiers used ingenuity to prepare their meager supplies,  using the simplest of tools and makeshift equipment to cook their meals. 

And then two days later  (again)  we heard about  "Detroit in 1776"  given by Bill Pringle,  the curator of Collections at the Detroit Historical Society,  where he helps develop exhibits and care for the society's extensive collection of artifacts:

March 13
Bill gave a wonderful history of Detroit,  going back to the beginning and stopping during the War of 1812.

Unfortunately,  we had a powerful late winter windstorm and the wifi went out.  But Bill held us with his stories and his passion.  Before the wifi was knocked out of commission,  I was able to capture a photo of one of his slides,  there on the left.

March 20
I came back again a couple days later.
Michigan is very overlooked when it comes to the American Revolution,  so Roger Rosentreter,  who teaches courses on American history at Michigan State University,  gave an interesting lecture on the subject.

March 24

And then again,  I went to another historical presentation at Macomb College's Lorenzo Cultural Center.  This one was on Ben Franklin. 

Remember when I saw the  "Revolutionary Encounters"?

Well,  they expanded that presentation:

March 26

As you can see,  I went to quite a few events there at Macomb College's Lorenzo Cultural Center,  including one called  "Patriot Ink,"  which was put on by members of the Museum Theater.

This was much better than the similar presentation/performance I saw on March 9.  It was an expanded version,  in fact.

This was very enjoyable hearing,  in a play form,  about John Dunlap and how he printed the very first Declaration of Independence on July 4,  1776.  We then heard from Mary Katherine Goddard,  who was the second printer commissioned by Congress  (1777)  to print the Declaration of Independence.  Her copy,  the Goddard Broadside,  was the first to include the names of the signers.

I mentioned I like seeing and collecting unique items.

How about wood and bricks --- ?

Here is a bit of information on the next artifact.

Proof of the origin of this historic brick.

And here is the White House brick itself.

Wood and bricks?

Seriously?

Though I've posted about my bricks a few years back,  let's take another look at  'em:

The first two bricks in the first row  (left going down)  once were part of the road/street in the tiny city of Croswell  (Michigan),  from back in the horse and buggy days when they had brick streets;  they were in a pile and some were beaten up pretty bad,  but we were allowed to grab some,  and at the bottom of that 1st row I decided to include a leftover paver from our own back patio my brother Tom and I built about twenty years ago.  It is a piece of my own personal home history of my wife & our kids.

The brick top middle is from  "old Greenfield Village."  At one time it was a part of the walk in front of the Henry Ford Birthplace after the house was brought to Greenfield Village - yes,  it was once a part of that wonderful place of history.  When the Village  "updated"  its infrastructure in the late 20th and early 21st century,  many of the employees at that time were able to collect these bricks as they were removed from the walkways - - and a friend,  knowing what a fan I am of the Village,  was so very kind and gifted one to me.  My sincerest thanks...!

Now,  this Greenfield Village brick is directly above my bicentennial brick from Massachusetts  (can you guess which one that  is?)  that I found on eBay.  What a cool and unique souvenir.

The bottom brick in the center row was given to me as a retirement gift by a co-worker who knows how much I love history,  and so she got me a brick from the Willow Run Bomber Plant  (located a bit west of Detroit)  that she was able to grab during the remodel.  Construction of the Willow Run Bomber Plant began in 1940 and was completed in 1942,  to manufacture aircraft,  especially the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber  (WWII).  Willow Run was also the  "Birthplace"  of Rosie the Riveter - and now I have a historic brick from that plant!

How cool!

The top brick in the third row  (on the right going down with the 10 holes)  is from Oakwood Junior High School  (Oakwood Middle School),  the school that I attended back in the early-to-mid 70s,  which was torn down about 15 years ago.  I asked one of the workers for a brick and he grabbed one for me. 

The two bricks below are from the chimney of our former family cottage built in the early 1930s. 

For more brick details,  see below: 

Who would have ever thought bricks could be historic?

Certainly not me,  though my mind has been opened,  for old bricks can be very historical.  And I never thought I'd ever have such a collection.

Well,  not an intentional collection.

But each one has a history and helps to tell a story.  I mean,  those bricks on the upper left that once paved the streets and walks of Croswell,  Michigan are simply a part of American history,  aren't they?  Bricks were commonly used to pave streets and walks,  going back,  as far as research shows,  to the early 19th century  (research tells me that bricks were used to pave walks and streets in the colonies,  along with cobblestone),  and the idea carried on westward as America grew.  The small City of Croswell was founded in 1845  (under a different name),  and was incorporated as a city in 1881.  This was more than likely around the time the brick were laid on the streets - perhaps maybe a little later,  in the 1890s or the early 20th century,  once automobiles became more popular.  Some cement still sticks to them from when they were paved over with concrete.

To think Model Ts rolled over them.

Then there's the paver directly below the two Croswell bricks.  My brother Tom and I worked together on making the patio that is still there at the back of my house.  My brother is no longer with us,  for he passed away in 2014,  so this is an important part of my life,  my history,  which is why it is included here.

Now we go to the second row  (center going down);  you all know how much I love Greenfield Village,  so to have a brick that I am sure I trod upon  (along with millions of others)  that was once a part of that favorite of all historical places is,  well,  let's just say  "goosebumps."

As for the Bicentennial brick in the center:

tell me this isn't one of the coolest,  most unique,  and even most unusual Bicentennial collectibles you've ever seen:  a 1776-1976 brick!  It was advertised as a door stop  (lolol)!  I didn't hesitate to  "Buy It Now"  when I saw it on Ebay.  With me it'll have a quiet,  more gentle  (haha)  life,  sitting on a shelf with other collectibles.  

As far as the Willow Run brick center bottom,  well,  from what my friend  (and giver of this gift),   Serina,  said she was able to  "pick out bricks when they started part of the remodel"  and that it  "is related to Henry Ford  (since)  he opened the Bomber Plant."

Serina is also a part of the group of women who pay tribute to Rosie the Riveter,  so this is also a Rosie brick!

The brick on the upper right came from a school where I attended back in the early-to-mid 1970s - Oakwood Jr. High School  (and name changed to Oakwood Middle School).  It was also my workplace as a custodian in the 1990s and into the 2000s,  so it also has a personal history to it.  The school was built in the early 1950s.

My family cottage chimney bricks are the last two bottom bricks in the third row.

My grandfather bought the place before I was even born,  and I spent my entire youth there in Lexington  (Michigan,  on the banks of Lake Huron).  I continued to visit the cottage well into my adult life,  even after I married and had kids,  so even my own family learned to love the place.  When the cottage chimney suddenly came crashing down - no one was hurt,  thank God - I grabbed a few of the bricks.  

All of these bricks - bricks that help to tell a historical American story - will be kept until one day when I'm no longer a part of the living and my wife,  kids,  or grandkids can do what they wish.

As I've said,  I don't pay attention to the younger generation telling me I must get rid of my stuff because no one will want them.  It is my hope that my collection may be of some interest to my kids,  grandkids,  or even,  one day in the distant future,  my great grandkids.  Maybe not everything I have,  but I do have a feeling many of my items will be in our family for generations to come,  for I have raised my kids with a deep commitment to family and our family history.  Screw those people on the internet and in magazines who spew the psychobabble of telling us Boomers/Generation Jones to get rid of our stuff - things that make us happy.  We're alive now,  and enjoying the heck out of them!

Now for wood---more from the collection of Ken:

"Paul Revere Piece Of Wood From His House Encapsulated"  CoA:  (Certificate of Analysis,  which is a document that verifies the quality,  purity,  and identity of a product or material such as what we have here).  This item was authenticated by Todd Mueller Autographs and came with their Certificate of Authenticity.  Todd Mueller Autographs has been BBB accredited,  and that accreditation signifies a business's commitment to meeting the Better Business Bureau's standards for honesty,  transparency,  and ethical business practices,  and it's a way for businesses to demonstrate trustworthiness to consumers.

I own a sliver of Paul Revere's actual house!
Look in the upper right corner~~~

My wife and I standing next to Paul Revere's house in Boston,  Massachusetts!

To make sure all is on the level,  I did my research and learned that Tom Mueller is a well-respected autograph dealer and antique anthenticator,  so I personally contacted him for his assurance as well,  which he gave to me.

Here is something else related to Paul Revere that is somewhat unique:  A piece of a wood beam from the Old North Church in Boston.  The Old North Church has undergone various renovations throughout its history and a beam from the original 1723 construction was obtained during one of the more recent preservation and restoration process.  Again,  Authentic pieces of original beams removed during renovations are occasionally available for purchase as historical artifacts.

That's what I have here.

Here is the front of the card:

You can see a chip from the original 1723 wooden beam toward the lower right.
Here is the back of the card:

A bit of why the wood chip's importance.
Also,  Paul Hartunian is well-known in this field,  which is why I trusted that this is a legitimate piece.

I also have,  in my own personal collection,  a wood chip taken from an original beam from Independence Hall from the time when our founders,  including Ben Franklin,  John Adams,  Thomas Jefferson,  and John Hancock,  debated and signed the Declaration of Independence!

One is a museum piece---the other two  (including the wood chip from Paul Revere's House)  I would say are worthy of being museum pieces,  yet they are in my own collection.

Here is the way it was originally displayed and sold 50 years ago. 

Independence Hall in Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania was renovated in 1897-1898.  During the renovation, 16 of the original beams holding up the floor on which the giants of the era debated the future of the 13 Colonies were replaced. 

Rather than discarding the old beams,  which felt the footsteps of the titans of the Revolutionary War era,  project manager and superintendent of the Independence Hall,  Samuel S.  Reeves,  retained possession of the original timbers.  Over the years,  most of the beams were sold and subsequently cut up into slivers,  producing thousands of history cards and memorabilia that were sold during the Bicentennial in 1976 all over the country and in many major department stores.

This very cool memento was produced in 1976 to honor the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the USA.  It is a very historical item to possess,  and it comes in the original storage box.

So wood chips and bricks can be just as historical as anything else in museums.

In fact,  at historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn,  Michigan  (The Henry Ford),  they even have a wood chip on display:

Now,  some may comment on these items being only a chip of wood  (or a brick),  no matter where it came from.  Ain't no big deal,  right?

Well,  inside the historic Wright Cycle Shop building,  which has been relocated from Dayton,  Ohio to inside the gates and walls of Greenfield Village in Dearborn,  Michigan,  sits this very important building inside which  Wilbur and Orville Wright designed and created the first successful powered airplane,  the 1903 Wright Flyer.

Know what also has been placed inside?

A wood chip,  seen on the left,  taken from a wing of the plane flown at Kitty Hawk,  North Carolina,  on December 17,  1903.  Included in this display is also a piece of fabric as well from that first airplane,  and it now has a place of reverence and honor inside the Nationally known and respected Greenfield Village open-air museum.

Very cool,  huh?  I feel the same about the wood chips in my personal collection.

On the right in the above picture is a close up of the Independence Hall wood chip.

Now the items in my own personal collection have nothing to do with the collection inside Lorenzo Cultural Center - I just wanted to allow readers to see and understand why such things are important,  even though they're wood chips and bricks.

And yet there's more~~~~~

Here is something pertaining to the Father of Our Country:

History can be found in the most unique places and forms.
Here is the plaque with information:

This just goes to show that history does not have to be a work of art,  painting,  an antique,  but even wood chunks or slivers.

Here is the explanation.
Note that this comes from the  "Collections of The Henry Ford in Dearborn,  Michigan".  For those who may not know,  this is Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum.
I could not figure out why such a place would loan such historical collectibles out during the Semiquincentennial year.  Then I realized:  they weren't going to use it,  so why not?

So glad Macomb College's Lorenzo Cultural Center was able to display it~

Here is a very unique item:  a chip of wood from George Washington's coffin.
And here's an explanation on how it came to be:

Morbid?
Maybe...kinda sorta...
Historically cool?
Definitely!

And more of a closeup of the chip of Washington Coffin Wood.

Witness wood to witness tree:

History where you least expect it.

The tree we are standing next to is about 300 years old - just about as old as we are!!!

I have always admired this tree,  for I’ve seen it often. Like,  in fact,  each time I've ever visited Greenfield Village!  But like most people,  I never gave much thought to it other than it is a very old tree.  Well,  during a special  “Arbor Day Witness Tree Walk in Greenfield Village”  that I,  sadly,  could not attend,  it was found that this oak tree is roughly around 300 years old!

Now how do they know that without chopping it down and counting its rings?

Well,  as the folks that took the tour were taught  (and Friend of Greenfield Village member,  Bob Vincent,  explained):  “You can get a rough estimate of the age of a tree without cutting it down and counting the rings.  The girth of a tree can be used to estimate its age,  as roughly a tree will increase it’s girth by 2.5 cm  (centimeters)  in a year.   So,  simply measure around the trunk of the tree  (the girth)  at about 1meter from the ground.  Make sure you measure to the nearest centimeter.  Then divide the girth by 2.5 to give an age in years.  A tree with a 50 cm girth will therefore be about 20 years old. 

The rate of growth will differ according to what type of tree it is.  Some types of trees,  such as oak

and beech,  will grow quite slowly,  and so you should divide the girth measurement by 1.88.  Pine

trees,  however,  are very fast growing,  so you should divide the girth measurement by 3.13.

Other factors will affect the growth too,  such as how close the tree is to other trees.  If it’s on its own,  it has the space to grow faster than trees in the woods.  An average woodland tree will only increase its girth by about 1.25 cm per year.”

So,  if this is truly the case,  then this old oak tree can be claimed as a Witness Tree:  “a tree that was present during a grand historical or cultural event of America.  The trees got their name from being able to  "witness"  a historically significant event.  Witness trees are centuries old and are known to be of great importance to the U.S.  Nation's history.”

Did this tree  “witness”  a  “grand historical or cultural event of America”?

Well…sort of…remember,  with this tree being around the 300 year old mark,  it is older than George Washington  (b. 1732),  and close to the same age as Ben Franklin  (b. 1706)!  It is of the same generation as John Adams,  Thomas Jefferson,  James Madison,  Betsy Ross,  Paul Revere...

That is old!

But what did it actually  "witness"?

How about the building of Greenfield Village?

How about being gazed upon by the eyes of Henry Ford,  Thomas Edison,  President Hoover,  Orville Wright,  Shelley Winters,  Walt Disney,  Bert Lahr,  Phyllis Diller,  Mel Torme,  Neil Armstrong,  President Ford,  Buzz Aldrin,  Rosa Parks,  Jay Leno,  David McCullough  (historic author),  and numerous other great and famous Americans who either played a role in the building of this historic open air museum or were visitors here?

And before Greenfield Village?

It was around during the time of the Declaration of Independence,  the Civil War,  and perhaps Native tribes belonging mostly to the Algonquian-language family,  especially the Council of Three Fires,  the Potawatomi and related peoples  (before European settlement in the area in the later part of the 18th century – just after the Revolutionary War).

Witness Tree indeed!  Look around – you never know where you’ll find history.

So April 28 was my last day going to the Macomb College Lorenzo Cultural Center's  "Chasing Liberty" exhibition.  

From the presentation Larissa and I did back in early March until April 28 I went to a half-dozen presentations here.

The one on April 28 featured a wonderful talk about when the Declaration Of Independence Was News.  The presenter authored a book of the same name as her presentation,  so I made sure to purchase a copy. 

Thank you Kayla & Macomb County Community College for doing something so wonderful that no one else around is doing.  You  celebrated America's 250th by bringing our history to the masses.

In glancing through the listing of events,  this was one I knew I was interested in seeing.

The big screen title.

Ms.  Sneff gave a wonderful presentation - I learned quite a bit that I did not know previously.

The author/Presenter also gave the audience a look at how the Declaration was printed in local newspapers and broadsides.

I did purchase her book and,  of course,  had her sign it.

Here is my signed copy.

My cocked/tricorn hat is off to Kayla and Macomb College and the Lorenzo Cultural Center for having such a displayed exhibit and presenters dedicated to teaching about America 250 years ago.  This was amazing.  To be honest,  Lorenzo Cultural Center at Macomb County Community College deserved the Freedom Plane collection mentioned earlier in this post more than The Henry Ford,  for they had an amazing spring celebration.

My opinion.

Although what I am about to show here has been in my collection for a number of years,  it seems to fit with this whole  "independence thing"  we've been talking about  (lol):

Imagine yourself being in Williamsburg,  Virginia in later July of 1776, 
and this latest bit of news is printed in the Virginia Gazette.

Here's a closer look...

There it is,  in all of its glory - news of a Declaration of Independence!

After returning home from visiting the Lorenzo Cultural Center's wonderful America 250  (Semiquincentennial)  History Display and presentations there this past spring,  it was so very inspirational and patriotic that after one of my visits,  patriotism overwhelmed me and I got an idea.  I did a little vignette of my own here in my home:  I have some cool Bicentennial whiskey decanters of four of the signers and three of the writers of the Declaration of Independence,  so I set them in front of a framed poster of the Declaration's signatures. The three writers  (from the Committee of Five)  are John Adams,  Ben Franklin,  and Thomas Jefferson.  The three men are also signers,  along with John Hancock  (who is also here):

Three of the writers and four signers:
John Adams,  Thomas Jefferson,  John Hancock,  and Ben Franklin.

The decanters were found on Ebay - I have many more than the four shown here,  but I chose those with a Declaration connection.

The History list has some very cool items as well,  from t-shirts to replications.  

I have purchased plenty of both,  including the poster of the signatures here.

Here we see the signatures from the Declaration of Independence.

Evening capture - I absolutely love photos by candlelight.

This would make a wonderful shirt design!

The excitement I felt all through that year back in 1976 is actually still with me,  even after 50 years.  The Bicentennial - affected me beyond almost anything else.  I was just a teenager...and the current music of the time was my soundtrack:  Led Zeppelin's Presence,  The Rolling Stones'  Black and Blue,  Steve Miller Band's Fly Like an Eagle,  and the live Joe Walsh album,  You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind --  I wore the grooves out of those albums.

Yep----my spirit of  '76 soundtrack.  Well,  I'm still listening to those albums all these many years later,  though they're on CD now  (no,  I don't stream).   ~(Don't ask me about the music of 2026 - not much of it is heard by these old ears lol)~

I would also skim through the local papers - Detroit News,  Detroit Free Press - looking for anything Bicentennial.

Are we seriously 50 years later?!?

Since 2022 I have been posting a lot about the Bicentennial of 1976,  and since 2014 I've been preparing for America's 250th.

I like this one the best.

Yet I'm still not done:

Published by Benjamin Franklin in The Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9,  1754,  the  "Join or Die"  cartoon is a segmented snake representing the American colonies,  designed to urge colonial unity against the French & Indian allies during the French & Indian War.  

The toppermost of the Join or Die photos here was taken during daylight hours.

The rest I snapped in the evening using only candlelight.

It was repurposed during the American Revolution as a powerful symbol of colonial unity against British rule.  It seems that it is more associated with the American Revolution now than for its original intent.

This is me capturing the Semiquincentennial decor'  at the place where I exercise.

A few of these fine commemorative magazines made for a wonderful birthday gift for me from my  (now adult)  children!  A couple of them I purchased on my own.

And we can't forget the beer cans!

Yuengling Honors America’s 250th with Limited Edition Lager Cans and Packs

POTTSVILLE,  Pa.  (January 21, 2026) – 

D.G.  Yuengling & Son,  Inc.,  America’s Oldest Brewery,  announced today the launch of its Limited-Edition 250th Anniversary Lager cans and packs to commemorate America’s Semiquincentennial in 2026. Featuring a patriotic red,  white,  and blue design,  the packaging honors 250 years of American resilience and independence,  while spotlighting Yuengling’s own 197-year history as a family-owned American brewery. 

The new look,  available beginning January 2026 in 12-ounce 12-pack and 24-pack cans of Yuengling Traditional Lager across the brewery’s growing 30-state footprint,  also highlights Yuengling’s continued partnership with Team Red,  White,  & Blue  (Team RWB),  a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of America’s veterans through health and wellness. 

“The 250th isn’t just about how America started,  it’s about what has endured,”  said Jennifer Yuengling,  Vice President of Operations and Sixth Generation Brewer.  “Our brewery has lived through nearly every chapter of this nation’s history,  and we’re proud to celebrate America’s legacy of independence,  perseverance,  and pride right alongside our own.

“We don’t just talk about American history—we’ve lived through most of it,”  said Wendy Yuengling,  Chief Administrative Officer.  “This design honors both our country’s 250th milestone and the generations of hardworking Americans who’ve kept our brewery,  and our nation, thriving.”

~Samuel Adams is celebrating America250 in a big way~

American craft beer pioneer declares the return of the Brewer Patriot Collection,  which features beers based on original recipes from the Founding Fathers;  announces  “Raise a Sam,”  a campaign to bring people together to celebrate;  and introduces the Star Spangled Variety Pack.

Brewer Patriot Collection

“The independent spirit that shaped America also fuels Samuel Adams,”  said Jon London,  senior director,  head of beer,  Boston Beer Company.  “Renowned for challenging brewing conventions and advancing craft beer,  we lead with a focus on quality,  innovation and character.  This historic summer,  we invite drinkers to honor the past and raise a glass to the future.”

Samuel Adams Craft Beer Brewers

Originally released in 2006,  the limited-edition, four-pack bundle of colonial-era beers is based on authentic historical recipes enjoyed by the Founding Fathers. 

It is available for $17.76.

Samuel Adams  (often shortened to Sam Adams)  is the flagship brand of the Boston Beer Company.  It is named after US Founding Father Samuel Adams,  who inherited his father's brewery on Boston's King Street  (modern day State Street)  and worked as a brewer or maltster.

1790 Hard Root Beer:  A tribute to the brand’s namesake and common colonial tavern fixtures.
James Madison Dark Wheat Ale:  Based on brewing advice that Thomas Jefferson offered to Madison.

When founder Jim Koch started the Boston Beer Company in 1984,  he launched his flagship beer,  Sam Adams Boston Lager,  with the specific intent to rebel against the mass-produced,  domestic light beers dominating the 1980s market.  Koch's vision was to reignite the independent spirit of America's founders by introducing rich,  complex flavor profiles—sparking the modern American craft beer.

George Washington Porter:  Drawn from a recipe preserved in the New York Public Library.
No. 3 Ginger Honey Ale:  Rooted in records of a rigorous 15-gallon homebrewing schedule kept by Thomas and Martha Jefferson at Monticello.

Samuel Adams was a passionate Founding Father,  political philosopher,  and one of the primary architects of the American Revolution.  As a Bostonian,  he helped organize the Sons of Liberty,  vehemently pushed back against British taxation  (like the Stamp and Sugar Acts),  and was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  Colonial taverns served as the heart of his organizing, where early citizens gathered to debate independence over pints of locally brewed,  robust ales.

 

To celebrate America's milestone,  Narragansett Beer has released limited-edition  "America 250"  lager cans.  This release revisits the iconic,  archival Liberty Bell design originally produced for the nation's 1976 Bicentennial,  perfectly bridging two historic national moments.

But this one includes yjr year 2026.

Founded in Rhode Island 1890 by German immigrants,  Narragansett Beer has grown to be the number one selling beer in New England.

Since I did not take very many photos back in 1976,  this post is one way for me to make up for that.  I am hoping to show my personal view and participation in our Nation's 250th.  I like to think of it is a sort of time-capsule of this celebration. 

One of my many Semiquincentennial shirts~~
This is a photo of the advertisement for the shirt.
It's probably my favorite.

I saw this advertised,  so I grabbed one.

America 250th Birthday Garden Flag

Another celebratory garden flag~

Family history and Revolutionary honors - very cool and also filled with honor..

I'd like to first pay a small homage to my wife's Revolutionary heritage:

Patty's patriot ancestor,  Hugh Logan,  served as Captain and was sent to Donnelly’s Fort in what is now Greenbriar County in West Virginia in 1776.  He also served under George Rogers Clark as a private in the Western Army of the Revolutionary War.  Clark was an American military officer and surveyor who served as the highest-ranking Patriot commander on the northwestern frontier during the Revolutionary War.

As a Semiquincentennial gift to my wife,  I purchased for her a personalized garden flag.
I love this!

Hugh Logan became a prominent frontier leader and militia captain.  Both Logan and Clark were vital figures in the settlement and defense of early Kentucky,  fighting to secure the western frontier against British forces and their Native American allies.

Hugh Logan,  according to records,  was born before February 11, 1744,  and died on December 25,  1816.

So,  naturally,  Patty is in the DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution.

Me personally,  I've only done one line in my family tree and have had no such luck as to find a Patriot ancestor -- so far.  There re numerous lines left to search.  Given that my one family line has been living in the colonies since around 1710  (Bucks County,  Pennsylvania),  I believe my chances are pretty fair that I'll find one  (or more!).  Anyhow,  due to Patty's Patriot ancestor,  not only did she join the DAR,  but our sons and grandsons are now in the SAR - Sons of the American Revolution - and I could not be any more proud!  Our daughter and granddaughters will soon be a part of the DAR.

"We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation,  not just on the Fourth of July in 2026,  but throughout the Decade of Revolution..."
Brooks Lyles

My first encounter with the SAR - the Sons of the American Revolution - was back in 2017 at the Cass River Colonial Encampment,  which took place up in Frankenmuth,  Michigan.  I spoke with the members there for a bit and got to know them.

Encounter number two occurred at Historic Fort Wayne in downtown Detroit the following summer where a few of us living historians took part in an member induction ceremony.

On July 31st of 2019 I was paid a visit by Chris White,  who was President of the local Detroit Metro Chapter of the SAR,  and he played another role in my third encounter with that wonderful organization.

In 2019 my growing family and I were recipients of  the wonderful flag commemoration

from the SAR you see me holding up.

I began collecting historic flags nearly two decades ago and have been purchasing

them ever since.  I fly them at my house frequently,  which garners great conversations

from passersby,  and I especially love to fly them at our historical reenactments, 

which also is a great teaching opportunity.

It was such an honor.

"Today,  I had the honor of presenting the SAR Flag Certificate to the Giorlando family of Eastpointe,  Michigan.  Ken and his family are living historians,  presenting and teaching various periods of American history all over the midwest.  On any given day,  you may find one or more of the Early American flags on display at their home.  Ken is a good friend of the Detroit Metro Chapter."

And then,  in 2022,  I was presented with the SAR's Bronze Good Citizenship Medal.

This was a total shock!

From Detroit Metro Chapter SAR President Chris White:  "The Bronze Good Citizenship Medal is designed to recognize an individual who has made an important contribution to the community.  Ken Giorlando has been a living historian for almost 20 years.  (He)  actively writes multiple history-based blogs including Passion for the Past...and Greenfield Village Open-Air Museum.  He also maintains the Friends of Greenfield Village Facebook page.

Throughout the year you may run into Ken at Greenfield Village,  Mill Race Village,  Historic Fort Wayne,  Cass River Encampment in Frankenmuth,  Colonial Kensington,  or many other places around the Midwest.

We first met Ken at Colonial Days at Historic Fort Wayne back in 2018 and have been following his exploits around the Midwest since then.  Along with Larissa Fleishman,  they hone their first-person skills as 18th century farmers.  Their Year in the Life of a Colonial Farm  (presentation)  was the highlight of our 2019 annual meeting,  and we look forward to their presentation today along with Bob Stark.

In recognition of Ken's ongoing efforts to keep history alive in our community,  the Detroit Metro Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution is very pleased and honored to present him with the SAR Bronze Good Citizenship Medal."

I then was presented with the Bronze Medal along with the certificate.

You can have your college degree;  this means so much more!!!

Here is Chris White and I.

I am dressed period due to the fact that Larissa Fleishman,  Bob Stark,  and I were going to give our Patriots Presentation to SAR members.  This surprise for me occurred just before we went began our talk.

Patty,  Larissa,  and Bob new all about it - but I was completely unaware - what a shock---what an honor!

Here is the medal I received.
Truly...I am touched.

Yet,  that's not all!
As I mentioned earlier,  in 2024 our sons and grandsons were inducted as members of the SAR.

But I received something  (unexpectedly)  as well:

I was given the  “Bronze 250th Anniversary American Revolution:  medal and certificate!
America 250!!

You see,  I am not eligible  (so far)  to join such an organization,  but this – my third honor from the SAR – makes me feel better than having a college degree!  I cannot tell you what it means to me to be recognized by the Sons of the American Revolution for my living history. 

Thank you to Chris White and the Sons of the American Revolution – Detroit Metro Chapter.

In 2024,  I had been asked by the Sons of the American Revolution to participate in the dedication ceremony for the historical marker honoring Revolutionary War Patriot Maxwell Thompson.  Not just me,  though,  but other members of the Citizens of the American Colonies were welcome to come as well.

All who were  "dressed"  to pay homage to Patriot Thompson Maxwell.

Friends of the DMC SAR  (Detroit Metro Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution) - (l to r)  Charlotte Bauer,  Ken Giorlando  (moi!),  Patty Giorlando  (a DAR member and  my wife!),  and Pastor Norman Gerring,  joined by Michigan SAR Honor Guard members Harry Rinker and Bill Sharp

Another SAR honor was when we were a part of the Sons float for the St.  Clair Shores Memorial Day parade.

And so,  as we eke closer to the 250th,  a beautiful summer's day in mid-to-late June found us at the Carnegie Library in Howell,  Michigan in front of a wonderfully receptive audience.  Larissa,  as Sybil Ludington,  Bob,  as Ben Franklin,  and myself,  as Paul Revere,  did another of our Patriots Presentations,  particularly for the Semiquincentennial. 

Paul Revere,  Sybil Ludington,  Ben Franklin

I cannot even describe what an honor it is for us to do such a presentation no matter the year,  but for America's 250th makes it even more special.

Meet 25 individuals who played pivotal roles during the American Revolution.  Listen to their stories,  explore their actions,  and encounter the artists who painted their portraits in this commemorative stamp issuance.

USPS AMERICAN REVOLUTION STAMPS

USPS rededicates its Figures of the American Revolution stamps

A special rededication of the Figures of the American Revolution stamps took place at the 2026 Boston World Exposition as part the stamp show’s honoring heroes theme day.

The Figures of the American Revolution stamps are in recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary being celebrated this year.  The stamps feature 25 individual portraits of some of the people whose actions helped shape the American Revolution and establish U.S. independence.

The stamps were first dedicated during an interactive exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum on April 10.

Here is the complete sheet o'  stamps I purchased from the local Post Office.

“It’s no exaggeration to say this is one of the most ambitious stamp projects we’ve ever attempted,”  said Nicholas Sucich,  USPS director of digital communications.  “Twenty-five stamps.  Twelve different artists using multiple approaches and techniques.  Oil paintings,  watercolors,  chalk,  acrylic,  graphite,  tempura,  digital."

So now let's get a close up:

Of course,  I won't be using these.
They will be safely tucked away.

“The team behind these stamps spent years working with historians and subject matter experts to ensure each figure’s story and portrait was accurate and grounded in scholarship.  It was a monumental achievement. … We at the Postal Service hope you’ll buy the stamps,  of course.  But more importantly,  we hope you’ll be moved to learn more about these early patriots and the governing principles they established that still guide us today.”

Here are the rest of our founders as stamps.

When I went to the post office to purchase the above stamps,  I saw this next stamp and knew it should be part of the Revolutionary collection:

"The U.S. Postal Service honors Phillis Wheatley—the first published African American poet—as the 49th issuance in its Black Heritage Stamp series. Released on January 29,  2026,  these Forever stamps feature a portrait designed by renowned artist Kerry James Marshall."

I never heard of Phillis Wheatley until I watched the Legends & Lies:  The Patriots docudrama for the first time.  Not even Ken Burns,  who everyone  (but me)  raves about,  even mentioned her,  much less include her in the manner of which Bill O'Reilly has.  Though the companion book is still readily available,  the DVDs are very hard to come by.  I am so glad I have my copy.

The special edition with an extra DVD worth of history.

In my honest opinion,  this set here wipes out the Ken Burns documentary by a long shot.  I think many agree on how dull the Ken Burns set is.  I do own it,  but any Revolutionary War documentary that gives barely any time to Lexington & Concord,  and totally forgets about such people as Phillis Wheatley,  does not deserve any acclaim.  His acclaim comes strictly from his name. 

On the other hand,  Legend & Lies:  The Patriots is amazing,  to say the least.  To be honest,  I don't give a hoot what anyone thinks of Bill O'Reilly personally or of his politics,  none of which is injected here,  because this series is a shining example of a docudrama done right no matter what role he played in its production.

It's difficult to find but well worth the time and effort. 

So far in this celebratory year,  I am having a ball!

Something to keep in mind:

The celebration isn't only  about the Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence - it's about our history --- did you see that?  our history --- which does include the Rev War,  the War of 1812,  the Mexican American War,  the Civil War,  the Spanish American War,  The Great War  (WWI),  World War II,  the War in Korea,  Vietnam War,  the Gulf War...and it's not only about wars---it's also about  the electric light,  the steamboat,  the cotton gin,  Blues,  Jazz,  and rock n roll,  big band,  country music,  the Great Depression,  immigration,  the horseless carriage,  the aeroplane,  Jazz Music,  Blues Music,  Country Music,  Rock and Roll Music,  war protests,  Civil Rights,   man on the moon,  Voyageur spacecrafts...America's 250th is about celebrating and commemorating all of this and so much more.

Please remember this as we move into these next few years.

Until next time,  see you in time.

With this year being the Semiquincentennial - America's 250th birthday celebration - I have numerous blog posts you might enjoy checking out:

To begin with,  here are a couple of postings I did consisting  of links connecting you to a few of my Revolutionary War posts.  Sort of an all in one package.

Links to the American Revolution - it's all here,  and I think you'll enjoy searching through American history.

Revolutionary Greenfield Village - historic Greenfield Village is filled with original historic structures,  some dating back over 400 years.  This is the link of links!

Interested in Revolutionary War era flags?
Click HERE  to see my collection of replications.

HERE is the one I mentioned earlier in today's post about a special presentation my friend Larissa and I did together at Macomb College in March of 2026.  This is a bit more in depth.

How about my collection of Paul Revere collectibles and a 250th commemoration - - click HERE

I've written a blog post about a year on a colonial farm HERE

Here are links to my Bicentennial posts:

2022

2023

2024

2025

And if you click HERE,  you can see my reviews of American History Movies/TV series.

How about Michigan History?   This post shows many original Michigan buildings built back before Michigan became a state back in 1837,  all of which are still  (mostly)  standing in their original locations.

Click HERE to read about Michigan History Told Through Fashion:  17th Century Through the 20th Century.

Click HERE to read even more Michigan history:  An Eyewitness Journey Through Michigan's Past:  1768

And click HERE for a Social History of Detroit, Michigan: pre-20th century

 

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