The Nation's First States Celebrate Its Birthday

on Feb 21, 2026

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By Victor Block

A crowd gathered in Philadelphia recently to enjoy a reenactment of George Washington's commissioning and wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. Nearby, people were allowed to board a collection of historic ships to sail along the Delaware River. Other folks have been climbing into an Airstream travel trailer that is making a yearlong cross-country tour. Once inside, they're recording stories of their family history, honoring a local hero or simply describing what it means to them to be an American.

These are among examples of activities being planned and already undertaken to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. They recall the moment when the Founding Fathers, who had gathered in Philadelphia, declared the independence of the 13 American Colonies from Great Britain.

This historic event joined together disparate people with equally diverse backgrounds. It took in Virginia, where Jamestown was established in 1607 as the first permanent English settlement in the New World; the Massachusetts Plymouth Colony, which was created in 1620; and Maryland, founded by Lord Baltimore in 1632.

These and other states and cities have planned a yearlong list of festivities to recognize and honor this special birthday. Some will be solemn and serious, others less so. All will attract people from near and far who are seeking to recall and commemorate the nation's birth and its past accomplishments. Wherever you live, whatever your interests, there's likely to be a choice of exciting and educational events in which you will want to take part.

Those activities in Philadelphia were kicking off a yearlong party. At the Museum of the American Revolution, located just steps away from Independence Hall, immersive galleries, interactive exhibits and theater experiences relate compelling stories of the people and complex events that helped to spark the American rebellion.

Celebration of the birth of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in the self-proclaimed City of Brotherly Love got underway this past fall with a parade of ships along the Delaware River, a Toast to the Navy gala and a gathering at the Tun Tavern, known as the birthplace of the Marine Corps.

States also will get into the action. A web-based hub has been established that helps residents of and visitors to Delaware locate sites associated with the semiquincentennial remembrance. It includes a three-day Revolutionary War driving itinerary, a calendar of events listing special exhibitions and other related activities, and an overview of places with strong ties to the Revolutionary War. Among these are Cooch's Bridge, site of the only significant military action in the state, and the Grand Opera House, former site of a hospital that treated wounded soldiers from both sides during the fighting.

A road trip through Massachusetts is like an immersion in history. That state kicked off its fetes by reliving the Battle of Lexington, when -- on April 19, 1775 -- the British sent 700 soldiers from Boston to destroy ammunition and other supplies and the town's militia confronted them, leaving eight Colonists dead. Washington then wrote "The first blood was spilt," and the American Revolutionary War had begun.

After Lexington, the British marched to Concord to ransack more military equipment. Among displays at that town's museum is the iron-and-glass lantern that Paul Revere famously carried during his "midnight ride," which is recalled in the familiar poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Events in Philadelphia and along the Delaware River recalling and recounting the genesis of the U.S. Navy aren't the only water-related activities planned. American Cruise Lines, the largest river-cruise company in the country, will launch an array of extended sailings throughout the year in honor of the nation's founding. They will include Great United States, Spring Across America and Civil War Battlefields itineraries.

Whether you prefer to wander by water, mull over museum displays or check out places where important chapters of U.S. history were written, numerous opportunities abound throughout the country to celebrate the nation's special birthday.

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WHEN YOU GO

For information about 250th anniversary events throughout the United States: america250.org

visitphilly.com

delaware250.org

visitma.com

americancruiselines.com

Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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