Semiquincentennial

January 16, 2026 | By: Lindsay Taylor

America is Turning 250


This year, America turns 250 years old. It’s our country’s semiquincentennial anniversary, which means that this July 4th will mark 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed. This significant date allows us to reflect on our nation’s past, investigate the present, and think about the future. Throughout the year we will consider how individual narratives come together to weave the tapestry of our neighborhoods, towns & region.

And while Indiana was not yet a state in 1776, we will still be creating space to think about what the landscape of our county looked like at that time, who the land was stewarded by, and how it has changed over the years.

We’ll be contemplating which groups were excluded from the original vision of America and how people have worked together through history to affect change toward a more inclusive future.

And we’ll be looking ahead to see how preserving and sharing our own stories can carry us forward into greater connection with each other. 250 years is a lot of ground to cover, so join the library for more semiquincentennial programming and events this year!

Loom with Textile | Likely made by Navajo (Diné) weaver Juanita, ca. 1874 | Image via The Smithsonian
Message from the President of the United States with a plat of the Survey of the northern boundary of the State of Indiana. | ca. 1828

References

United States semiquincentennial. (2025, Dec. 18). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Semiquincentennial&oldid=1328268087
Smithsonian. (2025, Jan. 11). Loom with textile. Smithsonian Natural History Museum. https://www.si.edu/object/loom-textile:nmnhanthropology_8345504

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