Latest news with #Bicentennial
CBS News
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Britain's Prince Edward visiting Philadelphia to dedicate Bicentennial Bell
Britain's Prince Edward is making a special two-day visit to Philadelphia — and while here, he'll help dedicate a gift that his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, gave to the City of Brotherly Love nearly 50 years ago. Prince Edward will be appearing at the dedication ceremony for the Bicentennial Bell at the Benjamin Rush Garden, at 3rd and Walnut streets inside Independence National Historic Park. Gifted to the U.S. by Queen Elizabeth II in 1976, the Bicentennial Bell celebrates 200 years of freedom. National Park Service What is the Bicentennial Bell? The bell, a replica of the Liberty Bell, was gifted to the United States in 1976 when Queen Elizabeth II visited Philadelphia for the Bicentennial celebration — 200 years after the 13 colonies declared independence. Queen Elizabeth II visits the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia on July 8, 1976 as part of the city's Bicentennial celebration. Kent Gavin/Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix via Getty Images The bell bears an inscription, "For the people of the United States, from the people of Britain, 4 July 1976 / Let Freedom Ring." The bell was in storage for a decade before it got its new home in the Benjamin Rush Garden — as a centerpiece. Who is Prince Edward? Prince Edward is the current Duke of Edinburgh after his brother, King Charles III, gifted him the title on his 59th birthday in 2023. Edward is the youngest of the late Queen Elizabeth II's children. He is also Earl of Wessex and Forfar. Prince Edward has made multiple trips to the U.S. and was involved in theater productions in his younger years; he also had his own TV production company. In 2012, he visited Girard College to plant a tree in honor of the Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary) of his mother's reign. King Edward VII, the prince's great-great-grandfather, also planted a tree on the campus in 1860 to mark the kingdom's relationship with the City of Brotherly Love.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Wayne and the American Freedom Train
Many Americans of Generation X and older will recall the red, white, and blue American Freedom Train that was a centerpiece of Americas glorious Bicentennial celebration. But few know that the Freedom Train, pulled by a steam locomotive and filled with American historical artifacts, was the brainchild of none other than John Wayne. As we fast approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, its time to get Waynes American Freedom Train back on the tracks as part of the quarter-millennium celebration. Ross Rowland, who spearheaded the American Freedom Train effort as a young man, recently told me how Wayne came to have the idea. Rowland had run away from home in the 1950s and fortuitously ended up working as a groundskeeper for Wayne. The Duke befriended Rowland and eventually convinced him to return home. Rowland, whose father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all been railroad men, had success on Wall Street and then commemoratedthe centennial of the 1869 "golden spike" - the completion of the transcontinental railroad - by having a steam train travel from New York City to Salt Lake City. Wayne joined Rowland for the final leg of that journey (andarrangedto have "True Grit"premiere in Salt Lake City the night before). As they rode in an open-air train car, observing the large crowds as they passed, Rowland says Wayne told him something to the effect of, "You know, Ross, weve got Americas 200th birthday coming up. We should do this for that." And they did. Rowland handled most of the planning and execution, Wayne got support from Bing Crosby and others in Hollywood, and President Nixon agreed to let the train carry artifacts usually housed at the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and National Archives. The American Freedom Train was a tremendous success. During the bicentennial period, ittraveledto all 48 contiguous states, stopped 138 times, and had an average of more than 50,000 visitors board at each stop. Riding along a moving walkway, visitorssawsuch artifacts as Paul Reveres saddlebags, George Washingtons copy of the Constitution, the actual Louisiana Purchase document, Abraham Lincolns top hat, Babe Ruths bat, John F. Kennedys handwritten copy of his inaugural address, and enough more to fill 12 display cars. The American Freedom Train, perhaps more than anything else, tied the national and local bicentennial celebrations together. John Warner, who headed up the congressionally created American Revolution Bicentennial Administration,saidthe train was "the most visible" of the bicentennial offerings and was able to "sew together" various festivities. President Fordsaidit "brought the story of America to the people." During the recent period of peak wokeness, from around 2020 to 2024, it looked like the nations 250th anniversary risked becoming more of a condemnation than a celebration of American history. Donald Trumps defeat of Kamala Harris largely ensured that the occasion will be a celebration. Yet there is a very real danger that this milestone anniversary - perhaps the best chance in 50 years to reset how Americans view our nations founding - might barely register with the public, making it a massive lost opportunity. Planning for the quarter millennium is woefully far behind where planning was at this stage for the bicentennial. The official planning entity, created by Congress during the Obama administration, is useless andfocusedon DEI. President Trump wisely created Task Force 250 to fill this void, but it faces a severe shortage of time. Fortunately, the American Freedom Train could hit the tracks in the first half of 2026. Rob Gardner, president of the American Steam Railroad, told me the "sister engine" of alocomotivethat pulled the train during the bicentennial is being restored and will be ready for action. All thats really needed is for President Trump to authorize the use of federal artifacts at the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and National Archives, consistent with his recent executive ordertellingthe Smithsonian to stop denigrating America and instead "remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage." Everything else would quickly fall into place. Theres still a chance to make the quarter millennium anniversary a spectacular and unifying event like the bicentennial was a half-century ago. Reprising the American Freedom Train is a big part of that. Lets bring back John Waynes rolling tribute to Americas finest. Jeffrey H. Anderson is president of the American Main Street Initiative. He served as director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics from 2017 to 2021.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Swart-Wilcox barn project in Oneonta seeks final funding push
The Swart-Wilcox House Museum in Oneonta is closing in on its fundraising goal to relocate a historic barn to the property, but needs the community's help for the final push. The property's original barn, which dated to the 1790s, was an English threshing barn that stood until 1969, when the city fire department burned it down in a training exercise, likely because it had become an attractive nuisance to local children. The donated barn, also an English threshing barn but from the 1860s, was donated by David and Penny Wightman and will be used for community events and storage of historical artifacts. The barn will include climate-controlled storage and accessible facilities. A corn crib outbuilding from the 1820s currently stands on the property. The future site of the barn has been marked out with yellow tape. The property on which the house is located has been owned by the city since 1972. However, the museum is a separate entity served by volunteers from The Friends of Swart-Wilcox nonprofit organization. The group hopes to start the barn project this summer and complete the restoration by July of next year so that it may be used as a focal point of Oneonta's America 250 celebration activities, just as the property had been during the Bicentennial in 1976. The Swart-Wilcox House is the oldest standing structure in the city of Oneonta. Originally the Lawrence Swart family homestead, it later became part of an active farmstead owned by Henry Wilcox and his family, producing grains, apples and vegetables for the local community. The Wilcox family lived on the property for more than 100 years, from 1865 to 1970, when the last member of the family, Merton Wilcox, died. As part of its mission, the museum provides on-site educational programs for local students, a popular series of Sunday programming in the summer highlighting Oneonta history, tours of the house and its Victorian era furnishings and a location for the preservation of its collection of historical documents and artifacts. Museum president Helen Rees said Friday, April 4 that the group has raised close to 80% of its goal of $572,000 through local donors and grants, and needs $118,000 to make the dream a reality. Before the project can be put out to bid, the entire amount must be secured because the barn would be owned by the city, which frowns on committing to projects that may be underfunded and therefore not completed. The group is determined to keep its promise from 1990, when a group of teachers took over turning the house into a museum, to not use taxpayer money to fund the museum. 'When we, as four teachers, went to the city and said we'd like to turn the house into the focal point for the fourth grade local history curriculum, the mayor said, and I quote, 'You can do anything you want, as long as you do not cost the taxpayers any money,'' Rees said. A benefactor named Richard Applebaugh donated an annuity which has allowed the city to take the interest and maintain the property's expenses, she added. Norma Slawson said that more than 100 individual donors have made contributions to the barn fundraiser, 'which really shows the community support. It's just a matter of getting that next $118,000.' 'If we are to get the barn here in time for the America 250, we have to start work soon,' Rees said. 'The sooner we do it, the less expensive it will be. The longer we wait, we are not going to be in control of those price changes, I suspect.' The community is encouraged to donate to meet the funding goal. The only form of payment accepted currently is by check. Anyone interested in donating can mail a check to Treasurer Loraine Taylor, 2525 Rich Road, Oneonta NY 13820. Checks should be made out to Swart-Wilcox House museum with 'barn project' in the memo line. All contributions are tax-exempt.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- General
- CBS News
As Philadelphia prepares to celebrate America's 250th birthday in 2026, historians look to the past for lessons
Wednesday marks 500 days until July 4, 2026, the day the United States will mark its 250th birthday, with Philadelphia taking center stage. With that in mind, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania opened its vault to show CBS News Philadelphia some of its most precious pieces. One of those is a version of the Declaration of Independence, "probably a day or two before it's finalized," said the historical society's librarian and CEO David Brigham. One thing that makes this version different is that it was printed with notations from Thomas Jefferson, including quotations around the phrase "all men are created equal." "When Jefferson put things in quotes, it meant he was going to read this out loud, and he was going to lean into those words," Brigham said. The historical society has thousands of documents it's ready to showcase in 2026, like handwritten letters from George Washington during the revolution and the first draft of the U.S. Constitution. "They wrote 'freedom of speech' and they put a checkmark next to it, which meant that's important and we need to get back to that," Brigham said. The historical society also showed us how past centennial celebrations have played out. First, the Centennial of 1876 brought the U.S. its first world's fair. "When the Centennial opened in May all the way until it closed at the end of the year, 10 million people had come through Philadelphia," Selena Austin, who works at the historical society, said. The Bicentennial 100 years later in 1976 was clouded by protests from a combination of groups. "People from all walks of life gathered in Philadelphia on July 4, 40,000, and marched in protest of the Bicentennial celebration," Austin said. While these pieces give us a glimpse of the past, leaders at the historical society say they hope people will use them as guidance for how to move forward. "Understanding the past, analyzing the past, helps us think about where we're going and how we're going to get there," Brigham said.
Chicago Tribune
17-02-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Kay Smith, painter of American historic sites, dies at 101
Kay Smith illustrated cookbooks and children's books before gaining a reputation for her watercolor paintings of historic landmarks that led to what she called her 'American Legacy' collection. Smith, who taught painting at the Old Town Triangle Association for two decades, was named Artist Laureate of Illinois in 1994. Her work was displayed in the state of Illinois' executive mansion, the Three Arts Club of Chicago and the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Missouri. 'She was the most elegant, remarkable woman and artist commissioned to travel to just about every historical location and monument in the United States for a book on American history,' said Reven Fellars, a former student. Smith, 101, died Feb. 11 of congenital heart failure at her Lincoln Park home, said her daughter, Julia. Born Albina Kathryn Metzger in her parents' home in downstate Vandalia, Smith grew up on a farm and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse. She moved to Chicago and briefly worked as a secretary while saving money to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, from which she later graduated. Smith worked as an illustrator for several years for Charles Bracken Studio at 646 N. Michigan Ave., illustrating projects such as cookbooks and children's books. Things changed for her in the early 1960s during a chance encounter in a Merchandise Mart elevator with Thomas Jones, an editor at J.G. Ferguson Publishing Co., which was later sold to Doubleday. Jones noticed Smith holding a portfolio and asked her about her art. He wound up becoming her manager and mentor, hiring her to illustrate almost 30 books. In 1971, as the U.S. began preparing for the 1976 Bicentennial, Jones was weighing how to illustrate a manuscript that told the story of the Revolutionary War from the perspective of an English soldier. Seeking fresh images rather than stock historic pictures, Jones asked Smith to go to locations from that era and paint them as they would have appeared during the Revolution. One her first subjects was Independence Hall in Philadelphia. 'I was sure I was going to fail at this job. I just couldn't get it down on paper,' she told the Tribune in 1994. On her third day, school buses loaded with children came to the site and saw her working on their way into the building and later, on their way out. One boy took a took a look at her work and said, ' 'Lady, I can't believe this. You're the best part of the day.' ' Smith recalled. 'I think what happened, he had seen it in pencil the first time, and when he came back out, it was color. It was magic. That made me feel good. I thought, 'Well, maybe I'm succeeding.'' The 1973 book, 'A Pictorial History of the American Revolution: An Eyewitness Account,' garnered notice and she went on to illustrate five other historical books. She also painted sites linked to Christopher Columbus in Italy, Portugal and Spain, the relighting ceremonies of the Statue of Liberty in 1986 and the reenactment of the sailing of the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria in 1991 and their return the following year. The military veterans organization AMVETS commissioned Smith to paint Normandy Beach, the Pointe du Hoc promontory on the coast of Normandy and the Normandy American Cemetery in France, Smith's daughter said, while the publishers of the book 'The Great American Sports Book' tapped Smith to paint Triple Crown winners including Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed at their farms. Later, the state of Illinois enlisted Smith to paint 21 historic sites. Those workers were exhibited in the executive mansion's ballroom for two months in 1990. Her works also were displayed in the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Missouri, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Yorktown Victory Center in Yorktown, Va., and the Three Arts Club of Chicago. In 2005, 84 paintings she called the heart of her 'American Legacy' collection went on display at the executive mansion for a year. Smith always hoped that the entire 'American Legacy' collection, which consisted of more than 250 paintings, might find a permanent home one day. 'The dream? For it to be seen in its entirety,' she told the Tribune in 2005. Smith was awarded the honor of Artist Laureate in 1994, at a ceremony presided over by then-Gov. Jim Edgar. Recipients are chosen each year by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. 'Gov. Edgar turned and said, 'Kay Smith.' I just sat there and looked at Gov. Edgar,' she told the Tribune. 'He looked at me. I could not move. I just couldn't move.' 'Sometimes people ask me, do you work every day, or do you wait until you're inspired? That question always amazes me,' she told the Tribune in 1994. 'It doesn't matter what's going on, I just go to work. Every day.' In 1997, Smith was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a malady that makes basic movements — walking, talking, swallowing, smiling — difficult to impossible. Ultimately, Smith resided at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for seven weeks, and slowly began re-learning basic motions and movements. 'If I have any philosophy from this, it's that there are certain random things that happen in life,' she told the Tribune in 1997. 'You're better off not trying to figure out why. You should just figure out the best way of getting through them in the shortest amount of time.' Smith retired from teaching at the Old Town Triangle Association at age 90. However, she didn't stop painting until 2024, well past attaining the century mark. 'Students came yes for the instruction, but also to enjoy the charm and humor of her anecdotes,' Fellars said. 'She loved her classes. She especially enjoyed regaling her class with her experience painting (the horse) Secretariat, who liked her so much he ate her hat.' Smith's husband of 30 years, William, died in 1986. In addition to her daughter, Smith is survived by three grandchildren. A funeral is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Miller Funeral Home, 831 N. 5th St., Vandalia.
