GOVERNOR ESTABLISHES COMMISSION TO PLAN FOR THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION
Governor Phil Scott has signed an executive order creating the 250th Anniversary Commission to plan, coordinate and promote observances and activities that commemorate the historic events associated with the American Revolution in Vermont.
The year 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the formation of the United States of America. Vermonters played a significant role in the colonists’ assertion for independence from Great Britain, from the Green Mountain Boys successful assault at Fort Ticonderoga to the Battle of Hubbardton, and to the Battle of Bennington where Vermont troops helped defeat a British force to set up the victories that turned the war in favor of the new Americans.
To observe these events, Vermont will be joining other states and the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission to encourage remembrance of our past, celebrate the present and look forward to a promising future.
“I want to thank Governor Scott for his continued commitment to the 250th-anniversary celebration. Creating the Commission through an executive order will allow us to begin planning for events and celebrations,” said Vermont State Senator Dick Sears.
“Bennington will play an important part in Vermont’s 250th anniversary celebration because of our incredible history, notably highlighted by the activities related to the Battle of Bennington. As we continue to deal with COVID-19 and its challenges, the planning for this statewide celebration shall be a positive focus for Vermonters,” said Bennington State Representative Mary Morrissey.
The Vermont 250th Anniversary Commission will engage residents, visitors, educators and students, cultural institutions, historical societies, the business community, and our state and local governments to participate in the recognition of the importance of our nation’s fight for freedom and how it still resonates in society today.
The Commission will be comprised of the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, the state historic preservation officer, the state librarian, representatives of the Vermont Historical Society, the University of Vermont, as well as appointed representatives of geographic and racial diversity. This membership will include a Revolutionary War historian, a member of a Revolutionary War reenactment group, a representative of a Vermont History Museum, and members of the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs. Planning is set to begin in 2021 to launch the celebrations for 2025 through 2027.
Full details of the Commission are available in the executive order, which can be found here: https://governor.vermont.gov/content/executive-order-no-06-20.
