Celebrating 250 years: How 2026 compares to the bicentennial celebration

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. — As the country celebrates 250 years of independence, many Americans still remember the bicentennial celebration held in 1976.

Searching through archives from the Indiana Historical Society and local newspapers from the 1970s, one can spot the differences between the two celebrations.

In 1976, Hoosiers wanted to build permanent physical markers for the 200th anniversary. A stone carver named Frank Arena Jr. in Bedford carved a life-size limestone replica of George Washington crossing the Delaware.

Once finished, the 30-ton statue toured Indiana on a flatbed truck before being transported to Pennsylvania. Today, you can see it in person standing next to the historic Washington Crossing Inn.

Many counties also buried bicentennial time capsules, marked to open in 100 years, in 2076. Across many Indiana communities, fire hydrants were painted red, white and blue.

In 2026, the celebrations are a little different. There are nine lanterns traveling to each county in the state, inspired by the lantern signal that launched Paul Revere’s famous ride.

But overall many of the celebrations are seen in local communities or through digital outreach.

John Woodmansee, a Purdue Extension educator in Whitley County, penned a story about how agriculture has been the cornerstone of America through it all.

“I’m showing my age, but I was a teenager when America celebrated its bicentennial in 1976,” he said. “This year we are celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary, its semiquincentennial.

“Throughout those years, agriculture has been a cornerstone of America’s development. Countless farmers, families, inventors, plant breeders, engineers, organizations, companies and acts of Congress have contributed to the feeding of our nation’s people and agricultural advancement.”

A publication from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “After a Hundred Years: The Yearbook of Agriculture 1962”, shows a glimpse into farm life in 1862: “On farms, food was mostly grown and preserved at home. Much of the clothing was homespun. Homemade candles and the flicker of the fireplace provided light. Animals and men were the power that tilled the soil. Buildings were erected from home-sawn trees or from the sod of the prairie. Fuel came from the woodlot or was the cow chips that littered the range.”

View Woodmansee’s complete article at tinyurl.com/USA-at-250.