JUNE 27, 2026 • LET FREEDOM RING Table of Contents: Dear Readers, Welcome to this commemorative section, dedicated entirely to honoring a special milestone: the 250th anniversary of the United States – “America 250.” Landmarks like this arrive only once in a generation, offering us all a rare opportunity to pause, reflect, look forward and celebrate a country we are honored to call home. Within these pages, you will find stories and features that capture the spirit of our nation’s history. We have brought together historical reflections, community highlights and articles to help you celebrate this special anniversary. Our hope is that this section serves as more than just a daily read. We designed it to be a lasting keepsake, a memorial piece and a meaningful souvenir of America 250 that you can pass down to your children and grandchildren. Thank you to our advertisers for their support in making this special edition possible. To our readers, thank you for joining us in celebrating this historic occasion, reflecting on our shared heritage and looking ahead to the next chapter of the American story. y Sincerely, Beverly Joyce Publisher Lett Le ett tte err frro e om th t e Pu P blis isher her ..... he .... .... . ..... .... . .. .. .... ...... .... .......... .... .... .. .... .. .... .... .... ...... .......... .... ......... .... .. .... Pa Page 2 Page Ande An ders de rsso on n Pre repa para pa ra ato tory ry y Aca cade cade demy my (Ad Adve vert erttis isem em e men e t) t)... .... .... .... .... . ..... ... Pa P ge e2 Lett Le tter tter tt er fro rom Pu Publ b is ishe she er....... .......... .... .... .. .... .......... .... ......... .. .... . ....... .. .... .. .... .... . ........ ...... .......... . .. .... ......... 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JUNE 27, 2026 • LET FREEDOM RING How to celebrate and commemorate America’s semiquincentennial C ommemorations of America’s national history are part of annual celebrations of American independence that take place each year on July 4, which marks the anniversary of the nation’s birth. Those celebrations have a reputation for being particularly festive and tend to be capped off by awe-inspiring fireworks displays once the sun sets on the Fourth of July. The liveliness of annual celebrations of American independence figures to be taken up a notch in 2026, when the United States will celebrate its semiquincentennial. q Two hundred and fifty yy years of nationhood warrants a particularly jo j vial celebration, and d there are many ways American ans can comm co mmem em mor orat ate e an and d ce celleb lebrat brate e th the e na nati tion ti on on th thi his is mom o en ento tous us occ ccas asio ion n. • 4th of July, family fun begins at 6 p.m.; fireworks at dusk, Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, 4500 Dan Patch Circle. • Fourth of July Figure 8 Madness and JULY 3 fireworks, 4-11 p.m.; Anderson Speedway, Alexandria 1211 Dr Dr. MLK Jr Jr. Blvd Blvd. • Parade, 6 p.m.; fireworks, 10 p.m., Chesterfield Alexandria-Monroe Elementary School, • Annual Fourth of July Parade, noon, 308 W. 11th St. Main Street. Chesterfield Elwood • Anderson Air Spectacular and Chesterfield • Sarah Barton & The Second That Band Fireworks, gates open at 5 p.m. for public (Brewer’s 4th of July Show), 6 to 8 p.m., 1010 parking; fireworks at dusk, Anderson Regional N. 19th St. Airport. • 4th of July Celebration, 9:30 p.m., Cicero Callaway Park, 902 Callaway Park Drive. • The Band Aela (Lights Over Morse Lake), Fishers 6:30 p.m., Cicero Community Park, 139 • Hoosier Daddy at Wolfie’s Geist 4th of July Stringtown Pike. Extravaganza, 6 to 9 p.m. at Wolfie’s Geist, Fishers 11699 Fall Creek Road. • Star-Spangled Symphony by the • Fishers Independence Day Celebration, 8 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, 8 to 11 p.m., Nickel Plate Amphitheater, 6 Municipal p.m., Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road. Drive. • Star-Spangled Symphony by the IndianapoJULY 4 lis Symphony Orchestra, 8 to 11 p.m., Conner Anderson • City of Anderson Independence Day Parade Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Road. Middletown & Celebration, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., downtown • Independence Day Celebration, 2 p.m., Anderson. Parade, 7 p.m.; celebration activities, 8 p.m.; Corey Cox, 8:30 Belgian Horse Winery, 7200 W. 625N. Tickets required. p.m.; and fireworks at 10 p.m. • Fourth of July!, 11:30 a.m., Sugar Fork Cross- Muncie • America’s Hometown Band’s Independence ing, 1745 E. 67th St. Ev vents in the Madison County area re elated to Fourth of July celebrations. Day in the U.S.A., 7 p.m., Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, 1200 N. Minnetrista Parkway. New Castle • 4th of July Fireworks Celebration featuring Midtown Mad Men, 7 to 10 p.m. at Henry y County Memorial Park Park, 260 W W. 100N 100N. Noblesville • 4th of July Fireworks Festival, 6 to 10 p.m., Noblesville Parks & Recreation, 701 Cicero Road. • Independence Day Celebration with My Yellow Rickshaw, 8 p.m. at Nickel Plate District Amphitheater, 6 Municipal Drive. Pendleton • 4th @ the Falls, 4:30 to 10 p.m., Pendleton Sports Complex, 615 Falls Park Drive. Summitville • Fireworks by the Van Buren Township Fire Department, 9 p.m., Summitville Elementary, 405 E. Mill St. Tipton • Jackwagons Scholarship 4th of July Car Show, registration, 9 to 11:30 a.m.; judging; 2 to 2:30 p.m., trophy presentation, Tipton City Park. Yorktown • The Collectors, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; fireworks at dusk, Morrow’s Meadow Park.
JUNE 27, 2026 • LET FREEDOM RING Alaska’s location makes it a particularly unique place in the land of the free. Notable facts about the land of the free T he United States of America is often characterized as “the land of the free,” a characterization that serves as a feather in the cap of the nation that will celebrate its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary in 2026. Upon hearing the phrase “land of the free,” it’s understandable if thoughts immediately go to protected rights like freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. But what about the “land” in the land of free? As Americans prepare to celebrate their nation’s semiquincentennial, recognition of various geographical features of the land of the free can underscore why the United States of America is such a unique place to call home. The tallest l mountain ou in the world is in America. Climbers who train for years in the hopes of one day making their way up Mount Everest might be surprised to learn the mountain located on the border between Koshi Province, Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region is not, in fact, the world’s tallest mountain. While Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, the world’s tallest mountain is Mauna Kea, which is in the Hawaiian islands. According to the American Geography Portal, when measured from its base on the sea floor to its summit, Mauna Kea is more than 32,000 feet tall, topping Mount Everest by a few thousand feet. A Celebration 250 Oregon is home to one of the world’s deepest lakes. With a depth of approximately 1,950 feet, Crater Lake in southcentral Oregon is the eleventh deepest lake in the world and the second deepest lake in North America. The National Park Service notes that Crater Lake, fed by rain and snow, is among the most pristine lakes on Earth, making it a popular destination for artists, photographers and sightseers. Years in the Making It may surprise no one to learn that Alaska features the northernmost p point in all of the United States. But it may raise an n eyebrow or two to learn that The Last Frontier co ontains both the easternmost and westernmost sternmost points in the country. The Prime Meridian is an imaginary y lline that divides the Earth int into the eastern and dw western wester e hemispheres. According to The State of Alaska, ska the westernmost point in the state, and thus the entire country, is Amatignak Island. Seventy miles away and still in Alaska, but on the other side of the meridian and thus technically in the eastern hemisphere, sits Pochnoi Point on Semisopochnoi Island, which is the easternmost point in the country. You end up in the “same” place no matter which direction you go when departing Stamford, Connecticut. Located in southwestern Connecticut, Stamford is in a notably unique geographic location. If you travel due east, due west, due south, or due north when departing Stamford, you will end up entering the same state: New York. This is the only place in all of the United States where traveling along the four compass points will leave you in the same place no matter the direction you choose. Madison County Celebrates America 250 Upcoming programs: Paramount Free Showing of the movie “1776” - July 5, 2026 Lapel Village Fair - July 10-11, 2026 Anderson Speedway, 4 races dedicated to America 250 - July 18, 2026 Markleville June Jamboree - August 6-9, 2026 View details at: madisoncounty250.com CN-1975782 3330 State Road 9 North Anderson 765-642-2626 WWW.SIZELOVEHEARING.COM
Artist: ________________________ Drop off this coloring page to be displayed at The Herald Bulletin, 1133 Jackson Street, Anderson IN 46016 7
w o n d n a n e h t Celebrations of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the United States of America will unfold throughout 2026. As millions join in the festivities, it can be fun to compare the nation in its infancy to the one that has since firmly established itself as a global leader. Population States * • 1780: 2.8 million • 2025: 342 million** * The National Archives note that the first decennial census of the United States was not taken until 1790, so the figure cited for 1780 is a widely accepted estimate of the burgeoning nation’s population during the opening years of the American Revolutionary War. ** This represents the U.S. Census Bureau population estimate as of late 2025. According to the National Constitution Center, a series of resolutions passed by the Second Continental Congress in September 1776 officially cited the collective colonies fighting in the American Revolutionary War as the “United States.” • 1776: 13 • 2026: 50 Income taxes • 1776: 0% 200 College Drive, Anderson 765-642-3714 www.maplewoodcemetery.com 250 Celebrate with a commemorative pendant Financing ancing p provided rovided by by M c Int y re Je we l r y CN-1976375 7715 1155 EE. 8th St SSt.t • Anderson Andeerson • (7 (765) 765) 6644-2221 44-22221 facceebook.ccom/mcintyrejewelry • M-F 9am-5pm Only open 11st Saturrday of the monthh 100am m-33pm m CLOSED JULY 2, 3, AND 4TH Debates regarding income taxes may seem like an ever-present component of American life, but colonists did not pay income tax in 1776. Though taxation was undeniably a notable issue throughout colonial America, the Tax Foundation notes the situation was considerably different in 1776 than it is today, when taxes are a highly debated component of American life. In 1776, the British Crown relied on tariffs and excise taxes to fund the American colonies, whereas modern Americans pay federal and, in most states, state income taxes to finance a range of public goods and services. Land mass • 1783: 800,000 sq miles • 2026: just under 3.6 million sq miles The Times Atlas of World History indicates that the United States had an area of approximately 800,000 square miles in 1783. The country is considerably larger today, with a rough land mass of just under 3.6 million square miles according to the U.S. Census Bureau. To put that expansion since the nascent days of the nation in perspective, today the combined land mass of the country’s two largest states eclipses the land mass of the entire nation in the early 1780s. Alaska (estimated land mass 571,000 square miles) and Texas (262,000), with roughly 833,000 square miles between them, are larger than the total land mass of the United States in 1783. Transportation • Late eighteenth century: Horses • 2025: 298.7 million registered vehicles The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress notes that walking was the most common and cheapest mode of transportation in the late eighteenth century. Horses and wagons enabled business and distance travel, but such modes were only available to those who could afford it, greatly limiting who could get around by any means other than their own feet. Getting around in the present day is a little more accessible, and a recent analysis from Hedges & Company found there were 298.7 million registered vehicles in the U.S. in 2025.
JUNE 27, 2026 • LET FREEDOM RING A nation gets a name Sep Se ptembe pt em mbe berr 9, 9 177 776, 76 6,, may y not ot be th the fi firs rst da rs ate Ame m rriica cans ns ns th hin i k off whe hen n po pond nd n derring in ng th thei e r na nati tion ti on’s on ’ss his isto to ory ry, y bu b t it it’s ’ss a si s gn gnifi ifi ficcan fi antt da ay no one neth t el e es e s. s Acc ccor ordi ding to the di ding th he Na N tiional onal on Cons Co nsti ns t tu utiion Cen enter,, on Se Sept ptem pt emb r 9, 177 embe 76, 6 the h Seccon nd Co Cont onttin inen enta en ta al Co ong gre ress ess s ado dopt pted a new pted pt e nam me fo forr a coll co oll llec e tive tiive of co colo olo loni nies ess tha hatt ha had d be been en reffer erre re ed to o as the th he “U “Uni nite ted te ed Co Colo lo oni nies es.” es .”” Th The he na name me cho hose sen se n on th ha at da ay in n lat ate e su umm mmer er 177 7 6, 6, the he Unit Un ited ed Sta t tes tes of Ame te m ri rica ca,, ha ca h s en endu d re du red d. Whi h le the ope p ni ning ng g sent se nten ence ce of th the De Decl clar arat ar atio ion n of Ind ndep epen nde denc ncce, whi h ch was issu is sued ed on Ju July ly 4, 1776 17 776 76,, re refe f rss to th the e “t “thi hirt rtee een n un unit ited ed Sta tate tess o Ame of m rica,” it wass a li litt ttle le mor ore e th than an two w month ths late t r wh when e the Congress passed d a series of resolutions, including one in which it replaced “United Colonies” with “United States” as the fledgling nation’s new name.
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