American Freedom Museum

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

Join us today at the American Freedom Museum as we celebrate America’s 250th Birthday! We will be open to the public free of charge with activities throughout the day!
This is America’s story. This is your story.

07/04/2026

Today In History
July 4, 1776
America's 250th Birthday

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the United States separated itself from Great Britain. This document declared that all men are “created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” With these powerful and moving words, our forefathers formed a brand-new nation with a vision of freedom and democracy that would forever change history. For centuries Americans celebrated this event on their own, but in 1941, Congress established the Fourth of July, or Independence Day, as a national holiday. Today, it is a time when families and friends gather in their back yard, church, or at the lake for picnics, where tables are set with American flags and decorated with red, white and blue. There are firework displays at night, and we attend community and neighborhood parades, baseball games, concerts, military events and even take trips to the beach as we celebrate our nation’s history and the freedoms we enjoy because of those who have gone before us.

Here are some fun facts that many people do not know about the Fourth of July:

• Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag in May or June of 1776, after 3 members (George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross) of a secret committee from the Continental Congress met with her in her home.

• The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the colonies would appear equal.

• Thomas Jefferson was the strongest and most eloquent writer and was charged with putting together the original draft for the Declaration of Independence. There were a total of 86 changes that were made to the original draft, and the Continental Congress officially adopted the final version on July 4, 1776.

• On July 5, 1776, copies of the Declaration of Independence were handed out and on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the document.

• The Liberty Bell rang from the tower of Independence Hall on July 8, 1776, and citizens gathered for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

• Thomas Jefferson began the tradition of a public reception at the White House to celebrate the Fourth of July in 1801.

• Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird but was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who wanted the bald eagle.

• Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on the Fourth. Adams and Jefferson died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.

• The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign at the same time, nor did they sign on July 4, 1776. The official signing was on August 3, 1776, when 50 men signed it.

• The names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by law, resulted in their deaths.

• The origin of Uncle Sam probably began in 1812, when Samuel Wilson, a meat packer who provided meat to the U.S. Army, stamped the meat shipments with the initials U.S. Someone joked that the initials stood for “Uncle Sam.” This joke eventually led to the idea of Uncle Sam symbolizing the United States government.

• In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new nation. Today there are approximately 342.6 million.

• Approximately 150 million hotdogs are consumed on the Fourth of July.

• Around $2.8 billion dollars will be spent by consumers for fireworks on the Fourth of July.

How will you be celebrating America's 250th Birthday? We hope wherever you are that it is a memorable time spent with family and friends. We encourage you to reflect for a moment on the meaning of the celebration, remembering that 250 years ago a pivotal moment in our history took place. The Declaration of Independence set into motion the birth of a nation, our nation, and it is a land filled with liberty and opportunity unequalled anywhere in the world. It is America’s story. It is Your story.

Happy Fourth of July!

06/15/2026

Join us at the American Freedom Museum on July 4th to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday! We will be open to the public free of charge with activities throughout the day!

06/14/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY
The Story Behind Flag Day
June 14, 1777

“Old Glory's Big Day
There's nothing quite like the sight of the Stars and Stripes catching a summer breeze—vibrant red, pristine white, and that deep field of starry blue dancing against the sky. It isn't just a beautiful view. It's the heart of a nation. Every June 14th, Americans from coast to coast pause to celebrate Flag Day, honoring the banner that has flown over battlefields, classrooms, front porches, and every great moment in our shared history. But do you know how this cherished tradition began?

A Banner Born in Revolution
The story starts on June 14, 1777, when the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution. In the middle of a revolution—with the outcome of the war still far from certain, the young nation paused to declare what its banner would be: thirteen alternating red and white stripes, with thirteen white stars on a field of blue, "representing a new constellation."
The founders weren't just designing a flag. They were imagining a country that didn't yet fully exist—a new light among the nations. As the United States grew, so did the flag, gaining a star for every new state while the original thirteen stripes remained a lasting tribute to the courage of those who started it all. Today, fifty stars shine for fifty states, still united under one banner.

One Teacher's Big Idea
While the flag was born in 1777, the celebration of Flag Day was sparked by a single determined American. In 1885, a 19-year-old schoolteacher named Bernard J. Cigrand stood before his one-room classroom and placed a small 38-star flag in a bottle on his desk. He asked his students to write essays about what the flag meant to them, calling that June 14th the flag's "birthday." That simple classroom lesson became a lifelong crusade. Cigrand spent decades writing articles, giving speeches, and rallying support wherever he could. For his devotion, history remembers him as the "Father of Flag Day." It's a fitting reminder that some of our most enduring traditions began not with politicians or generals, but with ordinary citizens who simply loved their country.

Making It Official
Cigrand's dream gathered momentum over the years. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day. The cause finally reached its summit in 1949, when President Harry S. Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day for good.
Interestingly, Flag Day is not a federal holiday—the post office still runs and the banks stay open—but that's part of its quiet charm. It's a day we observe not because we have to, but because we want to. Over the years, Americans have come to see their own values reflected in the flag's colors: courage and sacrifice in the red, hope and purity of purpose in the white, vigilance and justice in the blue.” (Americanflagsexpress.com: We The People: Facts Every US Citizen Should Know)

06/08/2026

Now open Wednesdays AND Saturdays from 10 AM to 3 PM in June and July! Also, mark your calendars for a special event to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the USA on July 4th! 🇺🇸🦅

06/06/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY:
June 6, 1944
D-Day: Allies Storm Normandy’s Coast
82nd Anniversary

On June 6, 1944, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower gives the go-ahead for the largest amphibious military operation in history: Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of northern France, commonly known as D-Day.

By daybreak, 18,000 British and American parachutists were already on the ground. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion. At 6:30 a.m., American troops came ashore at Utah and Omaha beaches.

The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where the U.S. First Division battled high seas, mist, mines, burning vehicles—and German coastal batteries, including an elite infantry division, which spewed heavy fire. Many wounded Americans ultimately drowned in the high tide. British divisions, which landed at Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches, and Canadian troops also met with heavy German fire.

But by day’s end, 155,000 Allied troops–Americans, British and Canadians–had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches and were then able to push inland. Within three months, the northern part of France would be freed and the invasion force would be preparing to enter Germany, where they would meet up with Soviet forces moving in from the east.

Before the Allied assault, Hi**er’s armies had been in control of most of mainland Europe and the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hi**er knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.

For their part, the Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hi**er, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays.

He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.

Though D-Day did not go off exactly as planned, as later claimed by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery–for example, the Allies were able to land only fractions of the supplies and vehicles they had intended in France–the invasion was a decided success. By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.

The heroism and bravery displayed by troops from the Allied countries on D-Day has served as inspiration for several films, most famously The Longest Day (1962) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). It was also depicted in the HBO series Band of Brothers (2001). (History Channel/A&E Television)

05/25/2026

Remembering and honoring our United States military men and women who gave their lives for us and our nation's freedoms.

Memorial Day Facts and Trivia:

Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day commemorating the Union and Confederate soldiers fallen in the American Civil War. Roughly 620,000 Americans died in the Civil War — making it the deadliest war in American history.

Northern states adopted Decoration Day earlier and with more enthusiasm than the former Confederate states. In fact, it was not until after the World War I when the South finally adopted the holiday. At that time, the purpose of Memorial Day was broadened to include American soldiers fallen in all wars, not just in the Civil War.

The first Memorial Day speech was given by Ohio Congressman James Abram Garfield, who later became a U.S. President, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia in 1868.
The longest running Memorial Day parade takes place in the town of Ironton, Ohio, where they have had a parade every year since 1868.

Wearing red poppies, a popular Memorial Day tradition, originated from a poem called “In Flanders Field” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae in 1915. In 1924, faced by a shortage of poppies from French manufacturers, a first artificial poppy factory was created in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It employed veterans who needed work.

Memorial Day was originally observed on May 30th. It was not until 1971 that the holiday was moved to the last Monday in May to ensure the prolonged weekend. In the same year, Memorial Day also became a federal holiday. Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 for decades, but in 1971, Congress established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May and a federal holiday.

In 2000, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which requires all Americans to stop what they are doing at 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day to remember and honor those who have died serving the United States. This moment of remembrance is a one-minute period observed even by many large companies and organizations such as Greyhound, Amtrak, MLB, Empire State Building and others.

The Arlington National Cemetery, located in Arlington, Virginia, is one of the places where major Memorial Day ceremonies take place. One of the largest cemeteries in the world, it is home to 430,000 graves. Every year, the Memorial Day celebration at the Arlington Cemetery is attended by approximately 5,000 people.

One of the Memorial Day traditions was to eat a picnic meal while sitting on the ground of a cemetery. Some people in rural areas of the south still practice it.

On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. Then, it is raised to full staff for the remainder of the day.

Performed on the west lawn of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., The National Memorial Day Concert is also held to pay tribute to fallen U.S. soldiers. Attended by more than half a million people, the concert can be watched by U.S. military personnel all over the world.

05/22/2026

AMERICAN FREEDOM MUSEUM
SUMMER PUBLIC HOURS
JUNE AND JULY

Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Groups of 15+ by appointment only
Monday – Friday

Open to the public on Saturday, July 4th
Special Activities (details to come)
FREE OF CHARGE