News Release
Forest Preserve District Celebrates U.S. Semiquincentennial With America 250 Lineup
Exhibit, blogs, videos, and programs to highlight history
As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of its independence, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is marking the occasion with a museum exhibit, blogs and videos, scavenger hunts, and programs exploring the history and changing landscape of DuPage County.
Two features are already underway. In the visitor center at St. James Farm, the Stars and Stripes: Our American Flag exhibit, open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Oct. 31, is showcasing artifacts from the farm’s museum collection that highlight the history and significance of the American flag. Online, the four-part monthly blog series A History of DuPage County explores the land, plants, animals, and people of the region across four time periods from 1776 to today.
The six-part video series The Work of Many Hands, which will post to the Forest Preserve District’s Instagram page on the six days leading up to July 4, will follow the historical process of creating an American flag by hand, from selecting fiber and spinning wool to weaving, dyeing, sewing, and unveiling the finished piece.
Kline Creek Farm’s "Celebrating the Fourth" on Thursday, July 2, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. will invite visitors to bring a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of hands-on history with traditional games and Victorian picnic displays. Guests can also help make ice cream the old-fashioned way using ice from the farm’s icehouse.
The Forest Preserve District’s quarterly "Peabody’s Pages Book Club" is also joining the celebration with a July 3 discussion of The Birth of the Republic by Edmund S. Morgan, a classic account of the American Revolution that explores the ideas and events that shaped the nation’s founding.
And for outdoor adventurers, the Forest Preserve District will be offering America 250 scavenger hunts on the Goosechase app that will guide explorers to DuPage forest preserve sites tied to local history.
Links to Forest Preserve District America 250 blogs, videos, programs, and scavenger hunts will post as available on dupageforest.org/America-250.
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County improves the quality of life for all DuPage County residents. Its 26,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, wetlands, and waterways contribute to cleaner air and water, help with flood control, create vital habitats for wildlife, and provide safe spaces where people can boost their physical and mental health. More than 5.9 million people visit its 60 forest preserves, 175 miles of trails, seven education centers, and scores of programs each year. For information, call 630-933-7200 or visit dupageforest.org, where you can also link to the District’s e-newsletter and Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube pages.