News and Press
Stay up to date on the latest America 250 Oregon news by browsing recent media coverage and news releases. For all media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
Press Releases
- America 250 Oregon Commission Encourages Participation in Two Lights for Tomorrow
Portland, OR — April 9, 2025 — On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and others rode to Lexington, Massachusetts, warning minutemen and households about the approach of British forces. Behind him, lanterns in the steeple of the Old North Church were shining the agreed upon code made famous by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “One if by land, and two if by sea.” The next day, April 19, were the battles of Lexington and Concord — and the colonists were well prepared.
As part of the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the America 250 Oregon Commission joins semiquincentennial commissions across the country in Two Lights for Tomorrow, a multi-state initiative that reminds citizens everywhere that our shared history is grounded in coming together to build a more perfect union.
Oregonians are called to participate by shining two lights on April 18, 2025, in their homes and community spaces.
“The America 250 Oregon Commission hopes that communities across the state will join us in Two Lights for Tomorrow to kick off the semiquincentennial commemorations,” said Kerry Tymchuk, Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society and Chairman of the America 250 Oregon Commission. “Any kind of light can be used in any size building, be it a home, office, museum, community center, or government building. Using the imagery of shining lights as a uniting call to action, Two Lights for Tomorrow reminds us of the importance of working together for a promising future.”
If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact [email protected] or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list.
- Oregon Launches Official Website to Commemorate America’s 250th Anniversary
Portland, OR — February 27, 2025 — The America 250 Oregon Commission is excited to announce the launch of Oregon’s official U.S. Semiquincentennial website, oregon250.org. In this digital space, the public can browse a community events calendar, explore online exhibitions, and access resources for getting involved in this nationwide commemoration. The site also includes links to all nine of Oregon’s federally recognized tribes.
The America 250 Oregon Commission was created by Senate Bill 1531, signed into law on March 27, 2024, by Governor Tina Kotek. Chaired by the Oregon Historical Society’s executive director, Kerry Tymchuk, the 27-member commission has been tasked to coordinate and provide guidance for Oregon’s official observance of the United States Semiquincentennial. To date, the commission has met three times and has developed its mission and guideposts.
The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is “to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial.”
The commission’s official guideposts are:
- To inspire Oregonians to participate in the work of forming a more perfect union.
- To highlight the importance of civics and history education in building a better future.
- To highlight the work of Oregon’s many history and heritage organizations.
- To encourage a robust, thorough, and honest examination of our collective history.
- To celebrate the unique traditions, arts, and cultures of communities throughout Oregon.
- To honor the service and sacrifice made by Oregon’s veterans.
- To celebrate the power of place through Oregon’s remarkable landscapes and scenic beauty.
“As we commemorate our nation’s history at a time when Americans seem deeply divided, I believe that by celebrating our successes and honestly reckoning with our setbacks, we can improve and deepen public understanding of our history, increase public appreciation of service to our state and country, and inspire Oregonians to participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment,” said Kerry Tymchuk, chair of the America 250 Oregon Commission.
While guidelines for community event submissions are currently in development, the America 250 Oregon Commission encourages the public to explore two online exhibitions created in honor of the U.S. Semiquincentennial.
Oregon’s beauty and spirit are as diverse as its landscape and its people, and to celebrate the state’s bounty, the commission contracted with photographer Peter Marbach on two digital photographic exhibitions that showcase the essence of Oregon and its vibrant communities. The Power of Place highlights Oregon’s awe-inspiring landscapes, from its rugged coastline to its tranquil valleys and majestic peaks, many of which have remained unchanged for centuries. The Pursuit of Happiness shifts the focus to the people and communities of Oregon and the way we gather to celebrate the diverse cultures that define our state. Both exhibitions are being made into physical traveling exhibitions, which will soon be available to organizations and heritage sites statewide.
If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact [email protected] or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list.
Press Coverage
- Oregon Joins Planning For Nation’s 250th Birthday
Portland, Ore. – February 28, 2025 —
Federal planning for America’s 250th anniversary started with an act of Congress a couple of years ago. “Each state was asked to form its own commission, to help organize activities in that state,” says Oregon Historical Society Executive Director Kerry Tymchuk, “Last year, the legislature passed the America 250 Oregon Commission.” Tymchuk now heads that commission.
The first stage is now underway, with the launch of the new Oregon 250 website. “Leading up in the next 15-16 months, to July 4, 2026, you’ll be able to find a list of activities, of commemorations, of celebrations, of things going on around the state,” says Tymchuk. There are also digital exhibits, like the Power of Place, “It’s beautiful photography of some of Oregon’s most iconic scenery. And many of them, if not all of them scenes that remain unchanged since 1776: Mt Hood, the sand dunes, other great Oregon beautiful places.” And one called In the Pursuit of Happiness, featuring places where Oregonians have fun, “From the Pendleton Roundup, to the Portland Rose Festival, to the UFO celebration in McMinnville,” Tymchuk says, “All these fun activities that Oregonians do, that bring us together.”
He says more displays and events will be added over the next year and a half, “You can sign up on the website to receive regular reports and updates and what’s going on. There you can find everything hopefully that’ll be going on across Oregon in communities across the state.”
- Oregonians Commemorate Paul Revere’s Ride
Portland, Ore. – April 17, 2025 – Oregonians are invited to shine two lights on their homes Friday night, in honor of a big national anniversary.
“One if by land, two if by sea” is more than just a memorable line in an historic poem. That was the signal used in Boston by Paul Revere, “Where he rode through the streets, alerting the milita-men and minutemen and the public in the countryside,” says Kerry Tymchuck, Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society, “to signify if the British were coming by land or by sea.”
Tymchuck says, “April 18th is the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride.” Its commemoration Friday is also the kickoff of America 250, a nationwide celebration of our country’s founding. Tymchuck chairs the America 250 Oregon Commission.
He says it’s easy to take part in Friday’s Two Lights For Tomorrow event, “Have buildings, homes, you name it, shine two lights on that night, to signify a unity and an appreciation of history and that we’re all in this together.” Tymchuck adds, “We have some colonial-day looking lanterns here that we’ll be shining from our pavilion. You could have the little electronic candles. You don’t want to have flames, of course. We’ve got to be safe for fires, today.”
For Tymchuck, it’s more than just two lights and a year-long party, “Signify that America is looking at its past and thinking about its future, and that we’re a unified country and an appreciation of American history.”
More events are planned through July of 2026, when the nation celebrates its 250th birthday.
- Five on 5 Five on 5 – Kerry Tymchuk – Oregon Historical Society
April 22, 2025 – This Five on 5 interview is with Kerry Tymchuk, Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society. We learn about the society’s mission to preserve and make accessible Oregon’s history. He also discusses OHS’s plans to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. He also shares a historical fact about the first President to visit Medford.
Find out more about the Oregon Historical Society here and about the Oregon 250 project here.