SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO: The Jacob Bennett Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in Silver City invites everyone to attend the America 250! celebration and dedication of a Revolutionary War Patriots Marker at the gazebo in Gough Park on Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM. There is no charge to attend this America 250! community event.
The Gazebo at Gough Park was a Town of Silver City American Revolution Bicentennial project. Chapter Regent Lucy Whitmarsh remarked, "This makes this area in Gough Park the perfect place for a Revolutionary War Patriots Marker to commemorate America's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We invite everyone in our communities to come and celebrate with us as we dedicate this marker to honor Patriots of the Revolutionary War, commemorate America's 250th, and recognize New Mexico's contributions to American Independence."
In addition to this Patriots marker, the local DAR chapter has another America 250! free community project titled, "In the Spirit of 1776", which unites a time capsule with a message in a bottle. There will be a table at the marker dedication on May 30 for children, students and adults to participate in this project by writing a note for the time capsule. When the time capsule is opened 50 years later at Silver City's Tricentennial celebration, the notes contained therein will be randomly passed out to people there – a warm wish from someone in our communities celebrating America's 250th anniversary to someone here celebrating our 300th! Chapter Regent Whitmarsh said, "Start thinking about what you might write. It could be a quote from a founding father or U.S. President, a song verse, scripture, what you love about America that you hope for others in the future, a blessing, or simply a warm wish. And remember, even though you may not be at Silver City's Tricentennial celebration on July 4, 2076, your words can be. You never know when your words will inspire someone or warm their heart."
The focus of the DAR's commemorative efforts across the country are to celebrate our nation's rich history and diversity of experiences by honoring all men and women who helped achieve American independence. DAR members, inspired by the service of their Revolutionary War ancestors, are celebrating through acts of community service and hosting educational events.
The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established in 2016 under President Barack Obama and has since been facilitating nationwide plans to observe this historic occasion. The Commission created the America250 Foundation and identifies under that banner. America250 is a bipartisan coalition of public and private partners, including the Daughters of the American Revolution, all working to create initiatives and programs that honor the United States of America's first 250 years and to imagine our next 250 years.
Governor Lujan Grisham established New Mexico's Semiquincentennial Commission to engage every American in commemorating our nation's milestone and to honor the unique history, traditions, and contributions of New Mexico.
About the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)
One of the largest non-profit and non-political women's service organizations in the world, DAR has close to 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters across the country and several foreign countries. DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, scholarships and educational initiatives, citizenship programs, service to veterans, meaningful community service and more. For additional information about DAR and its relevant mission, visit www.dar.org.
For information about the Jacob Bennett Chapter or DAR membership, call Lucy Whitmarsh at (575) 574-8394 or email
