The Highline Journal kicks off a 250th Anniversary Series, celebrating our National Heritage via the Pacific Northwest.
In just 25 weeks, the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence. Smithsonian Magazine recently published an article titled “250 Places to Celebrate America,” highlighting national landmarks that tell our country’s story. While much of the attention will focus on historic sites back East, America’s story is also alive here in the Pacific Northwest.
At The Highline Journal, we want to celebrate this cultural milestone by spotlighting local places that reflect our nation’s history through a regional lens.
We will include historical sites that tell part of the American story — exploration, sacrifice, innovation, cultural heritage, and the ongoing pursuit of unity. This may include frontier settlements, Native American heritage, and little-known sites that played a formative role in building the Pacific Northwest. We hope to include stories about sites like the Peace Arch in Blaine, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, historic cemeteries where readers have a personal connection, and the Makah Museum on the Olympic Peninsula.
History isn’t confined to textbooks. It is embedded in our neighborhoods, memorials, and museums — and in the civic spaces where the lived experiences of our community help shape our shared story.
We invite readers to be part of this series.
Have you visited a Pacific Northwest site that deepened your understanding of our nation’s past? Do you have a personal story connected to a local landmark? Do you have recommendations?
As we approach America’s 250th birthday, we hope to tell the story of our country through the voices of our community — one place at a time.
Be sure to read today’s kickoff article by Stuart Jenner, spotlighting local legend Bruce Lee and Seattle’s International District.
Send your questions, article ideas, or written submissions to [email protected].
300-500 words is ideal.
