CARTHAGE, Illinois. The American Revolution Experience will be on display on the ground floor of the Hancock County Courthouse from July 3–17, according to the Shadrach Bond Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Public access to the exhibition will be available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on July 4 from noon to 4 p.m. Public admission is free, however donations are welcome.
In collaboration with a group from the Hancock County Historical Society, the Development group for Carthage and Hancock County, county schools, the Hancock County Journal Pilot, and local news, radio, and television stations, this display is a component of Hancock County’s Bicentennial. Adults, educators, students in middle and high school, members of the armed forces, and anybody else with an interest in American Revolutionary history are all encouraged to read it.
Display panels and interactive digital kiosks are part of the pop-up exhibition, which connects contemporary audiences with the individuals and locations that influenced the founding of our country through storytelling, imagery, technology, rare relics, and firsthand recollections.
The display, which was developed in partnership with the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and the American Battlefield Trust, was made possible by matching funding from battlefield interpretation grants from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program.
On the two days when the exhibit is open, the General Macomb Chapter NSDAR has offered to host it.
The Hancock County Historical Society will host a program at the Carthage Community Center with assistance from the Two Rivers Art Council of Illinois. At 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, John Hallwas will showcase a selection of poems and readings from Hancock County citizens. This software is free of charge. It will also be a component of Hancock County’s Bicentennial celebration.
In the summer of 2022, The American Revolution Experience made its debut online in its first digital-only version to immediate praise. It was recognized with a Bronze Award in the Education, Art, and Culture category of the second annual Anthem Awards, a Webby Awards initiative that honors work with a purpose and a mission. Additionally, it was a finalist in the Webbys’ People’s Choice category.
DAR President General Pamela Rouse Wright stated in a press statement that the American Revolution would not have occurred without the choices, sacrifices, and bravery of common people. It is a privilege for DAR to have worked with the American Battlefield Trust on this project, which honors some of our patriots and their contributions to the establishment of this wonderful nation. People in communities all around the nation are excited to find out more about these people.
The traveling exhibit features three interactive kiosks that link to the complete digital biographies, twelve panels that highlight thematic connections between the people featured, documentary context on the Revolutionary War, and information on how to visit the locations associated with these people today.
Dale Watson, an artist from South Carolina, creates original illustrations for the American Revolution Experience, which is available both online and in person. The display also makes use of the Trust’s industry-leading digital interpretation capabilities and papers and artifacts from DAR’s collection.
According to Trust President David Duncan, “Independence may have been proclaimed in Philadelphia by the 56 signatories to the Declaration, but it was hard-won on the battlefields we protect by the thousands of patriot soldiers from whom today’s daughters trace descent.” The fact that we are not so far from those significant events and that there are worthwhile ways to bridge those 250 years is something that our organizations collectively attest to.
The display highlights a range of perspectives and experiences, including those of men and women, Black and Native people, patriots and loyalists, and even foreign allies. Audiences are introduced to drummer boys, military mapmakers, and other common individuals affected by world events, rather than only generals and well-known statesmen.
The American Battlefield Trust began as a grassroots organization by historians almost 40 years ago and has since expanded to become one of the country’s most effective land preservation and education organizations. The Trust has safeguarded about 60,000 acres related to the Civil War, the War of 1812, and the Revolutionary War, which span 160 locations across 25 states from Massachusetts to New Mexico. Visit www.battlefields.org to learn more.
In 1890, the Daughters of the American Revolution National Society was established with the goals of fostering patriotism, education, and historic preservation. The patriots who achieved American independence during the Revolutionary War are the ancestors of its members.
