Imagery: Costume of a Callapuya Indian, Alfred T. Agate, 1845; Valley of the Willamette Captain H. Warre, 1848. William Stone Facsimile of the Declaration of Independence, 1823. Public Domain

February 13, 2026 – August 1, 2026

In 2026, the United States marks its 250th birthday with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence. What did the events of 1776 mean to the people living in the Mid-Willamette Valley? In this multi-part, multi-disciplinary exhibit we will explore how echoes from the year 1776 continue to be heard in our community.

  • Explore how we can understand more about who was living in the Mid-Willamette Valley in 1776 through the languages spoken in this area at the time and the place names we continue to use today.
  • Although the revolutionary events of 1776 didn’t happen here, explore the way they have been observed in this community the past 200 years.
  • Make your voice heard and participate in the Wish Wall – sharing your hopes for how words written in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 might ring forward into the future.