EDITOR’S NOTE: Here is a letter sent to Tillamook County Commissioners regarding their resolution on the agenda today July 1st – A resolution to commemorate/celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. (See below for a copy of the resolution.)
We agree with Robin and the BOC – while the official anniversary is July 4, 1776 – the celebration and commemoration of the many events that formed “a more perfect union” by “We the People”, there is much to learn from our history, and most meaningful is that this is a very young country and form of government that is very much a “work in process”. Join us and share your story – “What does it mean to be an American?” send your thoughts, poems, art, photography to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net
Good morning, Tillamook County Commissioners,
Thank you for recognizing the importance of commemorating the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. I appreciate your willingness to acknowledge this historic milestone. I also regret that Oregon’s governor chose not to send a delegation to Washington, D.C., for the national observance because of partisan politics.
On Saturday, I attended the Oregon State Capitol Foundation’s “Passport to History and Democracy” celebration at the Oregon State Capitol. It was an educational and inspiring event that encouraged visitors of all ages to explore Oregon’s history and democratic institutions.
Participants collected passport stamps while visiting exhibits, monuments, memorials, and historical displays throughout the Capitol grounds. The U.S. Postal Service offered a commemorative postmark, and participants earned a beautiful commemorative coin celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Complimentary Tillamook ice cream bars and Willamette Valley Pie Company apple pie were also a welcome part of the celebration, and a Tri-Cities steel drum band created a festive atmosphere.
The 32-page passport guided visitors through Oregon’s history, including the original Oregon Constitution, Capitol murals depicting important events in our state’s past, and landmarks such as the Wall of Water, the Oregon Pioneer statue, the replica Liberty Bell, and the Oregon Veterans Medal of Honor Memorial. The Willamette Heritage Center presented an exhibit on Carolyn B. Shelton, and costumed interpreters from the Sons of the American Revolution helped bring history to life. I also learned that on July 4, the Capitol’s replica Liberty Bell will ring in unison with bells across the country in honor of the Declaration of Independence.
The event reminded me how much Oregon owes to leaders such as Oswald West, Robert W. Straub, and Mark Hatfield. Governor West preserved public access to Oregon’s beaches through the 1913 Beach Highway Law, which laid the foundation for the Oregon Beach Bill. Governor Straub protected Nestucca Spit State Park from a proposed Highway 101 route, preserving one of Oregon’s most treasured coastal landscapes. Governor Hatfield’s decades of public service left an enduring legacy for our state.
The Capitol itself is well worth visiting. Its exhibits and artwork tell Oregon’s story in a way that is engaging for both children and adults. When we homeschooled our younger son, he served as a page in both the Oregon House and Senate. It was an outstanding educational experience that gave him firsthand insight into how state government works. Experiences like these bring civics to life in ways textbooks alone cannot.
I hope Tillamook County will find a meaningful way to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary during the remainder of this year. Many Americans, especially young people, would benefit from opportunities to learn more about our nation’s founding, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. These documents remain the foundation of our constitutional system of government. The United States is a constitutional republic—a representative democracy governed by a written Constitution that limits government power, protects individual rights, and establishes a system of checks and balances.
One remarkable fact is that the United States Constitution, in continuous operation since 1789, remains the world’s oldest written national constitution still in force.
I also hope the Tillamook County Library will commemorate America’s 250th anniversary with more than its annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence. That tradition is meaningful and should certainly continue, but this milestone presents an opportunity to do much more.
The library could feature displays on the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the development of American government. It could also highlight classic American literature, biographies, and the stories of immigrants who came here seeking freedom and opportunity. Lectures, book discussions, exhibits, and community reading programs would encourage historical literacy, civic understanding, and informed citizenship while complementing the library’s educational mission.
Saturday‘s celebration demonstrated that history can be educational, engaging, and enjoyable. It celebrated not only America’s founding but also Oregon’s traditions of conservation, public service, and civic engagement. I hope Tillamook County, together with its community partners, will consider organizing similar educational programs and exhibits throughout America’s 250th anniversary so residents of all ages can better appreciate the history, freedoms, and responsibilities we have inherited.
Respectfully,
Robin Kostrikin
Pacific City
