On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14189, Celebrating America's 250th Birthday. It addresses the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, as well as the creation and protection of public monuments.
The Semiquincentennial
The year 2026 marks America's 250th birthday - the semiquincentennial. All federal agencies, including the ACHP, will be coordinating to plan a celebration of this milestone anniversary. Historic properties embody the nation’s history in communities across the country and can play a central role in the commemoration.
In an apt coincidence, 2026 also marks the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, which created the national historic preservation program. In addition, it is the 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Fund, which provides federal historic preservation funding support to states, Indian Tribes, and local communities.
The ACHP is planning educational, celebratory, and policy-related activities to celebrate these anniversaries. More details will be posted on this page as these plans take shape.
National Garden of American Heroes
The recent executive order also reinstates a previously rescinded order that created the National Garden of American Heroes. This will be a statuary park including statues to 250 historically significant Americans who made substantive contributions to America's public life or otherwise had a substantive effect on America's history.
The ACHP is a member of an interagency task force that will be advising the Department of the Interior, which is responsible for constructing the garden. The task force also has been directed to explore opportunities to assist communities in erecting monuments celebrating historically significant Americans, events of historical significance, or the ideals upon which our Nation was founded.
The ACHP will post information on the National Garden of American Heroes on this page as the work of the task force proceeds.