By Rep. David J. Preece, D-Manchester
This year, Americans will celebrate one of the most remarkable milestones in our nation’s history—the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
For two and a half centuries, our republic has endured wars, economic upheaval, social transformation, and political division. We have not always lived up to the ideals proclaimed in Philadelphia in 1776, but generation after generation has struggled to make the promise of liberty, equality, and self-government more meaningful for those who followed.
That is why this anniversary deserves more than parades, fireworks, speeches, or political pageantry.
It deserves reflection.
After forty-four years as an urban planner, I learned that every important decision begins with a simple question:
What are we leaving to those who come after us?
Planning has never been about one administration, one budget cycle, or one generation. It is about stewardship. We inherit communities, historic buildings, parks, forests, rivers, and public spaces that others preserved for us. Our responsibility is not merely to enjoy them but to pass them on—stronger than we found them.
The same principle applies to our nation.
The White House is not the President’s house.
It is the People’s House.
The National Mall is not a political stage.
It is America’s common ground.
Our national parks, forests, monuments, battlefields, and historic places are not the property of any administration or political party. They are part of our shared national inheritance.
Here in New Hampshire, we understand that principle well.
Whether walking a section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, visiting Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, hiking through the White Mountain National Forest, or preserving one of our historic village centers, we recognize that these places connect generations. They remind us that public service is ultimately about stewardship rather than ownership.
That is why the conversations surrounding America’s semiquincentennial matter.
Questions have been raised about how the anniversary should be organized, how public funds should be spent, and whether the celebration should emphasize unity or partisan identity. Those debates are entirely appropriate in a democracy.
But one principle should remain beyond dispute.
America’s 250th birthday does not belong to any president.
It does not belong to Congress.
It does not belong to political parties.
It belongs to every American.
It belongs to families whose ancestors signed the Declaration of Independence and to families whose ancestors arrived generations later seeking freedom and opportunity. It belongs to Native peoples whose history long predates the founding of the republic. It belongs to immigrants who chose America as their home and to every citizen committed to the ideals of constitutional government.
Every generation inherits a public trust.
That trust includes not only the Constitution and our democratic institutions but also the places that tell America’s story—our parks, monuments, historic landscapes, museums, battlefields, and civic spaces.
When Americans celebrated the Bicentennial in 1976, they created lasting gifts. Historic preservation flourished. Museums expanded. Communities restored landmarks. New parks opened. Investments were made that continue to enrich the nation nearly fifty years later.
As we celebrate our semiquincentennial, we should ask ourselves the same question:
What will Americans inherit because we celebrated our 250th birthday?
Will we preserve more of our history?
Strengthen civic education?
Protect public lands?
Restore historic buildings?
Invest in parks and museums?
Leave healthier communities and a stronger democracy?
Those are the gifts worthy of this anniversary.
Two hundred and fifty years from now, Americans will not remember who delivered the keynote address or who hosted the largest celebration.
They will remember whether we proved worthy of the inheritance entrusted to us.
The White House belongs to the American people.
The National Mall belongs to the American people.
Our national parks belong to the American people.
And America’s 250th birthday belongs to every American—past, present, and future.
May we celebrate this extraordinary anniversary not by claiming our national inheritance as our own, but by preserving it for those who will celebrate America’s 500th birthday.
Rep. David Preece