David Dowdy (left), Becca Heacock, and Bryant Lindsey accompanied America250 Burke County committee chairman Ed Phillips to the Burke County Commissioners meeting on Monday.
David Dowdy (left), Becca Heacock, and Bryant Lindsey accompanied America250 Burke County committee chairman Ed Phillips to the Burke County Commissioners meeting on Monday.
MICA BANKS / THE PAPER
Just ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, Burke County Commissioners passed a resolution on Monday recognizing the area’s ties to the Revolutionary War, including several historical landmarks and the Overmountain Men.
In about six months, the U.S. celebrates its semiquincentennial birthday, marking 250 years since the nation’s founding.
Local America250 committee chairman Ed Phillips appeared in front of the commissioners to read the resolution, which acknowledged the Historic Burke County Courthouse, the Charles McDowell House, and the Overmountain Men’s role in the Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens.
BUILDING STEAM FOR THE BIG DAY
The America250 Burke County committee has been promoting the 250th anniversary for months by putting up banners, making appearances in local events, and hosting events.
In September, there was the historic sites tour and the Revolutionary War Encampment.
The historic sites tour was a limited-space opportunity that took 40 people — some from as far off as Fayetteville — to sites that are normally closed to the public. Those sites were Gilboa Methodist Church, Quaker Meadows Cemetery, Swan Ponds, and Southern Railway Depot.
The next day, the Revolutionary War Encampment pulled about 1,000 visitors to the Charles McDowell House for a chance to see vendors reenacting life and skills from the 1700s.
The committee has not decided on a Fourth of July celebration, Phillips said, but there are other events upcoming, including a flag design contest for fourth grade students and a Liberty Tree planting project.
The flag design contest is a statewide competition. Schools will submit designs by Feb. 1, and a local winner will be announced in early March. Then, the winner will compete at the state competition.
Phillips said the committee is eyeing a spring timeline for the Liberty Tree project.
America250 is a national initiative to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The America250 website said: “The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.”
OTHER BUSINESS
The board also re-elected Jeff Brittain as chairman and Phil Smith as vice chairman for 2026.
Mica Banks is the County Government reporter for The Paper. She can be reached at 828-445-8595 or mica@thepaper.media.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.