Throughout 2025 and into 2026, commemorative events across America will help ring in the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War and the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. This anniversary has sparked renewed interest in the American Revolution among Americans with a passion for history and a penchant for travel.
Many locations across the United States have preserved battlefields and places that mark major milestones during the American Revolution and the quest for independence. Locations such as the fields of Lexington and Concord, where the first battle against the British took place, and Independence Hall, where the Declaration was signed, are gearing up to welcome crowds over the next year for special events, living history programs, and continued celebrations to commemorate 250 years of American independence.
America’s National Parks™ has joined the celebration and created several programs to delight visitors to well-known national parks and notable locations. Through programs such as Passport To Your National Parks®, America’s National Parks™ is getting citizens in touch with their history and allowing them to track their visits to some of the most important locations in our nation’s history.
Since 1986, the Passport To Your National Parks® program has enabled Americans to develop personalized connections with America’s national parks. Since its inception, Passport To Your National Parks® has become the #1 best-selling guidebook to the national park system. Visitors to various sites can collect ink cancellation stamps to create their personalized journey through notable sites throughout the country.
A personal journey through the story of our nation’s independence
There are over 40 Revolutionary War sites managed by the National Park Service system. These include such significant locations as Cowpens National Battlefield, Kings Mountain National Military Park, and the Yorktown Battlefield within Colonial National Historical Park.
Visitors can walk in the footsteps of George Washington at Valley Forge and imagine what it must have been like for his troops to endure the harsh winter conditions. History buffs can hear the story of Primus Hall — a man born to enslaved parents who was “given away” to become a shoemaker’s apprentice, but instead joined the Continental Army in 1776 — at the Boston African American National Historic Site. Those looking to fill their Passport books with stamps can learn what it was like to be a militiaman or seek to understand the position of the loyalists.
These sites help tell the stories that have shaped the United States of America. Through the Passport To Your National Parks® program, visitors can become a part of the country’s history by walking the same fields and touring the same buildings where our forefathers built the nation from the ground up.
Passport to the American Revolution
To mark the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, Passport To Your National Parks® is unveiling a new version of its popular Passport program, The Passport to the American Revolution, highlighting the most significant Revolution-era locations within the US National Park system.
The new Passport features a foreword written by award-winning historian and documentarian Ken Burns, who is releasing his latest documentary, “The American Revolution,” this fall. The special edition of the Passport To Your National Parks® guidebook highlights national parks where pivotal events of the American Revolution occurred and draws attention to lesser-known sites tied to America’s founding. It is the perfect companion to those looking to celebrate the 250th anniversary by learning more about our nation’s founding.
Additionally, ink cancellation stampers with the official America250 logo have been created to commemorate visits to America’s Revolution-era sites, allowing people embarking on a journey through history to mark these special anniversaries in their Passport To The American Revolution.
As the anniversary dates approach, the National Park Service will host a series of events and demonstrations at the individual sites. Visitors can find more information about the events by visiting the America’s National Parks™ website and plan their trips to collect more Passport stamps.
Preserving a nation’s worth of history
There is a rich history within America’s national parks. From locations where our forefathers made consequential moves that shaped our history to battlefields where everyday men fought to gain independence from the British, people could easily fill a year or more with planned visits to significant locations from the American Revolution.
America’s National Parks™ has been dedicated to allowing people to document their journey through the most important historical sites in America since 1947, providing support to national park sites through their park stores, interpretive services, and custom products, such as the Passport To Your National Parks® books. The organization’s work extends far and wide throughout the national park. To date, America’s National Parks™ has donated over $180 million to National Park Service sites to purchase artifacts, fund living-history demonstrations, develop park signage and exhibits, maintain and renovate official facilities, and support other educational programs.
Whether you are a history buff, a student seeking more information about our nation’s founding, or simply looking for a fun new travel adventure, the Passport To The American Revolution is a great way to participate in the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
