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The committee���s goal is to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, by connecting residents to local events, historical and cultural exhibits, museums and learning opportunities.

Instead of hosting its own events or programming, the committee is working to create a centralized location for people to find information about all the anniversary-related work that organizations in Rock County are planning.

The new website is now live, at , though it’s still being adapted.

With an extensive calendar of events related to American history, a catalog of local history and art exhibits, website links to area history museums and links to organizations that might be of interest, the website is meant to be a central location to find anything related to the 250th anniversary of America in Rock County.

America 250, formed in fall 2024, started as an ad-hoc committee of the Rock County Historical Society. It is not a standalone organization, it doesn���t have nonprofit status, and it doesn���t have a budget or expenses.

It���s a consortium for representatives from many different groups to coordinate their efforts, share updates from their organization and support each other.

���I wanted the community in Rock County to understand the significance of this anniversary,��� said committee founder and Rock County Historical Society board member Kathy Boguszewski. ���This is a big deal.���

There are members on the committee representing the Rock County Historical Society, Janesville Art League, Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Beloit, School District of Janesville, Hedberg Public Library, Beloit Historical Society, Janesville Historic Commission, the Logan Museum of Anthropology at Beloit College, Diversity Action Team of Rock County and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Committee members say it���s a cross-county effort, with organizations from both Janesville and Beloit working to spread the word about this year���s festivities.

Celestino Ruffini, the CEO of Beloit���s tourism organization, Visit Beloit, said the committee is an opportunity to promote Rock County, and ���showcase some lesser known things in the county that don���t always get the chance to shine.���

���From a tourism perspective, our partnership with Janesville has been strong for decades,��� Ruffini said.

It���s a chance to connect residents and visitors with cool opportunities, and sets the stage for Beloit to celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2036, Ruffini noted.

As organizers finalize the look of the new website, the next step is to reach as many community groups as possible, collect submissions of events and consolidate information in one place.

Organizers say they hope any community group hosting an event that may be history or culture related, or have ties to the anniversary of America, submit information on their event to the committee, through the website���s contact form.

Notable events and activities

Some organizations in Rock County have already begun hosting 250th anniversary events.

The Janesville Art League has a gallery of artwork inspired by the 250th anniversary, created by local artists in the league, on display until March 2 at the Janesville Performing Arts Center.

The next anniversary-related event publicized by America 250 is a Zoom talk on Feb. 10, hosted by the Rock County Genealogical Society. It���ll cover the topic ���Do I have Indigenous Ancestors in my Family Tree?���

And on Feb. 24, Cheryl Caldwell, the founder of the African American Historical Society of Beloit will speak at the Hedberg Public Library on the shaping of Beloit���s African American community

In Beloit, students in the elementary, intermediate and high schools can compete in an essay contest through the end of February, with Visit Beloit rewarding the top 3 winners in each age group. The topic for the essay contest will be ���What America Means To Me.���

Visit Beloit is also holding a city-wide scavenger hunt this February, and is promoting its passport trail, and plans to add historical learning information to both activities.

The Janesville Art League is planning to do an art event in March, partnering with students from the Boys & Girls Club of Janesville, to paint pour tiles that will be assembled into the Liberty Bell.

Later this spring, the Hedberg Public Library will host several talks related to the 250th anniversary and local history topics, covering Lavinia Goodell, Norwegians in Rock County, the Irish Experience in Wisconsin and the history of the 13th Wisconsin Infantry.

The Janesville Choral Union will perform a concert in April, with the theme of ���An American Portrait.���

The Beloit Public Library is set to have an event focusing on the Underground Railroad on June 27.

And, on July 18, the Beloit Public Library will host an interactive event honoring the women of Independence.

Jackie Jackson, a board member for Visit Beloit and a Beloit Historical Society member, shared that the organization is likely to host a birthday party for America in July.

The website also highlights the Star Spangled Saturday Rock Aqua Jays waterski show in June and the Pistons and Props airshow in August as events celebrating the anniversary.

The School District of Janesville is planning several opportunities for students to get involved in the 250th anniversary celebrations, with an end of the year assembly at the elementary schools, a middle school band performance with the theme of America 250, and art projects led by the district���s art teachers.

Event details are subject to change, and more will likely be added in the coming months, but Boguszewski said the committee hopes to ���get the word out��� about ways to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S., right here in Rock County.