Innovative Revolutionary War Exhibition is Collaborative Project of the American Battlefield Trust and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
CARTHAGE - The Shadrach Bond Chapter of NSDAR is excited to announce the opening of the American Revolution Experience at the Hancock County Courthouse, ground floor, on July 3 – July 17, 2025. The exhibition will be open to the Public on July 4th from noon to 4 p.m. The exhibit will be open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. This exhibit was planned as part of the Bicentennial of Hancock County, IL in coordination with a committee from the Hancock County Historical Society as well as Development Committee for Carthage and Hancock County, County Schools, Hancock County Journal Pilot, local area news, radio and TV stations. It is recommended for adults, teachers, middle and high school students, military personnel, and anyone interested in history from the American Revolution.
The innovative pop-up exhibition includes display panels and interactive digital kiosks that use storytelling, illustration, technology and unique artifacts and primary accounts to connect modern audiences with the people and places that shaped the birth of our nation. Created through collaboration between the American Battlefield Trust and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, the exhibit is also made possible by generous matching funds from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program battlefield interpretation grants.
The exhibit will run through July 17th at the Hancock County Courthouse in Carthage, Illinois. Admission is free to the public, but donations will be accepted. We are pleased that the General Macomb Chapter NSDAR has volunteered to host the exhibit on two days that the exhibit is open.
The Two Rivers Art Council of Illinois will help sponsor a program at the Carthage Community Center sponsored by the Hancock County Historical Society where John Hallwas will present a collection of readings and poems from Hancock County residents at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 19. There is no charge for this program. It will also be a part of the Bicentennial Celebration of Hancock County.
The American Revolution Experience launched online in its first digital-only iteration during the summer of 2022 to rapid acclaim and received a Bronze Award in the Education, Art, & Culture division of the second annual Anthem Awards, an initiative of the Webby Awards celebrating purpose and mission-driven work. It was also a finalist in the “People’s Choice” category of the Webbys themselves.
“The American Revolution would not have happened without the decisions, sacrifices, and valor of ordinary people,” said the DAR President General Pamela Rouse Wright. “DAR is honored to have collaborated with the American Battlefield with the American Battlefield Trust on this initiative to highlight some of our Patriots and their roles in the founding of this great country. We are thrilled for people in communities across the country to learn more about these individuals.”
The traveling exhibit includes 12 panels highlighting thematic connections between profiled individuals and three interactive kiosks that connect to the full digital biographies, provide documentary context on the Revolutionary War and offer information on how to visit the places tied to these individuals today. Both online and on-site, the American Revolution Experience features custom illustrations by South Caroline-based artist Dale Watson. The exhibit also draws from documents and objects in DAR’s collection, as well as the Trust’s industry leading digital interpretation resources.
“Independence may have been declared in Philadelphia by the Declaration’s 56 signers, but it was hard-won on the battlefields we protect by the thousands of Patriot soldiers from whom today’s Daughters trace descent.” said Trust President David Duncan. “Together, our organizations bear witness to the fact that we are not so far removed from those impactful events, that there are meaningful ways to bridge those 250 years.”
The American Revolution Experience invites visitors to consider the choice faced by members of the revolutionary generation as tensions mounted in the 1770s. Would these ordinary citizens risk their lives and livelihoods in pursuit of liberty? Or would they remain loyal subjects of the British crown, coming into conflict with neighbors and family? The exhibit surfaces diverse viewpoints and experiences, touching on the journeys—both literal and figurative—of Patriots and Loyalists, men and women, Black and Native populations and even international allies. Rather than focusing only on generals and famous statesmen, it introduces audiences to drummer boys, military mapmakers and other ordinary people who were impacted by global events.
