Learn about Iowa’s connections to the American Revolution and Early Republic in the State Historical Museum’s latest exhibit experience, Revolutionary Iowans.
2026 marks the United States of America’s semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, formally separating the thirteen British colonies and establishing the United States of America.
Iowa did not become a state until 70 years later in 1846, but the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution still have meaning for Iowans. They help us understand our past and shape our future to better promote equality and liberty.
The State Historical Society of Iowa is proud to participate in the nationwide celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, America 250. We invite you to explore Iowa’s connections to the American Revolution throughout the museum’s exhibit galleries.
Tour the Exhibit Online
Virtual tour—coming soon!
Highlights
Explore 23 “Revolutionary Iowans” – people who stood for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and lived the legacy of the American Revolution through fighting for equality and engaging with their communities
Learn about more than 40 Revolutionary War veterans buried in Iowa
Run your fingers over a tactile Declaration of Independence
View more than 20 artifacts in the museum's collection from the American Revolution and Early Republic periods, including a lock of George Washington’s hair, a musket, cutlass sword, and powder horns used in the Revolutionary War, a brick from Independence Hall, and more
More Resources to Explore
Revolutionary War Veterans Found Buried in Iowa [video] – Iowa PBS
Latest Addition to the Revolutionary War Monument – Iowa Legislative Services Agency
Patriots of the American Revolution Buried in Iowa – Iowa Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Revolutionary War Soldiers and Patriots Buried in Iowa – Stefanie Wager
Iowa Patriots Buried in Iowa – Find a Grave