250th Celebration committee of adams and north berkshire
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. The semiquincentennial will be recognized with events across the nation and throughout Berkshire County. Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, and North Adams are proud to participate in this celebration.
Incorporated in 1778, the town of Adams was named after Revolutionary War hero, Samuel Adams, who played a significant role in the American Revolution, resulting in our nation’s independence from the British Empire. Samuel Adams was a founder of the Sons of Liberty, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and later served as governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In recognition of this important moment in history, the Adams 250 Committee was formed. Soon after, surrounding communities were invited to join, and the Committee expanded to include members from North Adams and Cheshire.
The Adams 250 Committee’s goal is to sponsor a variety of events, including participating in the state-wide readings of the Declaration of Independence on July 18th (the date in 1776 the Declaration was first read in public in Massachusetts), along with other educational and entertaining events in North Berkshire in collaboration with our local libraries, schools, and businesses from spring through fall 2028.
We acknowledge with gratitude and humility that our town stands on the ancestral homelands of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans, the Indigenous peoples of this region. After enduring displacement from their homeland, the Tribe continues today as a sovereign nation in Wisconsin. Learn more about the Stockbridge-Munsee Community of Mohicans on their website.