America250 in Idaho Legacy Projects

The Idaho Commission on the Arts is eager to engage the Idaho arts community in A250. Our constituents include arts and cultural organizations, arts administrators, schools, students, painters, writers, dancers, actors, singers, and tradition bearers across the state. To welcome these Idahoans into A250, we have identified the following projects for branding under the America250 in Idaho Commemoration:

Grants

• Public Programs in the Arts
• Arts Education Projects
• Artist Fellowships
• Traditional Arts

Programming

• Creative Aging
• Creative Placemaking
• Apprenticeships

Digital Content

• Video profiles of award-winning artists and communities of practice
• In addition to branding these existing projects, the Commission is also exploring the possibility of commemorating the 40th anniversary of our fellowships in conjunction with A250.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) will utilize the theme of Idaho history/America 250 for its 2026 Idaho Family Reading Week (FRW) initiative. Idaho FRW is a dedicated week each fall that is a statewide celebration to reinforce the fun and value of family reading. Library staff also use FRW as an advertisement for library services and resources by showcasing all that patrons of public and school libraries have access to with a library card. Idaho Family Reading Week reaches communities around the state. Incorporating A250 in FRW will be an effective way to spread the message to families throughout the Gem State.

The ICfL’s Libraries Linking Idaho (LiLI) collection of tools and resources includes the History Reference Center, where U.S. history can be easily explored. Other topics include: civics and government; women’s history; military history; regions and landmarks; and events and movements. The History Reference Center also includes publications, curriculum standards, citation help, and a research guide. LiLI is freely available to Idahoans 24/7. The ICfL can specifically advertise and market this LiLI resource to libraries.

The ICfL’s Talking Book Service (TBS) will record/produce a new title with an Idaho history theme for TBS patrons.

In addition, the ICfL will communicate with the more than 850 Idaho libraries about the A250 commemoration and encourage local participation by libraries in ways that best serve their communities.

As the state-led agency dedicated to showcasing Idaho’s multifaceted recreational, cultural and destination offerings, Idaho Tourism will work collaboratively with the State Agency Task Force in planning and executing the America250 Commemoration.

Promoting Idaho’s allure with a sense of stewardship and dedication, Idaho Tourism will focus on the “Outdoor Museum of Idaho.” Expanding on the existing roadway historical signs, the Outdoor Museum will offer suggestions for things to do and see in the areas near the sign, enhancing the story of the area, and encouraging more exploration, longer stays and increased economic impacts.

Idaho Tourism takes pride in the state’s history and culture and invites visitors and residents to learn more about our beautiful state — to take the scenic routes that lead to exceptional recreation and scenery, historic landmarks and immersive experiences.

In this collaborative venture, Idaho Tourism and the Outdoor Museum will help guide enthusiasts through an odyssey of discovery in Idaho.

The Idaho Department of Education will contribute to the America250 Agency Task Force by providing

a supplementary curriculum option to middle and high school students in Idaho, “The Story of America.” This interactive, multi-dimensional curriculum combines U.S. history lessons with literacy skills, adding to existing core classroom history instruction.

The curriculum has been made available to all Idaho middle and high school classrooms, free of charge. “The Story of America” stood out to Superintendent Critchfield’s team as something worth investing in for optional, supplementary use across Idaho, and any teacher interested in using it can opt-in. 

The interdisciplinary curriculum provides students with online U.S. history instruction that is correlated with national and state history and literacy standards. It offers an interactive learning adventure that improves students’ grade-level reading proficiency while teaching a truthful and factual story of the journey of U.S. history. The curriculum is designed to give students the background, context and answers needed to understand a complex past while making history come alive, giving students an enhanced learning experience that is cross-disciplinary, immersive and interactive.   

“The Story of America” consists of 31 U.S. history units with over 235 lessons. Middle school units begin with human migration, exploration and pre-colonialization and end with Reconstruction. High school units begin with a review of earlier eras and continue from the Reconstruction through modern times. This is combined with 31 literacy development lessons using teacher and student-led instructional videos and activities to analyze, evaluate, research and debate U.S. history through literacy skills.

We are pleased to be able to provide this statewide supplementary option to our Idaho classrooms with the dual goal of improving both our students’ literacy outcomes and providing an accurate, immersive look into the story of the United States of America.  

In celebration of America’s 250^th birthday, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) is working in collaboration with the Idaho Heritage Trust (IHT) and Idaho Public Television (IDPTV) to produce a coffee table book entitled Idaho Places, which will encompass state parks, historic sites, and scenic byways. This book will undoubtedly become a legacy project that will continue to illustrate the stories of Idaho for many years to come. Through photography, short-form stories, and narrative descriptions, Idaho Places has the potential to capture so much of the Gem State’s history and culture.

IDPR also has a variety of recreation sites across the state that help exemplify the mission of America250 by showcasing Idaho’s natural beauty, agricultural importance, historical significance, outdoor recreation opportunities, cultural and ethnic diversity, and economic impact. Some of these sites include the Sheridan Acquisition at Castle Rocks State Park in Almo, Land of the Yankee Fork State Park in Challis, the Prison Farm Buildings at Eagle Island State Park, and so many more. We aspire to compile these sites and information into a brochure that can be displayed at various state park visitor centers and events across Idaho as we continue to honor and commemorate Idaho’s 250^th birthday.

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation looks forward to working alongside other agencies and members of the A250 Planning Committee on various events and projects across the state!

Idaho Public Television is proud to be part in Idaho’s celebration of the founding of our nation. As Idaho’s only statewide broadcaster and multi-platform content producer, we strive to connect our state in unique ways. We’ve been educating, informing and connecting Idaho citizens for almost 60 years with our award-winning local productions and PBS content. 

In many ways our agency’s body of work over the years parallels our charter with American 250 and we intend to expand those efforts as the celebration date approaches, for broadcast and online.

Idaho Reports, the longest running news and public affairs program in the West, will tackle stories of democracy and citizenship. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting intends to engage with similar work about our active citizenry. Outdoor Idaho has been showcasing the beauty and wonders of our state’s outdoors since 1983. We intend to highlight Idaho’s public lands and their importance to the tribes, settlers, economy and environment of Idaho. Idaho Experience, our history documentary series, produced in partnership with the Idaho State Historical Society, plans several episodes that connect citizens to our state and nation’s history. In 2026, for example, we will tell the story of the way Eastern Idaho was changed by the 1976 Teton Dam collapse and flood.

PBS also plans major documentaries for the celebration. Included will be a new multi-part series on the Revolutionary War by Ken Burns. We will capitalize on PBS’ content to bring statewide awareness to Idaho’s Journey, America’s Legacy.

The ISHS will lead the lead America250 in Idaho Commemoration through collaborating with the State Agency Task Force in planning and executing the America250 Commemoration. This includes serving as the liaison to the office of Governor Little, connecting the work of the state of Idaho to national commemoration leadership and Idaho key constituents. ISHS will lead the communications efforts of the commemoration and report on its impacts.

ISHS seeks to create and collaborate on legacy initiatives, including the reimagining of the Old Penitentiary Historic Site, the Collections and Archives Stewardship facility, and the “Outdoor Museum of Idaho” and Historic Highway Marker program with the Idaho Departments of Commerce and Transportation. The ISHS will create an exhibition- We The People – on the people of Idaho, building understanding of Idaho’s greatest resource and their sovereignty, citizenship, belonging, and personal stories that have contributed to this place we call home.

We round out our contributions to this national effort by celebrating people, places, and events across our great state from Bonner’s Ferry to Sun Valley, to Franklin who at their community level preserve and promote Idaho History each day. This will include implementing an America250 grants program to fund community projects that enhance literacy, culture, records management and preservation practices, economic development, the arts, and civic engagement.

Our ISHS Esto Perpetua Award program will recall 25 years of statewide storytelling and advancing history across our great state. Reprinting Saints and Oddfellows will provide a lens into Idaho’s midcentury architecture and the Merci Train Car 75th Anniversary will shine a light on America’s impact on the world as noted with gratitude from the people of France for their liberation.