Reflections on America's 250th birthday

National Reflections on America's 250th birthday July 4, 202612:00 AM ET By  Susan Bence ,  John Burnett ,  Sofi Gratas ,  Deena Prichep ,  Maayan Silver ,  Ryan Warner ,  David Wright The nation's capital may be the focal point of the 250th Independence Day celebration, but people all across America have plans to mark the occasion, from boisterous public parades to quiet personal reflections on history. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption toggle caption Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP As the United States turns 250 years old, Americans across the country are spending the holiday thinking about what the big birthday means to them, with reflections and celebrations as diverse as the nation itself. NPR's member station reporters fanned out to collect snapshots of the occasion from sea to shining sea. In one 'City of Presidents,' Main Street is decorated for a party At least two cities in the U.S.call themselves the "City of Presidents" and Cuba City, in Wisconsin, is one of them, largely due to its patriotic Main Street decorations. Every year from Memorial Day through Veteran's Day, red, white, and blue shields, one for each U.S. president, are prominently displayed high up on the light poles lining Main Street. Sponsor Message It's a tradition that began in 1976 to commemorate the country's bicentennial, says Donna Rogers, who is president of the ongoing project but admitted that when it first started, she wasn't particularly tuned-in to the display. "I was raising three little boys and working at John Deere, so I didn't really pay too much attention to community service at that time," she said. Donna Rogers shows off one of Cuba City's presidential lampposts. Susan Bence/WUWM hide caption toggle caption Susan Bence/WUWM A few years later, she was tapped to help keep the initiative alive. When she thinks of the country's history, she says the signing of the Declaration of Independence and abolition of slavery top her list, plus a cu...