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In 1976, the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, and women's activism groups such as the National Organization for Women (NOW) used to occasion to lobby for civil liberties. The country was in the midst of a debate regarding the Equal Rights Amendment, which had initially received strong support, but by 1976, was struggling to be ratified in the face of strong opposition from conservative women's groups. NOW pointed to the Bicentennial as evidence that equal rights for women was long overdue, and a Women's Bicentennial Medallion (designed by Judith Meuli and Toni Carabillo) was created to help raise awareness for both the bicentennial and the ERA campaign, which would eventually lose steam and stall in the ratification process by 1980.

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Drexel University’s  Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia was founded in 1812 as a natural history museum. There are a number of exhibits available for families and children, including live animals, a butterfly garden, and dinosaur fossils and replicas.

Scientists at the Academy focus their efforts on global issues that affect biodiversity, evolution, and the environment. Their goal is to facilitate the education and engage the public on the topic of biodiversity and environmental science.

Red text over an illustration of the Liberty Bell on a white background

Philadelphia's Liberty Bell, originally known as the State House bell, was created in the 1750’s and designed to call lawmakers into session. It was used continuously through the Revolutionary War and the naming of a new nation: The United States of America. The inscription on the bell “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof" was inspired by a biblical reference and chosen in 1751. The inscription gained attention in the 1830s by abolitionists who found particular meaning in ending slavery and contributed to the bell’s change of name to the Liberty Bell.

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The word “harvest” comes from the Old English word that means “autumn.” While harvest celebrations have existed for millennia across the globe, harvest festivals as we know them in North America can be traced back to England. Farmers would celebrate successful yields in early August by making loaves from their wheat and bringing them to the local church to be used during Communion. Farmers would also hold a Harvest Supper at the end of the season where they would provide a large feast to all those who helped with that year’s harvest.  

Since we have come to rely less on local farmers for food, some harvest festivals of today celebrate the season with shows that feature music, games, and the cultivation of exceptional crops, such as the biggest county pumpkin. 

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The Dane County Fair was first hosted in 1851 near Yahara River, and later moved to Camp Randall, a future Civil War camp site. In 1871, the fair recommenced and served as a celebration of the end of the war, though it struggled into the 1930s to find funding to keep ownership of its location. After the Agricultural Society was replaced by the Dane County Fair Association, the fair grew to be a successful summer event in the Madison area. Today, the fair is centered around community outreach and education, working to connect both local and visiting families to the agricultural roots of Wisconsin.

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In 1976, Philadelphia celebrated it’s bicentennial and to honor that, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) started the “10,000 Trees” project. It was a major tree-planting effort to plant 10,000 trees among 34 Philadelphia area parks between 1973 and 1977. On April 29th, 1977 (Arbor Day), they accomplished their goal and planted the 10,000th tree.

Illustration of a green tree with green text on a white background

This is the logo for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Founded in 1827, the PHS is an organization in Philadelphia that is committed to making community improvements through horticulture. The society works to create gardening opportunities and events accessible across all neighborhoods in the area. The PHS manages public and community gardens as well as garden-based restaurant pop-ups to promote horticultural atmospheres for Philadelphia residents.

Black text and illustrations of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House and an American flag with an eagle over a picture of George Washington

Philadelphia is the city where Thomas Paine published his groundbreaking pamphlet "Common Sense," where the Liberty Bell was first rung, and where Betsy Ross sewn the original American flag. Philadelphia was home to Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers, and represented the most populous city in the Colonies at the time. The Second Continental Congress also convened in the city of brotherly love in 1776, where its members drafted and adopted the Declaration of Independence.

Click here to see an alternate version of this button in the Button Museum's collection.

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Boldt Castle is a major landmark in the Thousand Oaks region of New York, located on Heart Island just along the Saint Lawrence River. Formerly a private mansion built between 1900 and 1904 by George Boldt, the general manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, as a gift to his wife, the castle came into the ownership of the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in 1977 at the purchase price of one dollar. Today the castle is a prominent tourist attraction.

Black text over a color illustration of rocks with trees on them and water

Starved Rock State Park is located on the Illinois River bluff in La Salle County, Illinois. Eighteen canyons and more than thirteen miles of trails provide access to waterfalls, natural springs, and tree-covered sandstone bluffs. Starved Rock State Park's name is derived from a Native American legend about a band of Illiniwek who died of starvation atop the 125-foot sandstone butte.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​