Creating Living Monuments: The American Bicentennial and Its Crafting of Memory Objects

As the nation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, it is worth looking back at the
country’s Bicentennial celebration fifty years ago. The events of 1976 transformed the way
Americans commemorated their shared history, leaving behind lasting reminders that continue to
shape our communities and collective memory today.

Held during a period of political and social change, the Bicentennial encouraged Americans to
celebrate not only the nation’s founding but also their own local histories and personal
connections to the past. Beyond parades and patriotic pageants, the celebration inspired
communities to preserve historic places, create commemorative objects, and tell stories that
reflected the unique experiences of everyday Americans.

This free lecture hosted by Cornwall Iron Furnace Associates, Inc., explores how the Bicentennial reshaped public history and historic preservation, creating a lasting legacy of memory keeping that continues to influence the way we celebrate and
interpret our nation’s history today.

Our speaker, Jenavieve Hottenstein, is a master’s student in American Studies at The Pennsylvania State University, where she is completing an accelerated bachelor’s and master’s degree program. Her studies focus on sociology and museum studies, with particular interests in material culture, public memory, and historic preservation.

Jenavieve has gained extensive experience working in Pennsylvania’s historic sites. She completed a Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) Keystone Internship at Historic Ephrata Cloister in 2023, followed by a National Council for Preservation Education Internship at Adams National Historical Park in 2025. Since 2024, she has served as an
Associate Guide at Cornwall Iron Furnace and recently completed a Keystone Internship with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office.

Her master’s thesis examines community-led Bicentennial programming and commemorative projects in Central Pennsylvania, exploring how local organizations and citizens used places, monuments, and commemorative objects to preserve history and shape public memory for future generations.

This in-person and online lecture will utilize the Zoom platform. Registration is required for online attendance only. To register for the virtual lecture please go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d2fdie6xSYenud9aM9vQCQ

The presentation is offered at no cost to attendees, but donations are greatly appreciated and can be made in person or by following this link: https://givebutter.com/supportcifa