WORCESTER, Mass. - July 4, 2026 will mark 250 years since America’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and historian groups are taking time to remember the American Revolution by highlighting the stories of people who lived through it.

The Daughters of the American Revolution is a national society working to promote historic preservation and the Worcester chapter, founded in 1898, is still helping people learn about the Revolution to this day.

“The Daughters of the American Revolution have a three-pronged mission of patriotism, historic preservation, and education," Elaine Gardella said. "Many of the chapters own a historic house in Massachusetts. I think we have 40 chapters, and five of the chapters own a historic house.”

Elaine Gardella is the regent of the Worcester chapter. Their house on Lincoln Street was once British Loyalist Judge Timothy Paine’s, but the chapter is named after patriot Colonel Timothy Bigelow.

“Colonel Timothy Bigelow was from Worcester. He was a blacksmith by trade," Gardella said. "He basically mustered with the local militia on the Worcester Common. He served in the American Revolution from Lexington to Yorktown. He was a prisoner of war in Quebec during the Quebec expedition. And unfortunately, when he did return to Worcester, his blacksmith business had gone under. He wasn't able to preserve that. And he was thrown into debtor's prison, where he passed away a month later.”

In the historic home, the Daughters of the American Revolution said they work to preserve the past and highlight Worcester’s hand in separating from the British crown.

“Many people drive by this house, and they know it's there, kind of look to the right or to the left, acknowledge it, ‘Okay. That's, you know, some old house in Worcester,’" Deborah Nurse said. "When they come in is when I think that it comes alive for them.”

“This was the main road. Absolutely," Gardella said. "So, when we think of Henry Knox coming through with the artillery trail, when we think of General Lafayette coming in from West Boylston and to see Levi Lincoln, we know that this was one of the main roads, at the time.”

Gardella and Deborah Nurse said through exhibits, paintings, and historic items they provide a way to look back and understand the founding of America.

“Truly a remarkable feat to be able to create a new country, a new constitution," Gardella said, "and to remove themselves from the history of monarchy and being ruled in that fashion.”

As the country prepares to celebrate its 250^th anniversary, the Daughters of the American Revolution are highlighting some lesser known stories of people who lived through America’s beginning.

“I think it's vitally important, and it's a wonderful opportunity for our community to learn more about those untold stories of the Revolutionary War, and not only to see these panels for themselves, but to see them in the context of the 1774 house, which is a Revolutionary War era house with lots of stories to itself," Nurse said. "And, to have that revealed here is really a wonderful opportunity.”

“I like to think of the anniversary as a big birthday party for America, the sesquicentennial," Gardella said. "And, with that, I think it's not just July 4th or April 19th. We're looking at the whole American Revolution.”

This week, the daughters of the American Revolution Worcester Chapter will be taking their display to Lexington at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library and the display there will be open to the public.