ELLIJAY, Ga. – Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America in 2026, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) are looking ahead in terms of their partnership with the Semi-Quincentennial Commission, established by Congress, for the special event. Such a milestone for the nation has events spilling over even now in 2022, four years ahead of time, as Gilmer County’s own members of the DAR are beginning their America250 Project with a commemorative plaque outside the courthouse.

Barbara Murray of the Capt. James Kell Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Capt. James Kell Chapter of the Georgia DAR, Gilmer’s local chapter, has 58 members in the women’s organization. According to Barbara Murray, who spoke to the Board of Commissioners this month, the chapter provides about 4000 hours of community service annually.

The chapter requested, and was approved, to hang a plaque on the courthouse exterior honoring the patriots of the Revolutionary War. The plaque is two feet by two feet and is made of bronze.

Current plans are to hang it on the outer wall between the stairs of the courthouse entrance from the downtown square. According to Murray, the DAR hope to hang it beneath the pillars at eye level.

Murray went on to say that 3000 other chapters of the DAR are also looking to hang similar plaques in prominent places in their communities across America.

The Plaque will read:

Revolutionary War Patriots

This marker commemorates the men and women who achieved American independence.
The patriots, believing in the noble cause of liberty, fought valiantly to found a new nation.
1775 -1783

Presented by the Captain James Kell Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States

An example of the plaque to be hung, Murray provided the commissioners with this image of a New York plaque.

Murray and eight additional members of the DAR were present on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, and Thursday, March 10, 2022, during the commissioners’ meetings to support the project and request the commissioners partnership by approving the plaque to hang on the courthouse.

Murray told FYN that with the approval done, the Capt. James Kell Chapter will now order the plaque and hope to have it put up as soon as possible. However, it could take a month or two to receive the plaque.

Murray told the commissioners that the DAR has over 3000 chapters and 190,000 members in the organization and “promotes education, historic preservation, patriotism, and citizenship through meaningful community service that total over 5 million hours annually.”

This is not the only project that the Capt. James Kell Chapter has ongoing. Other projects include providing clothes to homeless veterans, care packages to veterans abroad, raising funds for scholarships, and patriotic activities such as supporti8ng Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day celebrations among others.

See Murray’s words to the Commissioners alongside other members of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Capt. James Kell Chapter during the Gilmer BOC March Meeting.