Douglas County cultural institutions partner for America at 250 project honoring public servants past and present; accepting submissions of public servant profiles to be displayed at Summerfest on July 4

May 6, 2026 - News

In honor of America at 250, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas, the Watkins Museum of History, and the City of Lawrence Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture announced a new collaborative project to honor current and former public servants living and working in Douglas County that will debut at the City of Lawrence’s Summerfest Fourth of July event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Photo by KU Marketing.

LAWRENCE, KS – In honor of America at 250, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas, the Watkins Museum of History, and the City of Lawrence Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture today announced a new collaborative project to honor current and former public servants living and working in Douglas County that will debut at the City of Lawrence’s Summerfest Fourth of July event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

The Douglas County, Kansas Public Servants Past & Present Tribute Gallery will feature city and county government workers, public school teachers, first responders, military servicemembers and veterans, university staff and faculty, and additional state and federal employees who live or work in Douglas County now or anytime in our nation’s history.

“This commemorative year, it’s especially important we take time to celebrate the countless individuals in our county who make our democracy work, our community thrive, and protect and serve us each and every day,” said Dole Institute director Audrey Coleman. “Public service is the foundation of our past, our present, and our future. Our community and country depend on it, and we’re proud to celebrate our neighbors.”

“We couldn’t be prouder to highlight the public servants in our community during this milestone anniversary, including many of whom from decades past who have a photo in our collections,” said Steve Novak, executive director of the Watkins Museum of History and the Douglas County Historical Society. “Even after Summerfest, we plan to continue collecting the stories of local public servants for our collections to feature at the commemorations for the next major milestone in our country’s history.”

“One of the core goals of Summerfest is to bring members of our community together to celebrate Independence Day,” said Porter Arneill, Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture assistant director. “We’re excited to commemorate this moment in our nation’s history alongside two of our county’s leading cultural institutions, and celebrate those who have helped make us a more perfect union over 250 years.”

Residents of Douglas County who are current or former public servants are invited to submit a photo and basic information about their public service through an online submission portal on or before June 20 to be included in the Tribute Gallery. Residents are also invited to submit profiles of family members or relatives who lived in Douglas County and were public servants at any point during their careers. Submission guidelines and requirements can be found on the project website.

For questions about submitting a profile, please contact Will Haynes at whaynes@watkinsmuseum.org. Media inquiries can be directed to Jackson DeAndrea at jackson.deandrea@ku.edu or (785) 864-4900.

About the Dole Institute
The Dole Institute of Politics promotes a new era of leadership that uses politics to bring people together through opportunities that emphasize bipartisan cooperation, public service, and civic education and engagement, inspired by the leadership legacies of Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole and the enduring civic contributions of the Greatest Generation.

About the Watkins Museum of History
The Douglas County Historical Society is a non-profit organization committed to preserving Douglas County heritage and encouraging civic engagement by sharing stories of the people and events that have shaped our communities. It was started in 1933 when a group of concerned citizens were motivated to preserve the community’s early history. Through their efforts, important artifacts from the city’s early days were collected and preserved, and in the 1970s DCHS members played a crucial role in preserving the iconic Watkins National Bank Building itself, partnering with Douglas County Government to secure ownership of the building and raise funds for its restoration.

About the City of Lawrence
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.

For More Information:
Jackson DeAndrea, Dole Institute of Politics
jackson.deandrea@ku.edu
(785) 864-4900

Will Haynes, Watkins Museum
whaynes@watkinsmuseum.org
(785) 841-4109