How the county is celebrating America’s birthday

NEWPORT — At the top of a flagpole in Newport’s Centennial Plaza, an American flag flies, flashing red, white and blue above the Pend Oreille County Museum’s historic depot and gazebo.

That is what the Pend Oreille County Historical Society chose to depict on an ornament celebrating the 250th year since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, referred to as the U.S. Semiquincentennial. The ornament, the next in a line of limited-edition ornaments released annually by POCHS, represents just one of the ways the nonprofit is honoring the anniversary. Besides this, POCHS is holding events, opening up the museum for free on certain days and otherwise encouraging local entities to get involved in the celebrations.