#America250
As the United States embarks on this historic 250th anniversary celebration, America250 stands as a powerful reminder of who we are and what we can achieve together. Over the next twelve months, Americans from every state and community will join in honoring the nation’s enduring spirit—through storytelling, civic engagement, education, and shared experiences that inspire pride and participation." Learn more: America250
President Donald J. Trump Launches
Freedom 250 to Lead
America’s 250th Birthday Celebration
America's Story
America's Beauty
America's Innovation
America Prays
Learn more - click Freedom 250
Watch the New Years Eve Monument Lighting
Republican Women in Washington State
Washington State Republican women have been key political pioneers, with roots in early 20th-century suffrage efforts and a strong history of legislative leadership, notably with Jeannette Hayner becoming the first female Senate Majority Leader in the 1980s.
Pioneering Legislators | National and Statewide Leaders
Legislative Successors (1910s–1920s)
Following Frances Axtell’s 1912 win, a small but steady stream of Republican women entered the Washington State House of Representatives:
Pioneering Legislators | National and Statewide Leaders
- Reba Hurn (Spokane): In 1922, Hurn became the first woman elected to the Washington State Senate. Serving from 1923 to 1930, she was a champion of fiscal conservatism and prohibition while also helping pass the state’s first child labor laws.
- Jeannette Hayner (Walla Walla): A major figure in modern state history, Hayner became the first woman Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate in 1981, a position she held for nearly a decade.
- Frances Axtell: Elected to the State House in 1912 (just two years after Washington granted women the right to vote), she was one of the first two women to serve in the state legislature.
- Cathy McMorris Rodgers: A prominent figure in federal leadership, she was the first woman to serve as the Chair of the House Republican Conference and later led the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
- Jennifer Dunn: She served as the Chair of the Washington State Republican Party (1981–1992) before being elected to the U.S. House. In 2000, she held a high-profile role as deputy permanent co-chairman of the Republican National Convention.
- Kim Wyman: Elected in 2012, Wyman served as Washington's 15th Secretary of State for over two terms, known for her expertise in election security before joining the federal government in 2021.
- Ellen Craswell: In 1996, she became the first woman to win a major party nomination for Governor in Washington, though she was defeated in the general election
Legislative Successors (1910s–1920s)
Following Frances Axtell’s 1912 win, a small but steady stream of Republican women entered the Washington State House of Representatives:
- Ina P. Williams (Yakima County): Elected in 1916, she was the third woman to serve in the state legislature and the only woman in the House during her term.
- Frances M. Haskell (Pierce County): Elected in 1918, Haskell was a Republican who served a single term as the sole female representative.
- Anna K. Colwell (Snohomish County): Following Haskell, Colwell was elected in 1920 as the only woman in the legislature for that session.
- Maud Sweetman (King County): Elected in 1922 alongside Reba Hurn (Senate), Sweetman was one of four women who entered the House that year, helping to end the "one woman at a time" era.
- Emma Smith DeVoe: Known as the "Mother of Woman's Suffrage," DeVoe became an active Republican after 1920. She was the only woman chosen as a presidential elector at the 1920 State Republican Convention and served as Vice-Chairman of the Washington State Republican Party.
- Della Urquhart: A key organizational pioneer from Yakima, Urquhart served as the National Committeewoman for the state party and led the formation of the Washington Federation of Republican Women (WFRW) in 1944.
- Josephine Preston: While her role was nonpartisan by law, she was a prominent Republican who served as the Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1913 to 1929, becoming the first woman to hold a statewide elective office in Washington.
- Catherine May (Yakima): While her most famous work was in the 1950s and 60s, her roots were in the early era of women's leadership. She served in the State House before becoming the first woman from Washington elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1958
Washington State's America 250
"The year 2026 marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and with it,
nationwide efforts to thoughtfully reflect on our past, present, and future."
"250 Years of Independence: Connecting Washingtonians to Their Roots"
Enjoy the video with special thanks to Grant Goodeve, TVW, and Washington State Tourism
Heritage’s NEW Guide gives you the tools you need to enjoy sites that mark some of the
greatest episodes in our nation’s history. Click here: Historic Sites |
During WFRW's Fall Board of Director's Meeting, November 8th, Secretary Susan Boisselle gave a "Celebrating America" presentation in honor of #America250 President Ellie Ownbey said she "shocked us all with her passionate presentation during our Saturday luncheon. There is no actress that could have done a better job." |
Heritage Foundation Innovation Prize
With its special round of 2025 Innovation Prizes, the Heritage Foundation is answering that very question. The 250th anniversary of the American Founding is fast approaching, and Heritage is kicking off the celebrations with some on-theme gift-giving. In each round, Heritage awards $250,000 to five projects playing a part in the birthday festivities. The projects selected are “fostering a deeper understanding of our constitutional liberties, inspiring civic discourse, building patriotism, and nurturing a deep love of country through storytelling.” In a press release, Heritage explained that “the Innovation Prizes are intended to spark creative disruption within the conservative movement,” by taking a fresh approach to promoting enduring American values.
The Heritage Foundation’s Innovation Prize, recognizing outstanding projects that strengthen civic education and advance America’s founding principles. The award honors MSPC’s coming 2026 initiative, We the Students: Mountain West Civics Cup, a four-state high-school civic knowledge and leadership competition designed to mark America’s 250th anniversary. The Civics Cup will engage teams from Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming in a blend of quiz-style civics challenges, mock hearings, and policy simulations—all focused on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Congratulations to Mountain States Policy Center and President/CEO Chris Cargill
With its special round of 2025 Innovation Prizes, the Heritage Foundation is answering that very question. The 250th anniversary of the American Founding is fast approaching, and Heritage is kicking off the celebrations with some on-theme gift-giving. In each round, Heritage awards $250,000 to five projects playing a part in the birthday festivities. The projects selected are “fostering a deeper understanding of our constitutional liberties, inspiring civic discourse, building patriotism, and nurturing a deep love of country through storytelling.” In a press release, Heritage explained that “the Innovation Prizes are intended to spark creative disruption within the conservative movement,” by taking a fresh approach to promoting enduring American values.
The Heritage Foundation’s Innovation Prize, recognizing outstanding projects that strengthen civic education and advance America’s founding principles. The award honors MSPC’s coming 2026 initiative, We the Students: Mountain West Civics Cup, a four-state high-school civic knowledge and leadership competition designed to mark America’s 250th anniversary. The Civics Cup will engage teams from Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming in a blend of quiz-style civics challenges, mock hearings, and policy simulations—all focused on the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Congratulations to Mountain States Policy Center and President/CEO Chris Cargill
