By BOBBIE GREEN
Progress
Local DAR members Ruth Dickie and Kittie Smith stand next to a new plaque commemorating Revolutionary War patriots. One of 50 such plaques (one for each state), it is the only one placed in the state of Nevada. PHOTO BY BOBBIE GREEN/Progress
Mesquite was chosen as the only location in Nevada for a special commemorative plaque honoring the patriots of the American Revolution before the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.
The plaque was placed on the side block of the Veterans Memorial Statue, in Pioneer Park at 501 Hillside Drive. The plaque was presented by the Nevada State Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
Mesquite has an active DAR chapter that works with the community to preserve and promote education about American history.
The Washington DC-based National Society of DAR has proposed the idea of having a plaque placed in each state for the 250 year celebration.
Each state chapter chooses the location of its own plaque. Mesquite was chosen to receive this honor through the lobbying efforts of Kitty Smith, who serves as the local’s vice regent, and with the assistance of the Mesquite Veterans Center.
Smith and fellow chapter chaplain Ruth Dickie met with The Progress at the site to talk about the new plaque and explain upcoming chapter activities.
A special ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held onsite later this year on November 11 at 1 p.m. Several state dignitaries will be present. Mayor Al Litman will speak. Music will be performed by Sun City Sounds. The public is invited to attend this ceremony.
Smith explained that each member of the DAR must be able to prove their ancestral history to a Revolutionary War patriot or a descendant of someone aboard the Mayflower. DAR has resources to help people trace their ancestry.
Dickie said her ancestral history meets those criteria on both sides of her family. “On my father’s side, our family had a father and three sons who fought in the Revolutionary War,” she said. “On Mom’s side, my pedigree goes back to Josiah Fuller on the Mayflower.”
The DAR National Society has more than one million members. The society was founded in 1890 with a mission to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism.
“The Mesquite Chapter has eighteen members and we are looking to increase our membership,” Smith said. “We meet every two months during the school year starting in September.”
The local DAR chapter has upcoming events and activities planned for the Mesquite community.
In commemoration of Constitution Day, the DAR has partnered with the Mesquite Republican Women (MRW) to promote an essay contest for local students in grades 4-8. The essay must be titled “What the Constitution Means to Me”, in 250 words or less. There is a fifty dollar prize for the best essay.
Students can print or type entries on 8 ½ x 11” paper and enter them by Wednesday, September 14. It can be emailed to [email protected] or it can be mailed to MRW, PO Box 184, Mesquite, NV 89027. For contact information, call Sherrie Hamilton 702-630-4106.
The chapter is also inviting the entire community to attend a “Bells Across America” celebration on Saturday, September 17 at Veterans Memorial Park in Mesquite. “We will celebrate the signing of the Constitution! she says.
The ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m., the exact time the original signatories put their signatures on the document. Veterans of Foreign Wars help with set-up and presentation. Mayor Litman will award the winner of the essay contest.
For more information on the local DAR chapter or upcoming ceremonies, call Registrar Amy Bradshaw at 503-318-6523.
