LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – On Saturday, Sept. 7, with the chill of an early fall in the air, The North House Museum in Lewisburg became the home of a significant dedication ceremony. As Americans prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America in 2026, the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) encourage each of its chapters to honor this milestone with either a bench construction or the planting of an elm tree.
“We spent a lot of time trying to think about what we could do,” says West Virginia SAR President Rhendal C. Butler. “We [wanted to] use stone from Muddy Creek Mountain for constructing the bench, which has significance here in Lewisburg.”
As for the location of the bench, Lewisburg was chosen due to its role in the Battle of Point Pleasant. “Our troops were assembled in Camp Union,” says Butler. “They left Lewisburg and headed for the Battle of Point Pleasant, and it’s believed to have taken them about a month to get there,” he adds. “We thought it would be good to show that this is where it started.”
The seat of this masterfully designed black stone bench features the 250th-anniversary emblem chosen by the Sons of the American Revolution to commemorate our nation’s milestone. The legs of the bench are marked SAR while the front reads “Sons of the American Revolution.” Visitors may also notice the presence of GWEF, which recognizes the George Washington Endowment Fund for its significant role in making the bench possible. The fund, which supports approved NSSAR (National Society, Sons of the American Revolution) activities and projects, continues to grow annually and is the only permanently restricted endowment fund established and managed under the expressed authority of the George Washington Endowment Board of the SAR.
The Sons of the American Revolution honors Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our country. The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR or SAR) was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.