Exclusive to the News-Press by Jacob Winge
Published June 20, 2026
As America approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, communities across the nation are asking what it truly means to preserve the spirit of independence. In Estero, the answer has emerged not only through patriotic celebrations, but through the preservation of local history itself.
Each year, the Estero Historical Society gathers residents together for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence; a tradition that reminds us our nation’s founding principles were meant to be shared aloud, discussed publicly, and passed from generation to generation. Participating in that reading in period attire over the years has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my civic and historical work because it transforms history from something distant into something deeply personal, tangible, and public facing.