Dubois County Approves 24-inch Bronze America 250 Patriot Marker for Courthouse

Dubois County Commissioners voted to allow a 24-inch-by-24-inch bronze America 250 Revolutionary War Patriot Marker to be mounted on the courthouse wall after a request from the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter and public feedback. The plaque will be placed on the courthouse west side, near the entrance, and commissioners conditioned their approval on final design sign-off.

The project is being led locally by the Dubois County Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, which will raise funds for the marker and submit the proposal to the national DAR board for historian approval. That national review is expected to take about six months before work can proceed. The original report on the action noted that "The decision covers installation details and placement."

Public engagement played a role in the commissioners’ deliberations. Officials solicited input via social media, producing "about 20-plus comments, according to Commissioner Chad Blessinger." Nearly all of those responses were in favor of adding the marker. Blessinger told the Free Press he initially had reservations about adding more markers to courthouse property, though he acknowledged the importance of recognizing the Revolutionary War. He and the two other commissioners agreed to the placement pending approval of the final design.

The plaque follows America 250’s standard commemorative wording. The America 250 program's example inscription reads: "Revolutionary War Patriots. This marker commemorates the men and women who achieved American independence. These Patriots, believing in the noble cause of liberty, fought valiantly to found a new nation. 1775-1783." Indiana currently has five approved America 250 sites and three pending approvals, with Dubois County listed among the pending proposals.

Locally, the marker connects to an unexpected chapter of county history: six Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in Dubois County, even though the county itself did not exist during the Revolution. For residents who walk past the courthouse entrance, the plaque will make that historical link more visible and contribute to a broader, statewide commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Next steps for the community include the DAR’s fundraising and the national historian review, followed by final-design approval from the commissioners before installation can be scheduled. For residents, the choice signals the county’s willingness to balance preservation of courthouse aesthetics with small-scale public commemoration, and it sets a timetable for when the new marker might join the courthouse façade.