A representative of the Fort Harrison chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution asked the Vigo County Commissioners on Dec. 8 for permission to install a 30-by-30 bronze commemorative plaque and to plant a "liberty tree" on the Vigo County Courthouse grounds to mark America’s 250th birthday.

"We have the funds. We're not asking for any money," the speaker said, noting the plaque would cost about $4,800 and that the chapter had appropriated $6,000 to cover placement and maintenance. The speaker asked the commissioners for permission to place the plaque and said the National Society must sign off on DAR monuments nationally before installation.

Commissioner Speaker 2 agreed to collect contact information and schedule a follow-up meeting to determine an exact location. Speaker 10 said the chapter’s preferred dedication date is July 4 but acknowledged scheduling constraints and indicated June 20 as a target for the local dedication. The chapter asked for the county’s endorsement of the site to complete National Society approval.

In a separate public comment, Kristen Craig from the Chamber publicly congratulated the commissioners and praised recent collaborative efforts between the county and local government partners.

Next steps: county staff agreed to meet with the DAR chapter to review locations and logistics before the chapter pursues National Society approval.