TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With Florida preparing next year to mark the semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday helped unveil a bronze statue of George Washington in the state Capitol.
Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said the statue, on loan from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, could help spark interest in the semiquincentennial.
As part of his $115.6 billion budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, DeSantis included $1 million in cultural and museum grants for projects related to the 250th anniversary. “There’s going to be things that we do all throughout 2025 leading up to the semiquincentennial next year, all the way through July 4 of 2026,” DeSantis said.
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