SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Volunteers of all ages across the United States are invited to take part in National Historic Marker Weekend 2026, a free community service celebration happening Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.
The nationwide event invites people everywhere to care for historical markers in their communities while learning about and sharing the stories that make their hometowns unique.
Established by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, National Historic Marker Weekend brings neighbors, families, students, and community groups together to clean and highlight local historical markers. These efforts help beautify public spaces and prevent marker deterioration so that local history can be enjoyed now and by future generations.
Volunteer registration is now open on the Pomeroy Foundation’s website: https://www.wgpfoundation.org/national-historic-marker-day/
Participants can also download a free volunteer kit with everything needed to plan a local marker-cleaning project. The kit includes a planning document, marker cleaning guide, lesson plans for students, and more.
For those who enjoy celebrating the occasion with event gear, a limited-time online pop-up shop is also available featuring optional celebratory items such as T-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hoodies. The shop is operated by an independent vendor, Urban Earth Graphics, and closes Thursday, March 26. Browse the merch shop: https://urbanearthgraphics.tuosystems.com/stores/wgpfoundation/
This year’s Marker Weekend theme, “Your Hometown,” encourages volunteers to focus on the stories and places that make their own communities special. Whether cleaning a marker downtown, at a local park, or along a roadside, participants help bring local history to life for neighbors and visitors alike.
Across the country, more than 227,000 historical markers (The Historical Marker Database) share pieces of the past. Cleaning even one marker can make a meaningful difference in helping those stories remain visible and accessible.
National Historic Marker Weekend is designed to be simple and flexible. Volunteers can participate on their own or gather family members, friends, students, or community groups to take part. Whether spending 15 minutes or an afternoon, every effort helps preserve and promote local history.
Registered volunteers are recognized each year on the Pomeroy Foundation’s online acknowledgments page. Volunteers are also encouraged to share photos from their service projects using #NationalHistoricMarkerWeekend and #PomeroyFoundation, with select submissions featured on the Foundation’s website and social media.
First observed in 2021 as National Historic Marker Day and added to the National Day Calendar in 2022, the event expanded in 2025 to a weekend-long celebration to give even more communities the opportunity to participate.
Volunteers should comply with safety and parking regulations and seek permission when planning to clean a marker.
About the Pomeroy Foundation
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is a private, philanthropic organization located in Syracuse, New York. As the nation’s leading funder of historical roadside markers, the Foundation has awarded more than 3,000 grants for markers and bronze plaques in 49 states and Washington, D.C. Through programs such as Hometown Heritage, the Foundation helps communities celebrate their local history with fully funded historical markers. Learn more: wgpfoundation.org.
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Media Inquires
Steve BodnarMarketing and Communications
William G. Pomeroy Foundation
315-913-4060 | steve@wgpfoundation.org