Dickson County Student Creates Official Logo for America 250 Celebration

Charlotte, TN — A Dickson County High School student will leave a lasting mark on one of the county’s most significant celebrations as the nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary.

Dickson County officials announced Thursday that DCHS student Lincoln Mollenhour has been selected as the designer of the official logo for the upcoming Spirit of ’76: America 250 in Dickson County celebration, scheduled for July 4, 2026, on the Historic Charlotte Square.

Mollenhour, a student in the Dickson County High School Creative Student Based Design & Enterprise Digital Arts Program, created the winning design while enrolled in Digital Arts instructor Anita Russell’s class. His logo was chosen to represent the county’s signature America 250 event, which will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The design features the outline of Tennessee surrounding a large “250,” along with the words “America” and “Spirit of ’76 in Dickson County,” combining patriotic themes with local identity. The logo will appear on promotional materials, event signage, merchandise and during the event’s anticipated drone light show.

County officials said the project highlights the value of providing students with real-world educational opportunities.

“This grant helped expand opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience with professional-grade digital design and printing technology,” said Shea Schroeder, Tourism Officer for Dickson County. “The Spirit of ’76 celebration will be a historic event for our community, and Lincoln’s design will forever be part of that history.”

The logo was created using equipment purchased through the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s Broadband Ready Communities Grant. The grant was secured to help provide students with access to industry-standard technology and professional design tools.

Dickson County Director of Economic Development and Tourism Terry Malone said the project demonstrates exactly what local leaders hoped to achieve through the grant program.

“One of the goals of the Broadband Ready Communities Grant was to create opportunities for students to develop real-world skills using industry-standard technology,” Malone said. “Seeing Lincoln use the equipment purchased through this grant to design the official logo for a once-in-a-generation event like America’s 250th anniversary celebration is exactly the kind of success story we hoped to create.”

The Spirit of ’76 celebration is expected to be one of the largest community events held in Dickson County in recent years. Organizers plan to feature historical demonstrations, educational exhibits, live entertainment, vendors, family activities and a large-scale drone light show celebrating America’s semiquincentennial.

For Mollenhour, the project provides an opportunity to showcase his talent before thousands of residents and visitors while contributing to a historic local event.

His design will become part of the visual identity of the county’s America 250 celebration and serve as a reminder of the role local students are playing in honoring the nation’s past while preparing for its future.

The Spirit of ’76: America 250 in Dickson County celebration will take place July 4, 2026, on the Historic Charlotte Square.