As we step into the new year and the nation turns its attention toward 250, Highlands offers a quieter kind of patriotic pause: a place where American history feels personal, walkable, and alive in the mountain air.
Highlands was founded on March 6, 1875, 99 years after the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4 in 1776. The town's earliest chapter unfolded near the close of Reconstruction, when the country was still stitching itself back together after the Civil War. In those first years, the plateau’s famously fresh climate helped do what politics often could not, drawing people from different pasts into the same peaceful rhythm. Within five years, Highlands counted veterans of both the Union and the Confederacy among its residents, a small but telling reminder that shared places can soften hard lines.
Highlands continued to mirror the nation’s changing seasons. In 1898, as the Spanish–American War marked a new era of U.S. presence beyond its borders, Highlands had its own connection to the moment, with 3 Highlanders serving. (During WWI, records show that 46 Highlanders enlisted between 1914–1918.)
In the early 1900s, public health became a national priority as Americans mobilized against tuberculosis, with new organizations, awareness campaigns, and sanatoria promoting rest, fresh air, and prevention. In 1908, Highlands joined that larger movement when Mary Lapham founded the Highlands Tuberculosis Sanatorium at Bug Hill, where tent-homes reflected the era’s belief in mountain climate as part of healing.
Make this your year to experience Highlands in full: book a cozy stay, linger over a downtown dinner, embark on the Historic Buildings Audio Tour and let the town’s layered past add depth to your getaway.
Keep an eye out for what’s ahead this year! The 2026 Outdoor Concert Series will bring warm-weather evenings back to the heart of town, and Independence Day plans for 2026 are expected to be announced soon.
Archival Photography courtesy of The Highlands Historical Society.