Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Fourth of July
1841·1906
Photographed by Renee Crist
1. Fourth of July Marker
Commemorating the 65th anniversary of the first public observance of our national birth day on the Pacific Coast or west of the Missouri River by Capt. Charles Wilkes, U.S.N. and the officers and marines of his fleet on Monday, July 5th, 1841, on these grounds.
Erected by the Pierce County Pioneer Association.
Assisted by the Washington State Historical Society, Washington State Pioneer Society, Daughters of American Revolution, Sons of American Revolution, Loyal Legion, and C.A.R.
Mr. and Mrs. George Lyon, Jr. of Nelson, Nebraska, donated this site.
Erected 1906 by Washington State Historical Society, Washington State Pioneer Society, Mary Ball Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution, WA State Sons of American Revolution, Loyal Legion, and WA State Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.).
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Patriots & Patriotism. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 5, 1841.
Location. 47° 6.75′ N, 122° 35.667′ W. Marker is in Joint
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Puget Sound Region and in Greater Seattle. It is also on the American Pacific Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, in the Cascade Range, in the Inside Passage, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Boulevard of Remembrance (approx. 1½ miles away); Chloe Aurelia Clark (Wilson) (approx. 2.4 miles away); Going Native with Kinnikinnick (approx. 2½ miles away); Global War on Terrorism Memorial (approx. 2.7 miles away); Ross Memorial
Photographed by Renee Crist, July 4, 2026
2. Fourth of July Marker
More about this marker. The memorial was erected in 1906 by Pierce County Pioneer Association, assisted by Mary Ball Chapter, NSDAR. It is a granite monument, approximately 6 ft x 4 ft.
Regarding Fourth of July. The monument on JBLM was dedicated in 1906 to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the first Fourth of July celebration held west of the Missouri River, in 1841 by Charles Wilkes. Lt. Wilkes, USN, was the commander of the US Exploring Expedition whose mission was to survey the southern Puget Sound. He had set up an observation post near the Sequalitchew Creek and Ft. Nisqually, a Hudson Bay Co. outpost. While LT Wilkes and his crew were in this area during the summer of 1841, they celebrated Independence Day on Mission Prairie, now part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), on 5 July 1841 because 4 July was a Sunday. By 2011 the monument to this event had so much moss on it that the letters were almost unreadable. Mary Ball
Photographed by Renee Crist, July 4, 2026
3. Fourth of July Marker
Representatives from several local historical societies attended the elaborate ceremony, which also featured guest speaker Clinton Cannon, a retired lieutenant colonel who gave an oral history dressed as Captain Charles Wilkes. The Stadium High School Navy JROTC program commander and cadets also participated in the ceremony.
Additional keywords. Wilkes Expedition, Pacific Northwest, US Navy, JBLM
Credits. This page was last revised on July 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 16, 2023, by Renee Crist of Gig Harbor, Washington. This page has been viewed 341 times since then and 69 times this year. Last updated on July 5, 2026, by Renee Crist of Gig Harbor, Washington. Photos: 1. submitted on April 16, 2023, by Renee Crist of Gig Harbor, Washington. 2, 3. submitted on July 5, 2026, by Renee Crist of Gig Harbor, Washington. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
