July 7, 2026

West of the Tunnel

Stories of our community

The 250 for 250 Project

By In Featured, Photos

The 250 for 250 Project

The goal was to photograph 250 people on the Fourth of July. A mark in time, a slice (a very small slice to be sure) of who we are at this moment.

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Written and photographed by Will Yurman

It was Arlene Frietze’s birthday. At least one couple was celebrating their wedding anniversary. New York, Massachusetts, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, and Arizona were all represented, as were California, Washington, and Oregon, of course. Lady Liberty was there. And a giant eagle. And Rich and Lauri Horner moved to Florence just a week ago, they said, with their pup Trek — just in time for their close-up.

It was a day that started quiet and gray. At 7:30 a.m. the Kiwanis Club of Florence, Oregon was installing flags along the street; Cindy Nelson was out walking Nuka, and intrepid early morning visitors had already found coffee. Anthony Pilny and Patrick Grigsby, visiting from Phoenix, Arizona, were the first to be photographed.

As the country celebrated its 250th anniversary, Florence, Oregon did its part with a watermelon and pie-eating contest, a children’s bike parade, and, of course, fireworks. Somewhere near the end of the gallery below, you can find the pie-eating winner. No word on who was the watermelon champ.

  • Here are the numbers: We took 1,351 photos
  • We published 127 photos
  • We photographed 350 people
  • And 20 dogs.
Patrick Grigsby, 49, and Anthony Pilny, 53 :: Phoenix Arizona.
Amanda Herbert, 40 :: Florence, OR “Lady Liberty”
Paige Gibson, 78 and Lucy :: Florence, OR
Bill and Heather Boehner :: Florence. “Our country is resilient. We will find our way back.”
John Henning, 67 :: Albany, Oregon “I love my country and hope we can get back to loving all people.”
Bob Hull, 69 :: Florence
“God Bless America”
Pam Harris, 65, and Simone Lacey :: Florence, OR
Gage, 24, and Rowan, 24 and Ray, 70 :: Florence, OR /
Mickey, 24 :: California
Nikki, Chuckles and Dave :: Utah
Lacey :: Florence, OR
Emery, 8, Heather, 35 and Elijah, 8 :: Florence, OR
Masha, 31 :: Monterey, CA /
Erin, 30, :: Oakridge, OR /
Erin, 30, :: Arcata, CA
Kayla Jones, Scott Page and Meggie Thrasher :: Cottage Grove, OR
Kat Rannow :: Florence, OR /
Kathleen Rannow :: Kennewick, WA /
Kay Rannow :: Lincoln City, OR
Abigail and Koda :: Florence, OR
Joe and Lisa Schaefer, 69 and 60 years old :: Salisbury, Connecticut
Tosha, Jacob and Delilah :: Scio, OR
Dede :: Florence /
Emilie :: Florida
and Chia
Pam, 61, and Jesús, 62 :: Eugene
Jackson, Jonah, Baron and Stephany :: Eugene, OR
The Campbell Family :: Eugene, OR
Elliott :: Salem, OR
Monique, Makani and Gordon :: Cottage Grove, OR
Jessica, Marissa, Mason and Cylinbee :: Florence, OR
Sandra and Elijah :: Tualatin, OR “Spread Love”
Mary Stewart and Kelvin :: Eugene, OR
Thing 1, Thing 2 and Gram :: Central Oregon
Fast Eddy :: Florence, OR
Lucinda Wilson, 33 :: Veneta, OR /
Kaeton Borgeson, 38 :: Springfield, OR
Khum and Kari Moyo :: Roseburg, OR /
Teresa Courtney, 66 :: Sutherlin, OR
Vanessa Sanchez and Stevan Sanjines :: Eugene, OR
Tami and Toby :: Puyallup, WA
David and Ruthie Warwick :: Eugene, OR
Yasmine and Aspyn Wildman :: La Grande, OR
The Nixon and Wheeler family. :: Washington
Olivia W., 10
Dalia Castillo and Ricardo Corona :: Florence via Los Angeles
Maddux W., 13 :: Troutdale, OR
Cindy Nelson, 64 and Nuka, 9 :: Florence
Meredith, Udit, Phoebe and Carson :: Portland, OR “For All”
Sugar and Spice :: New Mexico
Bob and Kellie Daugherty :: Westlake, Oregon “Happy 250th Birthday America.”
Caleb Graydish, 28, and Katie Ruth, 26 :: Asheville, NC
The Jordan Family “Happy 4th 2026”
Janis, 69, and Dan Kerrigan, 69 :: Springfield, OR /
Sarah Kerrigan33 and Thistle. :: Newberg, OR
Crystal and Ace Edson and Bill Rudometkin :: Redmond, WA
Reuben, 12, and Junie, 14 :: Florence, Or.
Gail, 69, and James Ballard, 75 :: Cottonwood, CA
Gillian Norton, 20 :: Florence, OR /
Cameron Henning, 23. :: Albany, OR
Claire Lynn, 26 :: Elmira and Florence, OR “Happy Birthday, America!”
Arlene and Fred Frietze :: Eagle Point, OR “It’s my birthday!”
Erin and Anna Malliris :: Eugene, OR
Crystal and Paul Roy with Lisa and Joe Schaefer “East Meets West!”
Eugene, OR “Spark it up!”
Rich, Lauri and Trek Horner :: Florence, OR “Just moved to Florence, Yahoo!!!”
Reagan Queener, 14, and Bella Navarro, 14 :: Grants Pass, OR
John Mullaney, 61 :: Florence, OR /
Lee Limpach, 81 :: Longview, WA
“Happy 4th” and “May the Fourth be with you!”
The Schenkers :: Denver, Colorado
Dick and Ann :: Florence, OR
James, 81, and Kathleen Doughan, 80 :: Eugene, OR
Hudson, 9, Oakiey, 6, and Chasy, 39. :: Eugene, OR
Carolyn, 9, and Jennie Nelson, 35 and Brad Royle, 45. :: Klamath Falls, OR
Albany, OR
Kristi Moomey :: Eugene, OR /
Marlene and Julie Walkin. :: Corvallis, OR /
Carolyn Walkin. :: St. Paul, MN /
Leslie Walkin. :: Florence, OR
“God Bless America!”
Jo Beaudreau, 42, Dan Okonski, 43, and Octavia, 3 1/2. :: Florence, OR
Everett, 75, and Lori, 62, May. :: Florence, OR “Happy Independence Day!!! 250!!!”
Russell Moreau, 28, Leighton Colombo, 26 and Mac, 6 :: East Bridgewater, MA
Dennis, 69, and Diana, 69, Golden. :: Oroville, CA “July 4th, 2026. Happy 250 Birthday America!”
Alanea Dove, 32 and Lunna Kaup-Dove, 4 :: Hutchinson, KS “Happy Fourth!”
Terry, 68, Joey, 17, Aubrey, 45, Lexie, 14, Johnathon, 49 and Jen, 56 :: Oregon City and Gilbert, OR “The Isorock Connection”
Micheline Perry, 73 and Karen Mohr, 70 :: Florence, OR
Justin Ludwig, 45 :: Florence, OR “Happy 4th!”
Linda Pugh, 72, Heather Elliott, 45, and Taylor Elliott, 16 :: Florence, OR
Audrie Reynolds, 34 :: Florence, OR /
Melissa Bustos, 55 and Tony Bustos, 55 :: Clovis, CA
David and Lynne Twombly :: Florence, OR “We love USA”
James, Giselle, Jeremiah and Gabby :: Fresno, CA “Eat at Novellis!”
Dolly Carp, 68, John Scott, 78, Sheila Scott, 78, Kathy Welch, 71, Gerry Welch, 75, Anne Freeman, 67, and Dick Freeman, 77. “Happy 4th!”
Maureen Miltenberger, 78, Nora Kent, 73, and Karin Radtke, 84 :: Florence area, OR “Judge by the content of character, not the color of the skin.” ~ MLK
Vicki Sieber-Benson, 70. :: Dunes City /
Penny Sieber Ramos, 76. :: Redlands, CA /
Bill Benson, 73 :: Dunes City /
Richard Ramos, 79+ :: Redlands, CA
Koa, 7, Rian, 29, Bryn 24, and Wade 25 :: Florence, OR
Tom, Heather, Scout, 8, Wren, 5, and Ember, 3 :: Florence, OR “Love wins”
Julie Koffler and Clementine :: Florence, OR
Dina Pavlis, 60 something and Juno, 5 :: Florence, OR “Be happy!”
Voytush – Boden – Hanna :: So Cal “Home of the FREE, because of the brave!”
Daniel, Beth, Declan and Eden :: Renton, WA “God Bless America!”
Tabatha and Luna :: Eugene, OR
Brandon, Jo, Violet and Maggie Hall :: Bonney Lake, WA “Happy 4th of July!”
Bre and Todd :: Lafayette, OR
Janelle Perry and Noah :: Mapleton, OR
Kyle Condley, 29 :: Florence, OR “Happy 250!”
Jo Beaudreau “The Liberty Eagle” :: Florence, OR
Pat Duncan, 79 “Celebrate Independence”
Kassandry, 18, and Orgaidea, 53 :: Cresswell, OR
Jacob, Kelsey, Runa and Caleb Cahill :: Bend, OR
Jeanette M. :: Florence, OR “Love the USA”
Emily and McKenzie Butson :: Youngsville, Louisiana “God Bless America”
Barbara M. :: Florence, OR
Judy :: Santa Fe, NM /
Cindy :: Florence, OR /
Terry :: Medford, OR /
Melissa :: Eagle Point, OR
“We Love America”
Marty and Cindy Webb :: Florence, OR “We’re Proud to be American”
Joanie Schmidt, 48, and David Mills, 80 :: Florence, OR
Ethan M., 24 :: Lancaster, PA
Julie Golden, 75 :: Florence, OR “Be Free !!”
Katherine, 33, Aislynn, 13, Quentin, 11 and Bonnie Heady, 9 :: Florence, OR “God Bless he USA”
Emily, 26. :: Long Island, NY
Victoria, 42 :: Brooklyn, NY
Alexa, 27 :: Long Island, NY
Wayne, 74, and Linoa Sharpe, 76 “Proud Americans on the 4th of July”
Aaron A., 39 :: Middlesex, NJ
Clark and Rhonda :: Florence, OR /
Samantha and DJ :: Eugene, OR
Tyler, Finley, Emma and Brittani :: Albany, OR
Tim, Summer and Winslow :: Bend, OR
George Rogato, 68 :: Florence, OR
The Pie Eating Contest winner and friends
Robert and Carl :: Eugene
Brooke, Jayme, Frieya, Ruby, Bubba and Lizzy :: Redmond, OR
Patti Godwin :: Florence, OR “Be Present”
Marie Sipes, 64 and Indy, 2 :: Florence, OR
Donna and Glen :: Florence, OR
Corolyn and Jennie Nelson and Brad Royle with Maggie and Lucy
Annie and Santosh :: California
Sally Wantz :: Florence, OR
Kim Shields :: Florence, OR “Happy 4th”
The Cooper-Sanders family :: Cottage Grove, OR
Jen Y age: “old enough”. :: Home: “my kayak”
Meg Spencer and Will Yurman :: Florence
Amina S., 45 :: Portland, OR
Prabhasees, 3 :: Florence, OR

7 Comments
  1. Patsy July 5, 2026

    Congratulations on completing this project! Wonderful photos that capture a special moment in time. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Kathleen Mittge July 6, 2026

    Beautiful pictures of our little slice of America

    Reply
  3. Lauri Horner July 6, 2026

    Well done sir!
    How do we get a copy of our photo?

    Reply
    • Will Yurman July 6, 2026

      Thanks, Lauri! Click on the photo to make it big, and then you should be able to right-click or control-click on the photo to save it to your computer. On a phone, just press and hold to save the photo.
      If none of that works, you can email me, and I’ll email you the photo.
      -Will

      Reply
  4. Karin Radtke July 6, 2026

    Thank you Will and Meg. A beautiful project!

    Reply
  5. Susy July 6, 2026

    This is amazing, Will! Thanks for creating a lovely 250th birthday present for our country.

    And, readers, let’s all buy this hardworking photojournalist a cup of coffee! (click the Support Local Journalism cup below)

    Reply
  6. The Mother July 6, 2026

    Thank you! Such a cool project

    Reply

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