Rochester Post Bulletin Celebrates 50 Years Since Bicentennial

Daily front page reprints offer a look back at 1976 as America prepares for its 250th anniversary.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 7:50am

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A soft, hazy photograph depicting the blurred, out-of-focus front page of a vintage newspaper, conveying a nostalgic and reflective mood about the past.The Rochester Post Bulletin's daily republication of its historic 1976 front pages offers readers a chance to revisit the community's past and reflect on how much has changed in the 50 years since America's Bicentennial.Rochester Today

The Rochester Post Bulletin is republishing its historic front pages from 50 years ago in 1976, the year of America's Bicentennial celebration. This daily project will continue until July 4, 2026, when the nation marks its 250th anniversary. Readers can dive into the newspaper's archives to revisit local and world events, advertisements, and community life during that pivotal year.

Why it matters

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, this unique publishing project from the Rochester Post Bulletin allows readers to step back in time and experience the Bicentennial year through the lens of a local newspaper. It offers a rare opportunity to reconnect with the community's history and gain perspective on how much has changed - and stayed the same - over the past five decades.

The details

The Post Bulletin is republishing the exact front page from its archives each day, starting on April 14, 1976. The front pages will cover a wide range of local and national news, from Patty Hearst's lung surgery to a wagon train traveling through the Hiawatha Valley. Readers can follow along daily as the newspaper chronicles the events, advertisements, and community happenings of 1976, the year America celebrated its 200th birthday.

  • The republication project began on April 14, 2026, 50 years after the original front page was published.
  • The daily front page reprints will continue until July 4, 2026, when the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.

The players

Rochester Post Bulletin

A local newspaper serving the Rochester, Minnesota area that is republishing its historic front pages from 1976 to commemorate the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary.

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The takeaway

This unique publishing project from the Rochester Post Bulletin allows readers to step back in time and experience the Bicentennial year through the lens of a local newspaper, offering a rare opportunity to reconnect with the community's history and gain perspective on how much has changed - and stayed the same - over the past five decades.