Revolutionary Spuds & America 250 in Idaho

As the nation celebrates America’s 250^th birthday, one way Idaho is taking part is the “Revolutionary Spuds” using Spuddy Buddy (the official Mascot of the Idaho Potato Commission) to make handcrafted spud characters based on figures from the Revolutionary War era.

There’s also an Acts of Kindness Service Challenge, the restoration of the Idaho Liberty bell, plus a brand new celebratory song for Idaho, and more.

Verbatim:

You might have seen folks dressed in period costumes at many celebratory events in Idaho over the years but have seen these little costumed potatoes?

Idaho is of course famous for potatoes, but potatoes dressed as figures from the Revolutionary War?

It’s actually part of how Idaho is celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the United States.

They’re called the “Revolutionary Spuds,” and they’re the brainchild of this woman.

“I'm Julie Ellsworth. I am the Idaho State Treasurer.”

Ellsworth has been the state treasurer since 2019, was a state representative, a teacher, and… she’s pretty handy with a sewing needle. …We’ll get back to that in a minute.

“The legislature created a council and they put me as a member of it. And that is when my life changed.”

That was the America 250 in Idaho Advisory Council, created in 2025.

“The thing that the legislature asked of me was that we don't want this to be sterile in Idaho. We don't want it to be about agencies. We want the people to be involved.”

The Spuds idea came about when Julie was putting together a celebration for the anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride, but was short someone to play Paul Revere.

“So, I took the Spuddy Buddy in our office that leads tours for children when they come in the Capitol building. It's the Idaho Potato Commission mascot. And I took him home that weekend, and I turned him into Spud Revere.”  “I put the little potato at the front of the steps, and people were lining up to have a picture with the potato.” “I've been a teacher, and I know that you need to get someone's attention, and I love the revolutionary characters, the people, their lives.” “So, After that, it's history. Then I went to the Potato Commission, admitted that I used their mascot. They allowed me to do the revolutionary spuds.”

And that’s where those sewing skills came in handy.

“Why does the state treasurer know how to sew? “There's seven children in my family when I was young. growing up. And I was the one that couldn't get along. I was the little six-year-old that was just, I was right in the middle, but they just, I couldn't get along and I needed to be in timeout, I'm sure. But instead, my mother gave me a white spool of thread and a black spool of thread and complete access to her sewing machine in the basement. She said, Julie, you can stay down here and sew anything you want. I'm sure she's thinking, please stay down here.” “But I also learned to sew really well because I spent a lot of time in time out. When I was in my early 20s, I wanted to work for the Muppets because I thought that would be the combination of creating, you know, you could create and then give a personality.”

She was able to use her skills along with some research to give each of the Revolutionary Spuds a little personality. She made a total of 15, and says each one takes about 10 hours of work.

As far of those creative names for the spuds, taters and tots, she says she got ideas from folks, but she might have gone a little pun crazy.

“Yeah, that's where I might have a mental illness.” “I put myself in timeout and just do all these puns. And oh, my goodness, each spud has written a book. I wrote the book because they're potatoes.”

“Martha-Tot Washing-Tater”

“You have Betsy Totts.”

“Anna-Tot Strong. She was a spy.”

“Spud-jamin Franklin.”

“Each spud has a club.”

“Alexander Hamil-Tater's is the Fry-nancial Freedom Club.

“Spuddy John Jay. His club is Legalese with a Side of Cheese.”

The spuds have also been doing a lot of traveling around the state, along with a replica Declaration of Independence scroll.

“And these spuds have been the carriers of that scroll that is hanging in the rotunda. They've been taking the white paper around to any group that they're with so that people can add their signatures to it. And eventually all signatures will be scanned in and added to our Idaho replica of the Declaration of Independence. It's kind of fun. We have to buy more paper, you know, for names because it's very well received.”

Some of the Volunteer Ambassadors suggested an Acts of Kindness Service Challenge.

“A group came in and they pitched the idea of the service challenge for me to put that on a statewide level. And then everybody could access it and build it from there. And I was really moved by that.”

The idea is any intentional act that provides a meaningful benefit to others, big or small. The goal is 250,000 Acts of Service by the by the 4^th of July. At last check they more than halfway to the goal.  People can also share their Act of Kindness online to inspire others.

“And then it perpetuates more, and it's just a great feeling for Idaho.”

Some other Ambassadors also came up with the idea of a celebratory Song for Idaho.

“But it needs to be about all of Idaho. You know, you need to get the Palouse. I remember saying the Palouse because it's so beautiful in any season and you know, we need the mountain, we need everything about Idaho in it.”

Music - Golden potatoes, farmers stand strong, cattle and dairy they’re feedin’ us all…

 Wendy French and Chad Marvin wrote the song, the lyrics. When I heard it, hit everything.”

Quilters of Idaho also got into the act.

“And if you go to the 4th floor right now and see all those quilts, how does a potato named Betsy Tots, with her little club, Stars and Stitches, and end up with 62 entries. I mean, the people in the state of Idaho are just amazing.”

“The crowning event for the America 250 in Idaho from the ambassadors, which is what I have been working with on behalf of the speaker and the pro-tem and the lawmakers, is the bell, the Liberty Bell. So Spudjamin Franklin helped dismantle it from the steps of the Capitol building, and we sent it back to the foundry. And it is 75 years old, so it was in need of, just to make sure, a tune-up. When it comes back to Idaho, we are going to have it installed on a Liberty Bell carriage that I'm currently getting, and it will go to every county in the state. And in the meantime, the schoolchildren, in about a week, will be asked to donate a quarter, bring back the bell. And I hope that a child that donates a quarter, that gets to see that bell come to their county and rung, will remember in America 300 that they have a part in this country.”

Ellsworth hopes people take part in the celebrations, and remember to strive for the ideals of those who founded the United States 250 years ago.

“The are real people that really stepped up.” “They had the skill set that I believe was needed.” “And I believe that they left principals that can be enduring.”