This Independence Day is unlike any other.
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, our nation pauses to reflect on the people, the ideals, and the institutions that have shaped the United States over two and a half centuries.
As I thought about that milestone, I couldn't help but think about another remarkable anniversary just around the corner.
Next year, Mason & Hanger will celebrate 200 years.
That means for nearly four-fifths of America's history, Mason & Hanger has been part of the American story — we helped design and build it.
In 1827, Mason & Hanger got its start, becoming today’s longest continually-operating engineering firm in the United States. Over the next two centuries, our company would quietly help build the physical infrastructure supporting America's growth, prosperity, and security.
As the nation expanded westward, our engineers helped build the railroads and infrastructure that connected a growing country. While answering the nation's call in times of war, Mason & Hanger also helped shape America's great cities—constructing aqueducts that still deliver water to New York City today, engineering portions of the New York City subway, the Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey, and the Boston Traffic Tunnel. Millions of Americans use these landmarks every day, often without knowing the name of the company that helped build them.
When America entered World War I, Mason & Hanger was awarded one of only five wartime construction contracts. Our teams completed more than 1,700 buildings at Camp Zachary Taylor in less than three months and built an entire city for 100,000 workers at the Old Hickory Powder Plant in Tennessee in just eight months.
During World War II and throughout the Cold War, our work evolved alongside the nation's needs. Mason & Hanger designed the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, and served as architect-engineer for the Nevada Test Site, helping pioneer technologies to design structures capable of withstanding atomic detonations.
As America entered the Space Age, we supported NASA and the Kennedy Space Center. Today, our work continues in support of NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Intelligence Community, designing Embassies, Consulates, SCIFs, command-and-control centers, military installations, training facilities in support of our most critical national security infrastructure throughout the United States and in more than 175 countries around the world.
For nearly 200 years, Mason & Hanger has supported every major chapter of the American story—westward expansion, industrialization, two World Wars, the nuclear age, the Space Race, and now an era defined by advanced technology, AI, cybersecurity, and evolving global security challenges.
We reflect on a purpose that has remained remarkably constant across generations. While our projects have changed, our mission has not: Building a More Secure World. We apply our expertise where it matters most—to help strengthen the security and resilience of our nation and its allies.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, I hope each of you take pride in knowing that you are an integral part of an organization whose history is deeply intertwined with that of our country. More importantly, you are helping write history today by being a part of some of the most important and vital programs supporting our government.
The legacy we celebrate today was built by generations of Mason & Hanger employees whose professionalism, innovation, and commitment earned the trust of our clients over nearly two centuries. That legacy now rests with all of us.
Thank you for everything you do to uphold that tradition. As we begin the countdown to our own bicentennial in 2027, I look forward to celebrating not only our remarkable history, but also the future we are building together.
From my family to yours, I wish you a safe, happy, and meaningful Fourth of July as we celebrate 250 years of America—and our shared role in helping design, build, and protect it.