Independence Day Celebration
Independence Day Celebration!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Noon-3:00pm
Mill Hill Historic Park
2 East Wall Street
Norwalk, CT
Noon
Revolutionary War Tour of Mill Hill Burying Ground
Theme: “War, Disease, Death , and Pestilence”
- Hear stories at the gravesites of some of the area’s most interesting men and women whose lives were touched by the Revolutionary War.
- An historical overview and demographics of the burying ground will be explored and gravesites will be visited, including several local physicians who treated smallpox, a war widow who never knew the circumstances of her soldier husband’s death, and a beloved wife who died in childbirth.
- Historian Madeleine Eckert, a board member of the Norwalk Historical Society and member of the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution will lead the tour.
Noon-1:30pm
Discover Mill Hill Historic Park!
- Guests will be welcomed to tour the Town House Museum (1835) featuring the “Norwalk and the Civil War” exhibit. In addition, Norwalk Historical Commission Chairman Pete Bondi will be on hand to discuss his collection of Revolutionary War documents.
- Meet the re-enactors! Andy Garfunkel, will portray Revolutionary War Town Clerk Samuel Grumman. All ages will delight in learning about early Norwalk education under the tutelage of “schoolmarm” Samantha Kulish in the “The Little Red Schoolhouse” (1826). Enjoy touring the Governor Thomas Fitch Law office (c.1740) with John Atkin portraying Norwalk’s lively colonial governor.
- Visit the genealogy table to get expert advice from genealogy researchers.
- Discover the hidden historic treasures around Norwalk with your Passport to Fun on the Norwalk Letterboxing Trail! Visit the letterboxing information table to receive a clues booklet. Letterboxing is a treasure hunt style outdoor activity similar to geocaching, without the use of a GPS. This is a fun outdoor activity that can be done individually or with a group! Click here for more information about letterboxing. Each booklet picked up that day will be stamped with the special Independence Day stamp.
1:30pm
“Let Freedom Ring!” National Bell Ringing Ceremony
- The Independence Day Celebration continues with the Let Freedom Ring! National Bell-Ringing Ceremony with the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
- Remarks by honored guest Norwalk-Village Green, CTDAR Regent Patricia Rubino, direct descendant of Fifer William Dorr who fought in the Lexington Alarms of April 19. 1775.
2:15pm
Celebration Continues in the Town House
- Guest speakers — Mayor Moccia and State Senator Bob Duff
- Guests will be entertained with musical numbers performed by Norwalk’s renowned Crystal Theater singers, under the direction of Cheryl Kemeny.
- Learn some interesting Norwalk history with Madeleine Eckert… “Did You Know? Little Known Facts About Norwalk during the American Revolution” with the theme: “War, Disease, Death, and Pestilence”.
Refreshments immediately following
Cookies made from Revolutionary War era recipes
“Muster Day” gingerbread, Aaron Burr shortbread cookies,
and pecan meringues from The Travis House in Williamsburg, VA.
