Family-Friendly, FREE event starts at noon with reading The Declaration of Independence
Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Tussy Mussey’s, the Genesee Valley Chorus, Revolutionary Foods, Kids Colonial Tent
From the local America 250 Committee,
WELLSVILLE – The town will celebrate the America 250th anniversary on August 15th from noon to 4 p.m. on the lawn of the David A. Howe Library. This Main Street event is free to the public.
Wellsville’s celebration is unique. Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross will be there. The Declaration of Independence will be celebrated, and the Liberty Bell will be on display.
These are only a few of the programs that are scheduled for the afternoon according to the Chairman of the event. The committee has been working hard for the last several months to make this event both educational and entertaining.
The event will get started at Noon with Benjamin Franklin and company reading the Declaration of independence and reciting, out loud, the names of the 56 brave men who signed the document. Recognizing the danger of their action, Franklin said, “We must indeed hang together or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
The event will continue at around 1p.m. when the Genesee Valley Chorus will perform a short patriotic program.
“We’re very pleased that the Genesee Valley Chorus will be joining us,” the committee member Bev Sweet said. “They started as the Bi-Centennial Chorus 50-years ago and there are still some of the original members singing with the group.” The concert will get started at 1 p.m. on the steps of the library.
The celebration will offer a glimpse of what it was like to live in 1776 Colonial America. Across the lawn there will be tents with demonstrations of weaving, spinning, basketry, knife making and whittling. One tent will explore the use of herbs and there will be a display of local herbs. Learn what a Tussey Mussey is. There will be a display of guns from the period and a display from the Nathaniel Dike Museum. Dike was the first settler in this area. Betsy Ross will be sewing the original 13-star flag. Music is scheduled to take place throughout the day.
The Catharine Schuyler Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will also be selling their Colonial Cookbook.
A Taste of the Revolution tent will offer samples of a variety of colonial foods from venison stew to cornmeal mush, hard tack and much more. These colonial dishes will educate your tastebuds. Colonial refreshments will also be offered.
A children’s tent, provided in conjunction with Maple Moon school, will offer crafts and demonstrations such knot tying and writing with quills for kids. Adults are also welcome.
A full schedule of events and times will soon be available.
In 1776 Wellsville didn’t exist, Allegany County was the wilderness with limited settlers who coexisted with natives and hunted in Pidgeon Woods.
Wellsville’s 250th anniversary celebration will provide a look at what life was like in 1776 in the wilderness. We hope you will join us. The event will take place on Main Street Wellsville on the front lawn of the David A. Howe Library, or inside should it be rainy.
This event is made possible by sponsors and volunteers. A special thank you the Village of Wellsville, the Wellsville Lions Club, the Wellsville Rotary Club, Art For Rural America, and the Wellsville Sun.
