Two-hundred thirty-five years of American Independence from Great Britain will be celebrated Tuesday at the annual Halifax Day festivities.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors at Historic Halifax State Historic Site may join in the remembrance of the April 12, 1776, vote by North Carolina’s Provincial Congress to separate from the British Crown.
The program will feature colonial-costumed interpreters, living history demonstrations and tours of historic buildings for young and old. It is sponsored by the Historical Halifax Restoration Association, Inc. All activities are free and open to the public.
The 1776 Halifax Resolves resolution was the first official move for independence made by any of the 13 original American colonies. Recognized on the North Carolina flag with the date, April 12, 1776, this revolutionary step is one of the most important events in the state’s history. Though the resolves document itself was signed by only the Fourth Provincial Congress Secretary James Green Jr., it was passed unanimously by the 83 delegates present.
School group tours and demonstrations will be held from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Every fourth-grader in Halifax County is invited.
A formal program will be held at the Visitors Center at 2 p.m., featuring a presentation by Warren Bingham about George Washington’s Southern Tour. Two Halifax Resolves Awards will be presented during the program. The Halifax Resolves Awards are presented to individuals, groups or businesses recognizing excellence in the field of historic preservation or restoration.
A reception will be held in the Visitors Center following the program.
Afternoon tours will be offered from 1:30 p.m to 5 p.m. Visitors may also learn about the Halifax area’s history through a self-guided museum tour and a 13-minute audiovisual presentation in the Historic Halifax Visitor Center.
The first 85 years of history of the town of Halifax are recalled in the historic site’s preservation, which ranges from 1760 to 1840.
The site preserves and interprets the history of Halifax, where the Fourth Provincial Congress delegates first voted for independence from Britain.
Historic Halifax is located at 25 St. David St., Halifax, NC, 27839. Follow the brown historic site signs to the Historic Halifax Visitor Center.
For more information call (252) 583-7191 or visit www.halifax.nchistoricsites.org.
Historic Halifax, within the Division of State Historic Sites, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities, and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural and economic future. Information on Cultural Resources is available at www.ncculture.com.
Saturday observances
Participants in Saturday's observances.
Two celebrations were held at the Colonial Courthouse site in Halifax to celebrate the adoption of the Halifax Resolves on April 12th, 1776. A flag retirement ceremony cosponsored by the Halifax Resolves Chapter, North Carolina Society, Sons of the American Revolution and the Warren Chapter, North Carolina Society, Daughters American Revolution was held to honorably remove old U.S. flags from service.
Halifax Resolves Chapter President Ken Wilson and Warren Regent Constance Thacker performed the ceremony assisted by James Tuck, assistant scout master, Boy Scouts America Troop 146 who served as Burn Master. Also assisting were Boy Scouts from Troop 144, led by Scout Master Scott Joyner. The ashes from the 62 flags retired during the ceremony were buried in the Colonial Cemetery by the SAR and Troop 144.
Following a luncheon at the Halifax United Methodist Church, the Halifax Resolves Chapter hosted a ceremony celebrating the 235th anniversary of the adoption of the Halifax Resolves. Chapter President Wilson welcomed Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution and Children of the American Revolution members from North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.
Additional local groups from the American Legion and the Boy Scouts of America were also on hand. Rev. A. Clark Wiser, Chaplain General of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution offered the invocation followed by the J.F. Webb High School JROTC Color Guard posting the colors assisted by NCSSAR Combined Color Guard.
President Wilson led the gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance and the SAR Processional.
Rev. Wiser then brought greetings from the national society and NCSSAR President John Thornhill brought greetings from the state society. President Wilson then introduced the keynote speaker, Dr. Jeffery Broadwater, Professor of History, at Barton College.
Dr. Broadwater’s speech was entitled All Our People Here Are Up for Independence: The Making of the Halifax Resolves that explained the events leading up to the adoption of the Halifax Resolves and the impact the resolves had on the Revolutionary War.
A wreath laying ceremony was held to honor the memory of the patriots who wrote and adopted the Halifax Resolves and all the patriots who fought for independence.
President Wilson awarded the J.F. Webb High School JROTC a Certificate of Appreciation for their assistance in making the event so successful.
After leading the gathering in the SAR Recessional, President Wilson called for retrieval of the colors by the J.F. Webb Color Guard and the NCSSAR Combined Color Guard. Halifax Resolves Chaplain Rev. Duncan Jones gave the benediction to close the ceremony.
