Patriots’ Day observance marks 250th anniversary

Patriots’ Day commemorates the first battles of the American Revolution, at Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775 – the year before the adoption and signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 that marked the birth of the United States.

Local SAR President Sid Turner highlighted the significance of America’s 250th birthday, adding that, moving forward, the organization would be celebrating the 250th anniversary of other momentous occasions that occurred during the Revolutionary period.

“Every event, on the day or the year that it happened, (will be recognized),” Turner explained, using the Siege of Yorktown as an example. Because the siege happened in 1781, it will be officially commemorated by the Sons of the American Revolution in 2031.

Observed locally on the Blairsville Square to coincide with the Spring Downtown Market April 18, Patriots’ Day served as a general overview of the nation’s 250th anniversary, and SAR members were happy to provide their presence.

Before the presentation, motorists circling the courthouse roundabout waved, honked or even stopped to take photos, and a few people parked before coming out to learn more about what was going on and the meaning behind it.

SAR members reveled in the opportunity to educate the public on American history, setting up tables inside the courthouse bearing everything from weapons to mundane items dating back to the Revolutionary War or replicated to look like such.

The firearms, like muskets and rifles, served as replica examples, and impressively, there was a display of blades and a cannonball that survived from the founding era for folks to come up and see or even carefully touch after the presentation was over.

Throughout the course of the presentation – administered by SAR members Turner, Jared Ogden, Ted Gaudette and Mike Blair – many of those items were held up while being discussed. As Ogden noted, the presentation was the same as was often shared in classrooms at local schools but went into more technical detail for the crowd at the courthouse.

Blair especially presented information about the weapons of the Revolutionary War, providing ballistic measurements and explaining the key differences between some of the guns and how American troops acquired and used them.

For example, it’s not well-known that the Spanish saw fit to aid this infant nation. Despite the mistrust between Spain and America for previous “landgrab” campaigns around Florida and Louisiana, Spain discreetly supplied American troops with thousands of firearms smuggled through the southern part of the country.

Not all talk was about the mechanics of war; Ogden showcased items that might have been found in a minuteman’s pack, including eating utensils and games. In those days, the average man didn’t know how to read or write, so playing cards didn’t feature letters or numbers in their design.

Silverware was not, in fact, silver, but could have been made from the carved and treated horn of a cow. And if people had the money to afford more than simply chewing on fragrant wood for their oral hygiene, they could purchase a toothbrush made of bone and hog bristles.

Children from the audience were invited to participate; one little girl got to model a woman’s bonnet, which was not only the fashion of the era, but served the practical purpose of keeping greasy hair out of fire and cooking pits. She and another child were invited to try landing a wooden ball on a string in a small cup – another common form of entertainment back then.

After the presentation, guests were invited to partake in some cake and punch. Many chose to look around the Historic Courthouse’s museum, adding on to the experience by learning not just about the nation’s history, but that of the region around them.