By Jeff Sovelove
For the first time since the pandemic began, Morristown’s July Fourth celebration returned to Washington’s Headquarters, where an enthusiastic crowd in patriotic colors on Monday heard re-enactors give a spirited reading of the Declaration of Independence.
They are words to live by in these contentious times, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th Dist.) suggested to the gathering behind the Ford Mansion, wartime headquarters of Gen. George Washington.
Playlist by Jeff Sovelove for MorristownGreen.com. Click icon top right to toggle through videos:
“On a hot day much like this, a band of patriots declared that we were a people created equal, free to think and worship and live as we please. That our destiny would not be determined for us, it would be determined by us. And now, 246 years later, the United States, this unprecedented nation, is the greatest nation in the world,” Sherrill said.
“But the signing of the Declaration was only a start. It’s been clear from the beginning of this nation that the people of New Jersey have been willing to make sacrifices for their neighbors, and to stand up for what is right.
“Let this special day serve as a reminder that we rely on each other, on the engagement of our citizens, and on the government and a community dedicated to the well being of its citizens,” said the Congresswoman.
She pledged to live up to the words of the Declaration of Independence, uphold her oath to the Constitution, and “work to secure liberty and opportunity for our country’s future generations.”
Slideshow photos by Jeff Sovelove. Click/hover on images for captions:
Tom Ross, superintendent of the Morristown National Historical Park, welcomed everyone back to the historic grounds. Spirits were high, with activities for the younger set, including coloring and a game similar to tic tac toe.
Park Ranger Eric Olsen warmed up the crowd with storytelling, juggling, and children’s fables that were popular during Colonial times.
The main event was Tom Winslow’s reading of the Declaration. Audience members were encouraged to cheer, hiss, and boo just as they would have done in 1776 when the Declaration first was read in towns across the 13 colonies.
Re-enactors from the 2nd New Jersey Brigade fired off a feu de joie, or “fire of joy” to close out the festivities.
Hip hip huzzah!
Hip hip huzzah!
Hip hip huzzah!
