In Person Event: "Martha's Vineyard In The American Revolution"

55 Palmer Avenue,Falmouth MA 02540

06 January, 2022

Description

Explore the American Revolution as it Unfolded Across Martha's Vineyard. War was imminent. Revolution. Martha's Vineyard, an isolated island outpost, was right there as the action unfolded. At first, residents feared severing ties with the mother country because events from Boston to London impacted the Island community. Yet, British patrols along Vineyard Sound and incursions on the Elizabeth Islands threatened the tranquility of Island life. Well, Vineyarders were a cagey lot. They sought safety first, then independence. Although the majority tended toward independence, because of the middle ground they chose, Loyalists and Patriots both considered them neutral—at first. Follow this incredible story—from pre-war debates over the Stamp Act in the 1760s and the desperate activities of the late 1770s to the real back-story of the Liberty Pole ladies and General Grey's Raid. Join local author Tom Dresser as he reveals the British attack on the island and the unheralded heroes who protected their homeland in the War for Independence. The Falmouth Museums on the Green, owned and operated by the Falmouth Historical Society, is a two-acre campus that has been serving the residents and visitors of Falmouth since 1900. One of the most popular sites in Falmouth for visitors, it contains the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House—a magnificent Federalist-period residence with guided tours demonstrating what life was like for an affluent physician in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; the recently-restored 1730 Conant House—used for exhibits, research and genealogy studies; the Hallett Barn Visitors’ Center—rebuilt in 2002 on the site of an original barn and used a welcoming point for those coming to Falmouth as well as the “Whaling Wives Gift Shop”; the Colonial Gardens—showing off plantings, such as a boxwood tree, that go back to the days prior to the American Revolution; Memorial Park—a tranquil place of refuge that is open to all visitors looking for relaxation; and the recently-opened (2012) Cultural Center—a superb, 3600 square foot structure used for public and private programs and events, public restrooms, kitchen facilities, and as a repository for archival collections to preserve Falmouth’s past. It also has a series of rotating historical exhibits throughout the campus.