The village of Peacham will begin a yearlong commemoration of its 250th anniversary with a series of events on July 4, organized by the Peacham Historical Association (PHA).
Activities include the opening of a new exhibition, "Celebrating Peacham's Legacy, Mapping Our Settlement," at the Historical House; forge demonstrations at the Ashbel Goodenough Blacksmith Shop; a public reading of the Declaration of Independence by three local high school students at the Peacham Meeting House; and a Ghost Walk at the Peacham Cemetery featuring portrayals of four Revolutionary War soldiers who helped shape the town.
Peacham was settled in 1774 and chartered two years later. It served as the base for construction of the Bayley-Hazen Military Road, intended for a planned invasion of Canada that was eventually called off. The road later became a key route for settlement and trade.
Additional events are scheduled through the fall, including food tastings rooted in Abenaki traditions, a surveying demonstration, a music program of Revolutionary-era ballads, and a guided bike tour of segments of the Bayley-Hazen Military Road.
Major support for the anniversary events comes from Vermont Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Originally reported by North Star Monthly.
Photo: Nate Biddle via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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