The American Revolution Comes to Gloucester Courthouse on May 14-15
Gloucester County’s Museum of History will host its annual spring living history weekend May 14-15 to commemorate the County’s role in the Revolutionary War. The program, “Gloucester 1776: A Revolutionary Experience,” will include cannon and musket firing demonstrations, dozens of reenactors, colonial era cooking, children’s activities, and more.
In the Spring of 1776, the 7th Virginia Regiment was posted in Gloucester County. Ten companies of infantry, including one from Gloucester, assembled at the colonial courthouse following instructions from the Committee of Safety. By mid-May 1776, five of those companies were in Williamsburg, but the other five remained in Gloucester. The revolution was in its early days, and the question was, “Is war coming to Gloucester County?”
The free and family friendly program will align with Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs) for students of all ages, with emphasis on Virginia studies and the Revolutionary War.
“We are excited to see the court circle come to life with the sights and sounds of the American Revolution, said Robert Kelly, Museums Coordinator for Gloucester County.” Our museum building and historic courthouse were both here in 1776, and this program will show guests what life was like for Gloucester’s soldiers and citizens during the early days of the Revolution.”
The museum’s annual living history programming is made possible through a partnership with the Gloucester Historical Society, Friends of the Museum, the 7th Virginia Regiment, and Gloucester’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. For more information, call 804-693-1234.
