Hello Friends of the Road,
It is now 2025! Can you believe it? Today is a big holiday for me. Each year I celebrate by watching the Bill Murray classic from 1993. It is nice not having an overly commercialized day to celebrate. Speaking of celebrations, are you all excited about the events planned throughout the upcoming year to mark the different 250th anniversaries? For historians, this will be a busy and exciting year! So rest up the rest of winter and be ready to hit the road to attend some of the festivities. The CPRA board is planning to get involved for sure.
The CPRA board has met throughout the cold weather days to work hard on a calendar of events for 2025. As of yesterday, we have a list in balsa wood. Not in stone yet, but soon. More to come on that. Today’s email is about saying hello, reminding you that your favorite historical organization is still kicking, and to share some timely info with you.
First of all, there are event plans now finalized for the 250th anniversary of the Westminster Massacre of 1775. For you that want to brush up on your history for this event, here are a couple of links for you: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Massacrehttps://vermonthistoryexplorer.org/the-westminster-massacreThe celebration has the following schedule:-March 13, Thursday between 3:00 and 4:00, Gathering at the house site of Azariah Wright, (4585 US Route 5, corner of Sand Hill Road) and walk to the Cemetery. The Whigs gathered at Wright’s about 4:00, took a stick of firewood from his woodpile and then walked ¾ miles up to the Court-house and occupied it. Unarmed William French was killed by gunfire that evening. We will reenact that fateful walk.-March 14, Friday, 4:00. Gathering at the Court-house site as marked by the DAR monument on Shattuck Road, celebrating the non-violent retaking of the courthouse. New York and British control were ousted from current Eastern Vermont, five weeks before Paul Revere’s ride. Our Westminster Massacre museum exhibit the will open at 3:00.-March 15, Saturday, 7:00 pm at dusk. Candlelight vigil at young William French’s grave site on the anniversary of his well-attended burial. The museum will open at 6:00pm with refreshments and our Massacre exhibit. Parking is behind the Post Office, roughly across the road from the Town Hall museum.For more information, go to www.westminstervthistory.org
And also coming really soon, is a presentation about the Crown Point Road. It may be all a “repeat” for you, but please consider attending as the side conversations will certainly be interesting. There is also plans to talk about a new project involving the Springfield area that you may want to be a part of. Members of the CPRA board will be leading the discussion. Here is a description of the event:
WHEN: February 15th at 2 pm
WHAT: Crown Point Road Association Presentation
WHERE: Springfield Art & Historical Society, 65 Route 106, North Springfield
DESCRIPTION: The Crown Point Road Association researches and leads outings along its route from Charlestown NH to Lake Champlain. The Road, first marked and cut by the British in 1759, is sometimes referred to as “Vermont’s first interstate highway.” In 2024 CPRA members Lonnie Lisai and Barry Griffith researched and led a tour along portions of the route in Springfield. On February 15 they will tell us about the historic Road and the fruits of their recent research. https://www.springfieldartandhistorical.org/
And in closing, I have some goodies to share with you. I have been sitting on some videos for you and it is about time I let you see them. These cold days are good for watching videos, right? The links below are from the association’s Annual Meeting in 2024. I hope you like them.
Last annual meeting:
Business meeting: https://youtu.be/G6lF111dI_I
Guest Presentation: https://youtu.be/lp_tRGBuCpM
That is all for now. Stay tuned for more announcements and info about our upcoming year of events.