The 200th

200 has been a figure in the news for over eight years. It proclaimed observances and celebrations for each of the years of the American Revolution in hamlets, towns, and cities.

This war surged across the eastern part of our country, touching down in and affecting all of the thirteen colonies. A brief tracing of its path shows it raged from Lexington and Concord to Boston to Skenesborough to Ticonderoga and as far north as Valcour Island. It surged across western New York with the Sullivan raid. It seesawed around New York City environs and turned south as far as Savannah, Georgia. It finally ceased at Yorktown, Virginia.

Celebrations of the events of these eight years centered mainly in 1976, the 200th anniversary of our nation. A most recent reenactment was at Saratoga, which celebrated the end of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris, 3 September 1783.

Now will come the 200th celebration of the birth of Washington County on 2 March 1784. The area encompassing the present county has been under the names of Tryon, Albany and Charlotte, of which much more will be heard later.

The County Supervisors have brought into being a committee to plan a fitting acknowledgment of the occasion. It is composed of persons who will represent the historical,-business, and financial interests of the communities – a county and two town historians, two preservation council members, Washington County Historical Society, two chamber of commerce presidents, and a bank financial advisor. The county planner heads the committee under the supervision of Whitehall’s Supervisor.

The organization meeting was held 6 September, 1983 and tentative plans for the observance were formulated.

It is hoped that each town and village will help in the celebration of this occasion.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Independent – September 19, 1983