On July 19, 1776, the people of Newburyport assembled at the Meetinghouse (then standing in Market Square) to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time. In the aftermath of that extraordinary moment, patriot and future Senator Tristram Dalton wrote to Elbridge Gerry, “The die is cast. All is at stake. The way is made plain.”
That plain way was not peace, comfort, or certainty. It was sacrifice. War had already touched Newburyport for more than a year, but the Declaration transformed resistance into resolve. It proclaimed before the world that Americans were entitled to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” and most Newburyporters were prepared to defend those rights at any cost.
Two hundred and fifty years later, Newburyport will gather again to remember that turning point in the life of the town and the nation. The day will include family-friendly Revolutionary history activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a 1:45 p.m. procession from Brown Square to Market Square, including a stop at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church, before the public commemoration begins at 2 p.m. in the heart of downtown.
The Market Square program will bring together neighbors and friends, past and present, along with Revolutionary soldiers, sailors, colonial-era townsfolk, Governor Maura Healey, other dignitaries, and special speakers for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. With music, salutes, and ceremonial observances, the event will honor those who, in 1776, pledged to each other their “Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor” in the defense of liberty.
Throughout the day, Revolutionary townsfolk, soldiers, sailors, demonstrations, music, family activities, and three historic sailing vessels will bring the past to life. Period activities will include artillery and musket demonstrations, arts, crafts, printing, cooking, and tattooing experiences. These activities are designed to build toward the 2 p.m. reading in Market Square and then carry the commemoration forward to the waterfront.
Following the Market Square program, participants will proceed to the waterfront to greet the Schooner Ardelle, the Schooner Isabella, and the Pinnace Virginia, a replica of Maine’s oldest ship. There, the commemoration will continue with salutes by privateers on board, recalling the maritime world in which Newburyport lived, fought, and sacrificed during the Revolution. All three historic vessels will remain in port and available to the public until 5:30 p.m.
As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence, “Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast” offers a chance not only to remember the past, but to renew a shared civic promise. It is a day to reflect on the cost of freedom, the courage of those who declared it, and the enduring obligation to defend the rights and principles for which they risked everything.