Garden of Liberty and Weymouth 400 Celebration

I FFO’d “Garden of Liberty” and added it to my patriotic dough bowl. I couldn’t resist stitching this cute little miss from Brenda Gervais’ booklet “Red White and Bloom.”

Let’s continue the patriotic theme. Weymouth, MA, where I live is celebrating its 400th anniversary. Weymouth was settled in 1622 just two years after the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth. The committee in charge of the celebration decided to hold four separate events. I had not attended the recent celebrations in South Weymouth and East Weymouth, but I did attend today’s event in North Weymouth which was held at Wessagusset Beach. There were three different trolley tours. I chose the Abigail Adams and Old North Cemetery tour. 

I may have mentioned this at some point, but I have always had a special affection for Abigail Adams. When I was little, I was always reading biographies from the children’s section of the old Tufts Library. I clearly remember reading about Abigail riding with her father Rev. Smith in a buggy down to Weymouth Landing. I was beside myself realizing that on those trips she would have ridden down Commercial Street which runs at the bottom of my street!!! :-()

Here are some photos from her birthplace that I took on today’s tour.

This small quilted wallhanging was beyond amazing. Click on the photo to enlarge it and you will see the signatures of  six of our former First Ladies: Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Rodham Clinton. What a treasure!!! Abigail Adams and Barbara Bush are the only two First Ladies, so far, who also had sons who became Presidents.

The tour also featured the Civil War monument in Old North Cemetery that honors the ninety Weymouth men who died during that war. 

The man with the magnificent handlebar mustache told us that fifty of those ninety men had died of disease.

There were also ladies representing the Sanitation Commission.

I had not heard of this group before, but the women explained that during the war their mission was to travel to different camps explaining about hygiene and food safety. They would also write letters home for soldiers unable to write. They comforted the dying and would write to the family of those who had died.

Back at the beach, there were food trucks and tables set up by various civic organizations and a group of Revolutionary War reenactors from the Hingham Militia.

We sure do like our history around here. :-()

Wait . . . one more thing . . . if you haven’t had enough Weymouth history, google ‘Weymouth Historical Commission’ and sign up for their newsletter, The Weymouth Gazette. Their recent publication had a number of interesting articles. Also, google ‘Weymouth 400’ so you don’t miss out on any upcoming lectures or events.

Have a wonderful week.