Public Events and Commemorations 
for the WRRR during 2014


Links to Event Photo-Reports

March 05: PA - Philadelphia - Demolish Old Museum
March 08: FL - Commemorate Last Naval Battle
Apr 05: DE - W3R®-DE Install New Sign
Apr 06: MD - 230th Anniv. of Treaty of Paris
Apr 07: MD - W3R®-US Annual Meeting
June 07: DE - Talk on General George Washington
June 07: CT - Walk the WRRR-NHT in Bolton
July 26: DE - Talk on WRRR-NHT in MD
Oct 18: VA - W3R®-US Fall Board Meeting
Nov: DE - Rochambeau Descendant Visits WRRR
Nov 08: RI - Talk on the French Army in RI in 1781
Dec 11: MA - Talk on Lafayette's Ride in 1780

2014-03-05 (Wednesday) Philadelphia PA:  
Demolition Ceremony
At 11 AM the old museum at 101 South Third Street was gracefully deconstructed with a few well-placed explosive charges to make way for the new Museum of the American Revolution . See http://amrevmuseum.org

2014-03-08 (Saturday): Cocoa FL  
The Last Naval Battle of the U.S. War for Independence
The commemoration at the Brevard Veterans Center, 400 South Sykes Parkway, Merritt Island FL, included seventeen marching units, ten wreaths, and a keynote address. Ralph Nelson, former chair of the W3R®-US, led one of the color guard units and gave greetings from our organization.

Ralph Nelson with Master-of-ceremonies Ben DuBose
[photo courteasy of Frank Nolte.]
See the 2011 commemoration report for the events of 1783 here.


March 30, 2014, is the Fifth Anniversary of the

Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

as a National Historic Trail.


2014-04-05 (Saturday): Pencader DE 
The Pencader Heritage Museum hosted the dedication for a plaque commemorating the August,1780 campsite of the French army under Gen. Rochambeau near the site of the 1777 Battle of Cooch's Bridge.
See the news report (and click on the images tab): [*] Cooch's Bridge monument celebrates French assistance in Revolutionary War by Josh Shannon [Newark (DE) Post for April 6, 2014]

The following photos are courtesy of Bill Conley

Judge Richard Cooch noted his family's continuous ownership
     of the farm where the only Revolutionary War battle in Delaware
     was fought and where the allied troops of the U.S. and France camped
     both on their way to Yorktown VA and on the return trip north.
The Delaware Continental captain spoke on experiences from 1781.


Bill Conley, Chair of the W3R®-DE was master of ceremonies.
Joseph DeBello, Superintendent of the WRRR-NHT
     spoke for the National Park Service.
Marilyn P. Whittington, Executive Director
     of the Delaware Humanities Forum
Veronica Eid, for the Alliance Francaise, introduced
     a visiting class from France.
Michael Scullin, Honorary French Consul, brought greetings
     from the French Ambassador to the U.S..
Dr. Robert A. Selig, WRRR historian, provided the historical background.


Musket volley by Delaware Continental re-enactors


Plaque commemorating French aid during the Revolutionary War


Plaque recognizing the sponsors of the plaque

2014-04-06 (Sunday): Annapolis MD:  
230th Anniversary Event -- Treaty of Paris Ratification
-- The group had a guided tour of the Maryland State House. They then walked to the campus of St. John's College to visit the memorial for the French troops who died in camp here in 1781.


W3R®-US delegation at memorial at St. Johns College.
Left to Right [photo courtesy of Robert Reyes]
Front Row: Lanny and Ann Patten - PA, Blanche Hunnewell - MA, Ursula Reed - PA & Chair, Kim Burdick - DE & Former Chair, Diane Bria-Wharton - MD & Treasurer, David Holloway - CT & full-route 225th Marcher
Second Row:(starting at center) Veronica Eid - DE, Nicole Yancey - VA, Joe DiBello - WRRR-NHT Trail Superintendent - National Park Service - NE Regional Office, Alan Hoffman - MA
Top Row: David Smith - MD & Tour Guide, Wayne Strasbaugh - PA, Robert Reyes - MD
W3R®-US delegation at memorial at St. Johns College.


Group photo of all in attendance for the monument tour
[photo courtesy of Ursula Reed]

-- Prof. Mark Croatti gave a private screening of a new film, Ratification of the Treaty of Paris.
-- Artist David Wagner exhibited his painting of the Signing of the Treaty of Paris.
-- Nicole Yancey gave a briefing on the visit of the reconstructed French frigate Hermione to the U.S. in 2015.

Dinner was held in the Treaty of Paris Restaurant of the Maryland Inn
Left-side: Lanny Patten, Veronica Eid, one hidden, French student.
Right-side: Wayne Strasbaugh, Ellen von Karajan, Pierre Lefebvre, Ann Patten


-- After dinner Robert Selig gave a talk on the new WRRR National Historic Trail.
-- Awards were presented to two of the full-route marchers.

W3R®-US chair Ursula Reed and David Holloway

Rose Morin and W3R®-US chair Ursula Reed
[photos courtesy of Ursula Reed]

2014-04-07 (Monday): Annapolis MD:  
The Eleventh Annual Meeting of the W3R®-US
was held from 10 AM to 2 PM at the NPS Chesapeake Bay Office at the "Fish Shack", 410 Severn Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403.

We reviewed the past year and discussed plans for the coming year, including
-- the Education Programs for Fall 2014 in partnership with Independence Park Institute for a series of NPS Teacher Workshops in Philadelphia on WRRR history
-- plans for L'Hermione, which sets sail for the USA in 2015, with a 42-day transatlantic crossing before landfall at Yorktown VA.
Read the summary and reports
Photos below are courtesy of Ursula Reed.


Attendees at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the W3R®-US (out of focus)


W3R®-US chair Ursula Reed (at right) presented WRRR-NHT
logo pins to NPS Supt. Joe DiBello and to all fifty attendees.


Rose Morin and David Holloway, Yorktown Marchers, at attention


W3R®-US Directors Veronica Eid and Alan Hoffman


David Holloway, Ann Patten, Kim Burdick, and Ursula Reed

2014-04-09 (Wednesday): Thomaston CT
Rochambeau, Washington's Ideal Lieutenant --- Rochambeau's March to Liberty, a lecture at 7 PM by Jini Jones Vail at the Thomaston Public Library, 248 Main St.

2014-04-26 (Saturday): Woodbury CT
Four Women in the Time of Rochambeau: A Queen, A Countess, A First Lady, A Camp Follower, a lecture at 11 AM by Jini Jones Vail at the Senior Center, behind the Library, 265 Main Street S., Woodbury, CT

2014-5-12 (Saturday): Newtown CT
Rochambeau in Connecticut, a lecture at 7:30 PM by Jini Jones Vail at the Booth Library, Community Room, 25 Main Street, Newtown, CT

2014-05-31 (Saturday): Mount Kisco NY
The French Army Camps at Mount Kisco, a lecture at 10 AM by Jini Jones Vail -- along with walk and a tour of the historic St George's cemetery.

2014-06-07 (Saturday): New Castle DE  
George Washington - Man and Myth, a free symposium at the Old Courthouse Museum from 9 AM to 4 PM.

2014-06-07 (Saturday): Bolton CT  
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Bolton Heritage Farm and Hop River State Park.
Follow the Footsteps of the French Army in 1781
Join Conservation Commission Chairman Rod Parlee, Tree Hugger Matt Largess, Town Historian Hans DePold, and historic descendant Eric Rochambeau at Bolton Heritage Farm, 266 Bolton Center Road, and discover the best-preserved CT Revolutionary War campsite on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (WRRR) National Historic Trail. Thousands of French troops and followers, and four Continental Army units camped at the farm, while General Rochambeau, Washington, Hamilton, Lafayette, Knox, and many other patriots visited the property. The first part of this 2-mile hike will concentrate on the historic and natural heritage of the farm and then will continue on into the Hop River State Park and back up to the farm. Sponsored by Bolton Conservation Commission (bolton.govoffice.com) and the W3R®-CT Chapter.

2014-07-26 (Saturday): Christiana DE  
Time: 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the Hale Byrnes House, 606 (old) Stanton-Christiana Road, Newark, Delaware. 19713
The Maryland Leg of the Yorktown Campaign Route, by Robert A. Selig, PhD. WRRR Historian. Cost: $5 at the door - Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae

2014-10-05 (Sunday): North Salem, NY
Rochambeau Crosses CT and into New York with 4,000 French troops
(concentration on Westchester Co, local area), a lecture at 3 PM by Jini Jones Vail at the North Salem Historical Society, 81 Keeler Lane, North Salem, NY
Contact: mnrj@optonline.net

2014-10-18 (Saturday) Yorktown VA  
The Fall Meeting of the W3R®-US Board of Directors was held on Saturday, Ocotber 18, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM in the Library of the Yorktown Visitors Center, 1000 Colonial Parkway, Yorktown VA.
A report will be filed here when it is ready.


Huzzah!    Huzzah!    Huzzah!

October 19, 2014, is the 233rd Anniversary of the


Surrender of the British at Yorktown to


Generals Washington and Rochambeau.


Huzzah!    Huzzah!    Huzzah!

Oct. 19: Serge Gabriel, in period uniform, proudly carried
the French flag during the Yorktown Day Parade.
2014-11 Pencader DE  
Rochambeau Descendant visits WRRR During November the Gouberville family visited several sites along the WRRR. Mme Gouberville is a direct descendant of General Rochambeau.

The Goubervilles at the Pencader Heritage Museum
(in Delaware) with Veronica Eid [photo courtesy of V.Eid]

2014-11-08 (Saturday) at 2 PM  
General Rochambeau and the French Army in Rhode Island
Robert A. Selig, PhD, will speak at the Rochambeau Library of Brown University. Doctor Selig was the project historian for the National Park Service's study of the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. The Rochambeau library is at 708 Hope Street, Providence RI. The French camp in Providence in 1782 is-about four blocks north of this library. General Rochambeau's army camped here for one month after their return from the siege of Yorktown, on their way to Boston MA to leave the U.S. after a 30-month stay.
Drafts of Parts 2 and 3 of "The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route in the State of Rhode Island, 1780-1783 -- An Historical And Architectural Survey", prepared by Robert A. Selig, PhD, for the State of Rhode Island are now available online as two large PDF files.
See Links to WRRR State Surveys

2014-12-11 (Thursday) at 6:30 PM   in Cambridge MA --