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July 4th Celebration At Mill Hill


by turfgrrl


July 1st, 2008 · 9 Comments

This Friday, the Norwalk Historical Society will kick off its annual Independence Day Celebration at Mill Hill Historic Park at 11:30. Tours are being offered at the Town House, the Little Red Schoolhouse, and the Governor Fitch Law office. The Norwalk Historical Society will also offer two Revolutionary War Tours of the c.1750 Mill Hill Burying Ground, at 11:30am and 12:30pm.

Then at 2:001:30 pm, the Let Freedom Ring! and the re-enactment of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. This is all free, but the NHS suggests donations to help support these programs.

You can get more information by calling 846-0525, or downloading the flyer or checking out the web site www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.

From the Press Release:

About Norwalk’s Mill Hill Historic Park

The Norwalk Town House (1835) The present Town House was built in 1835 and was the seat of government until 1913. It currently serves as Norwalk’s Town House Museum and headquarters for the Norwalk Historical Society.

Governor Thomas Fitch Law Office (c.1740) Thomas Fitch was Governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1754 to 1766 under King George III of Great Britain. This building was the only portion of his house that survived the burning of Norwalk by the British on July 11, 1779.

Downtown District School House (c.1826) Built in 1826, this building was used as a school until 1871. It serves as a living history museum to Norwalk third graders who participate in the “Little Red School House” Program every Spring.

Mill Hill Burying Ground (c.1750) The burying ground is the third oldest cemetery in Norwalk. Family plots went along with the property grants issued to the first settlers.Its headstones are currently undergoing restoration.

Tags: History · Norwalk

9 Responses so far ↓ “July 4th Celebration At Mill Hill”



  • 1 Scott Kuykendall, NHS President // Jul 1, 2008 at 2:00 pm

    I’d like to thank Turfgrrl for posting this information. An important distinction that takes this year’s event to the next level is that the organizers, Ed and Madeleine Eckert, have engaged First Congregational Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, both on the historic Norwalk Town Green, to participate in the bell-ringing ceremony.

    That means after everyone gathers on the Green at 1:30pm, not just one, but three sets of bells will peal simultaneously at 2pm to commemorate each of the original 13 states that the signers of the Declaration of Independence represented. It should be quite stirring to hear the two churches and the Town House bells ringing at the same time.

    But that’s not all. Mill Hill Historic Park opens at 11:30am with tours by re-enactors in Colonial costumes and this year, the c.1750 Mill Hill Burying Ground is featured. A number of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans lie at rest there, along with many members of the town’s founding families. Additionally, both the First Congregational and St. Paul’s churches are offering public tours starting at 12noon.

    After the bell-ringing ceremony on the Green, everyone is invited to troop over to the Town House to be entertained by Crystal Theatre performers, singing from the musical “The Burning of Norwalk, 1779.” Another performing group, Musica Plenti, will also be singing, and Madeleine Eckert will astound and amaze us all with little-known information about Norwalk’s role in the Revolutionary War.

    The Norwalk Historical Society invites everyone to come and participate in this event. It’s our town, our history, and we all can take pride in that. Norwalk played an important role in the American Revolution (come find out why on Friday!).

    This year is especially poignant as it draws awareness to the Town Green’s historic role as a gathering place for the community, a tradition that dates to the earliest settlement of Norwalk.

    More information is available on the NHS website at http://www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org/NHSEventsExhibits.html

  • 2 norwalker // Jul 1, 2008 at 2:36 pm

    Great stuff at Mill Hill!!! Congratulations!

  • 3 3rd Grader 30 years ago // Jul 2, 2008 at 7:16 am

    I vividly remember my field trip to Mill Hill almost 30 years ago when I was in elementary school. Kudos to the Norwalk Historical Society for continuing this program!

  • 4 Anonymous // Jul 3, 2008 at 7:30 am

    Saw this morning where the Historical Commission has gotten a $65k grant to create a Preservation Plan for the City’s historical properties.

    Which is fine. But what happens after the plan is created? The HC’s track record so far in maintaining the properties it does have isn’t exactly stellar.

    And with a mayor who has decided that attorney fees aren’t worth pursuing the $50k grant that Foxboro Condo Assn. stole, what kind of support will the HC get when it goes with its hand out to the City?

  • 5 Patriot // Jul 4, 2008 at 4:28 pm

    Why not lay off the mayor for one day. The man is very patriotic. God Bless America.

  • 6 Anonymous // Jul 4, 2008 at 8:39 pm

    Yeah, so is George Bush. But that doesn’t make him any less of an idiot. Or any less dangerous.

  • 7 Anonymous // Jul 5, 2008 at 8:50 am

    Thank you Norwalk Historical Society for a great day yesterday! The graveyard tours, the bell ringing and the program at the Town House were really fun and interesting! Keep up the good work!

  • 8 Anonymous // Jul 5, 2008 at 3:48 pm

    #5 no one ever said the Dick is not patriotic.They close calf pasture evenings early now from lack of manpower and gangs.Its nice all who attended the Mill Hill were not effected by the rest of the things going on in the city.

    Now we have enjoyed the fourth maybe some of our star residents who contend the city is safe can tell us why Calf pasture is now closing as early at seven thirty instead of ten now nights?

    We as a family enjoyed the things on Mill Hill in the past now that the city is the way it is we have now cut back on spending much time in it after we were told of the events at calf pasture beach this weekend.A shame some nice things in Norwalk is no longer available to its residents.

  • 9 Anonymous // Jul 6, 2008 at 7:50 am

    So, what happened at Calf Pasture this weekend?
    Nothing in the papers with regards to closing early or about any problems there. There will always be problems where large crowds gather and personalities colide. Unfortunatelysome people just can’t stand the thought of actually enjoying themselves without causing problems and ruining the time for others.

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