Wilton residents joined Town Heritage Commission Chair Deb Mortvedt for photos in the old town jail cell in the basement of the LocalShare coffee shop on Main Street Thursday, Jan. 8. The jail cell, built in 1812, served as the backdrop for photos promoting a fundraiser for the national Semiquincentennial Celebration planned for May 9, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence from England.
Among those present were interim Police Chief John Frechette, Ambulance Service Chief Danielle Gardiner and Fire Chief Norm Skantze.
“What we’re doing today is ‘bailing’ townspeople out of jail,” Mortvedt said. “With the photos, we’ll post them to the town website and ask people to pay the bail bond. That bail bond is really just a fun way to get donations for the celebration.”
May 9 was chosen instead of July 4 for the 250th anniversary because there is little risk of conflicting with other celebrations. Students also will still be in school rather than away on summer vacation.
“Students are our most important target audience,” Mortvedt said.
As a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Mortvedt said commemorating our nation’s revolutionary history carries great significance. “I recently discovered I descend from Elijah Belding, a patriot from Swanzey. I’ve always valued our nation’s revolutionary history, but after discovering I’m a Daughter of the American Revolution, it’s more important to me than ever before.”
Serving on the town’s Heritage Commission, Mortvedt said she and another member of the commission were curious about what events the town had planned to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.
“When we discovered there was nothing on the agenda, we knew we had to do something,” she said.
According to Mortvedt, Wilton’s 1781 town census showed a population of 623, of which 161 were soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. For her, the town is obligated to commemorate the milestone.
Mortvedt recalled witnessing the bicentennial celebrations in her hometown 50 years ago. “I was a nursing student in Iowa at the time. I remember there being a parade and all sorts of events in town celebrating the 200-year anniversary.” She wants the tradition to continue as she doesn’t see the revolution simply as a lesson in a textbook, but a shared experience from generations past.
“The most important part of celebrating the history of our nation’s independence is the educational component. The main focus is reaching the kids as they’ll be the ones celebrating the tricentennial,” she added. “I’ve spoken to school students from the town about the matter, and I told them ‘I want you to be involved in the tricentennial.’”
The town Historical Society, of which Mortvedt also is a member, often works with fourth grade students, giving them tours and informational sessions about town history.
Taking advantage of her connection to the Historical Society, Mortvedt is using the educational component to raise money for the celebration.
“We chose the old jail cell located under LocalShare to promote this endeavor,” Mortvedt said. “Today we’re taking pictures to then put together for an advertising campaign that will hopefully attract donations for the celebration.”
In addition to the May 9 festivities, Mortvedt is looking to invite Wilton fourth graders to the old town jail on May 7. She hopes not only to educate them on the jail’s history, but also to get last minute donations for the celebration.
She said the campaign has already received a $2,500 donation from Wilton’s Bent-Burke American Legion. Anyone donating more than $250 will have their name added to one of the 250-year anniversary banners that will line the main street later in the year.
“The end goal is to introduce the younger generations, primarily our town’s students, to the notion of celebrating our nation’s history. In doing so, we hope they carry the torch because I don’t plan on being here in 50 years to celebrate the tricentennial,” said Mortvedt.
Donations will fund the entire celebration. Its scope is contingent on the amount raised over the next five months.