STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Historic Richmond Town brought the nation’s founding era to life on Independence Day with a celebration featuring costumed interpreters, Revolutionary War demonstrations and patriotic music.
The event, held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., drew visitors who explored Revolutionary War encampments, watched blacksmithing and hearth cooking demonstrations, and signed a replica of the Declaration of Independence. The day concluded with 19th-century pyrotechnics demonstrations, showing attendees how Americans celebrated the holiday during the 1800s.
Councilmember David Carr emphasized the significance of the location for the celebration.
“Historic Richmond Town is the center of our borough, literally, and I think also in terms of our shared past,” Carr said. “And so it’s really appropriate that all of us should be gathering here today to hear the words of the Declaration of Independence.”
He noted that 250 years ago, the document changed the world beyond the nation’s borders.
“I think that this is a moment for us to really be proud of our American heritage and to do so in a place whose mission is to preserve Staten Island’s place in that history,” Carr said.
Visitors gathered at the Third County Courthouse for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence and took guided tours of the exhibition, “Founding Principles: The Declaration of Independence, Civics, and Staten Island.”
Aline Guimont, visiting from South Orange, N.J., returned for her second Independence Day celebration at the historic site.
“We came here two years ago during the Fourth of July, and it was a lot of fun,” Guimont said. “I loved it last time and I was thinking it was going to be even better now because it’s the 250th birthday of the United States, so I wanted to come back.”
Judge Biju Koshy, a board member at Historic Richmond Town, brought his family to the celebration.
“We can join with all of our neighbors in remembering our past and for over 250 years here in Richmond County, with people who can trace their ancestry back to those founding days, to the newest immigrants who have just become naturalized as recently as weeks ago,” Koshy said.
Among others attending the event were Councilmember Frank Morano, Caroline Diamond Harrison, publisher of the Staten Island Advance and Alice B. Diamond, wife of the late Richard E. Diamond, former publisher of the Staten Island Advance.