Gaspee Days Committee
Encyclopedia
The Gaspee Days Committee is a civic-minded, nonprofit organization that operates many community events in and around Pawtuxet Village
, including the famous Gaspee Days Parade each June. These events are all designed to commemorate the 1772 burning of the hated British revenue schooner, , by Rhode Island patriots as America's ‘First Blow for Freedom' TM.
The first recorded celebration of the Gaspee Affair
was in 1774 near Williamsburg, Virginia
where George Washington
himself related in his diary that he spent 3s.9d. to see the fireworks in celebration of the second anniversary of the burning of the Gaspee.
Participants in the raid on the Gaspee were fêted annually in parades throughout Rhode Island until all had died by the year 1841. Large celebrations took place in Rhode Island for several years surrounding the 100th anniversary of the burning of the Gaspee. The trademarked motto of the Gaspee Days Committee, America's "First Blow for Freedom" TM is taken from teacup and saucer sets sold at these events. Sporadic observances of the Gaspee burning have formed a hit-or-miss pattern, the last known parade previous to the formation of the modern Gaspee Days Committee took place around 1907.
The present Gaspee Days Committee was formed in 1965 to ensure a fitting commemoration to the 200th anniversary of the Gaspee Affair. Among the founding members were local historians and community activists, such as David Stackhouse and Hazel Wade Kennedy, both of whom were also involved in the establishment of Pawtuxet Village as a historic district.
The Gaspee Days Parade and celebrations have been a continuous, annual event since 1966, and in the year 2012 mark the 47th such observance. Generations of Rhode Island citizens crowd Pawtuxet Village for the Parade and other Gaspee Days festivities each year. Every effort has been made to provide a schedule that is both entertaining and informative to all ages. Foremost is the desire to acquaint the public with an event that is as much a part of our national heritage as Paul Revere
's ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord
. The burning of the Gaspee was the first link in the chain of events that led directly to America's Declaration of Independence
.
The Committee has been the recipient of the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation, and the first Certificate of Merit from the Rhode Island Bicentennial Commission. Gaspee Days has been listed by Discover America as one of the top twenty tourist attractions in the United States. The Gaspee Days Committee was the subject of a recent front page feature (above the fold
, even) in the prestigious Wall Street Journal.
Each annual Gaspee Days Parade is the result of a year-long planning process by many dedicated volunteers of the Gaspee Days Committee. Current projected cost of production for the Gaspee Days Parade is $40,000. Necessary funds for the Parade are raised throughout the year with fee revenue generated by the Memorial Weekend Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival, other fundraising events, and public and private donations.
The mission of the Gaspee Days Committee is not solely found in the celebrations it is best known for. The Committee also helps to acknowledge the importance of the Gaspee Affair in the independence movement that led to the American Revolutionary War
. The Gaspee Days Committee operates the Gaspee Virtual Archives, an extensive on-line resource for historical research regarding the burning of the Gaspee.
Pawtuxet Village
Pawtuxet Village is a section of the towns of Warwick and Cranston, Rhode Island. It is located at the point where the Pawtuxet River flows into the Providence River and Narragansett Bay.- History :...
, including the famous Gaspee Days Parade each June. These events are all designed to commemorate the 1772 burning of the hated British revenue schooner, , by Rhode Island patriots as America's ‘First Blow for Freedom' TM.
The first recorded celebration of the Gaspee Affair
Gaspée Affair
The Gaspée Affair was a significant event in the lead-up to the American Revolution. The HMS Gaspée, a British customs schooner that had been enforcing unpopular trade regulations, ran aground in shallow water on June 9, 1772, near what is now known as Gaspee Point in the city of Warwick, Rhode...
was in 1774 near Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
where George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
himself related in his diary that he spent 3s.9d. to see the fireworks in celebration of the second anniversary of the burning of the Gaspee.
Participants in the raid on the Gaspee were fêted annually in parades throughout Rhode Island until all had died by the year 1841. Large celebrations took place in Rhode Island for several years surrounding the 100th anniversary of the burning of the Gaspee. The trademarked motto of the Gaspee Days Committee, America's "First Blow for Freedom" TM is taken from teacup and saucer sets sold at these events. Sporadic observances of the Gaspee burning have formed a hit-or-miss pattern, the last known parade previous to the formation of the modern Gaspee Days Committee took place around 1907.
The present Gaspee Days Committee was formed in 1965 to ensure a fitting commemoration to the 200th anniversary of the Gaspee Affair. Among the founding members were local historians and community activists, such as David Stackhouse and Hazel Wade Kennedy, both of whom were also involved in the establishment of Pawtuxet Village as a historic district.
The Gaspee Days Parade and celebrations have been a continuous, annual event since 1966, and in the year 2012 mark the 47th such observance. Generations of Rhode Island citizens crowd Pawtuxet Village for the Parade and other Gaspee Days festivities each year. Every effort has been made to provide a schedule that is both entertaining and informative to all ages. Foremost is the desire to acquaint the public with an event that is as much a part of our national heritage as Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
's ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...
. The burning of the Gaspee was the first link in the chain of events that led directly to America's Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
.
The Committee has been the recipient of the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation, and the first Certificate of Merit from the Rhode Island Bicentennial Commission. Gaspee Days has been listed by Discover America as one of the top twenty tourist attractions in the United States. The Gaspee Days Committee was the subject of a recent front page feature (above the fold
Above the fold
"Above the fold" is a graphic design concept that refers to the location of an important news story or a visually appealing photograph on the upper half of the front page of a newspaper, or in case of webpages, the part of a page that's visible without scrolling. Most papers are delivered and...
, even) in the prestigious Wall Street Journal.
Each annual Gaspee Days Parade is the result of a year-long planning process by many dedicated volunteers of the Gaspee Days Committee. Current projected cost of production for the Gaspee Days Parade is $40,000. Necessary funds for the Parade are raised throughout the year with fee revenue generated by the Memorial Weekend Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival, other fundraising events, and public and private donations.
The mission of the Gaspee Days Committee is not solely found in the celebrations it is best known for. The Committee also helps to acknowledge the importance of the Gaspee Affair in the independence movement that led to the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The Gaspee Days Committee operates the Gaspee Virtual Archives, an extensive on-line resource for historical research regarding the burning of the Gaspee.