The 4th in Marblehead

A week from now, it will be the 4th of July..... a big deal here in Marblehead.  This town had a huge role in the American Revolution, and basically drove any Tories out for the duration.   Townsmen served with valor and were particularly noted for ferrying Washington's Army across the Delaware River at the Battle of Trenton.  
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The loss of manpower put the Town in dire economic straits for a considerable period after the war, and when Washington visited Marblehead a few years later, he noted the tired and dilapidated state of the homes and Town facilities.
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And those were the same homes that are found in Old Town today.
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The town was a hardworking fishing village in those times, and its people were noted for their independence as well as a liberal attitude to race issues that plagued other areas.   It was also irreligious based upon the standards of the time and didn't relate to the Puritanical nature of other New England communities.
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This past lingers in Marblehead, and the 4th of July seems to focus the present on a heritage that remains so prevalent and strong here.   We'll spend some time in Old Town and on the Harbor next week, and feel the effects of a storied past during the patriotic holiday.