CULPEPER, Va.—By 7:15 a.m., the onsite preparations for the 5K race have begun at the parking lot of the Baptist Church on South West Street. Nearby, on Davis Street and in front of the train station, muscle cars, classics and a few bikers line up for registration packages for the annual car and bike show.
Revving engines as hundreds of horsepower come to life. Pristine paint jobs. Glistening chrome fenders. There is much prepping and primping by proud owners as they wipe away any hint of fingerprints or dust.
A flame red Mustang 1988 GT. A turquoise 1953 Ford Truck. Camaros. Challengers. Bel Airs. VW beetles.
Hours later, at 1 p.m. under the branches of an oak tree by the courthouse, about 70 of us gathered for “An Invitation to Patriots.”
Historical figures in waistcoats, breeches and tricorn hats and local dignitaries spoke about the importance of this 249th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 250th anniversary of the Minutemen Muster.
They reflected on the courage to break from tyranny, reminded us all that freedom comes with a price, stressed the importance of individuals and communities and echoed our hopes to continue to make changes for the betterment of all.
Most meaningful for me was the reading of the Declaration of Independence—the reminder of our unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and of the government to protect these rights and freedoms.
We celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4th. John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers, wrote his wife Abigail about commemorating this event with solemnity and celebration.
News of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence did not reach Culpeper until early August 1776. Although such a document represented quite an accomplishment, much work remained—the recognition of freedom for slaves, Indigenous tribes and women.
James Madison's Montpelier and slave quarters
We’ve come so far. We have hope and resolve to work together to maintain our freedoms.
Happy 4th of July!
Works Cited
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, “Had a Declaration…” [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/. Accessed 7/02/25.
Heather Cox Richardson, July 3, 2025. “Letters from an American.” https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQbfxlFFjbrFgTWLdrxsqkGMlCL. Accessed 7/04/25.
