Montgomery County 250th Commission to Host Kick-Off Event

250 Years of Freedom: Liberty Day & Pole Raising

FONDA — As the nation gears up to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, Montgomery County’s 250th Commission is proud to host “250 Years of Freedom: Liberty Day & Pole Raising” on Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will take place at the Saint Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine and Historic Site, 3636 Route 5, Fonda, New York.

These historic grounds were the site of a pivotal moment in American history. In 1775, more than 300 local “rebels” gathered at the home of Johannes Veeder to denounce British rule and raise a liberty pole—a public declaration of support for the Patriot cause. The Veeder family, which included Col. Volkert Veeder and state legislators Johannes Veeder and Simon Veeder, owned the land on which the shrine now stands for much of the 18th and 19th centuries.

This family-friendly event will include a ceremonial liberty pole raising and reenactment at 1 p.m., live music, 18th-century games, craft vendors, and tours of the museum and grounds. Curbside Catering and Eisenadler Brauhaus will also be on site.

While on the grounds, visitors can explore the National Register of Historic Places-listed Caughnawaga excavation site—the only fully excavated Iroquois/Haudenosaunee village in the world—as well as the Native American Museum.

The commission is also proud to host the opening of historical fine artist Mark Maritato’s solo exhibition, featuring 16 original oil paintings from his Valley Forge series. The exhibition will run from May 17 through Oct. 31 at the Caughnawaga-Veeder Museum, located at the Saint Kateri Shrine

“Events like Liberty Day give us a chance to highlight the incredible history we have here in Montgomery County. It’s always great to see people come out, learn something new, and enjoy everything our community has to offer,” Montgomery County Executive Pete Vroman said.

“We look forward to commemorating this significant milestone in our nation’s history with an event reenacting an incident that agitated the conflict among the residents of Tryon County, the geographical area to become Montgomery County, weeks after the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  It is the goal of the Montgomery County 250^th Commission to provide a better understanding through programming at our local historic sites and organizations and events such as the Liberty Pole raising, the role that the residents of this area played in shaping a new nation,” Montgomery County Historian Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar said.