Page 34 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 53 Early Spring 2025

Powder House Day

Re-enactment on April 12th

by Bob Beaumont
On April 12th at 1 PM, the Walling- is of this re-enactment, and why demand. Arnold shouted, ‘No one
ford Historical Society is sponsor- Wallingford. but Almighty God shall prevent my
ing the Second Company Gover- marching,’ thus, persuading them
nor’s Foot Guard’s Powder House Well, on April 21, 1775 news and to give him the keys, enabling him
Day Re-enactment beginning at a call for help reached Wallingford to claim the powder, ball, and flint,
the Parsons House at 180 South and New Haven of the Battles of and march to the aid of their broth-
Main Street. The 2CGFG and their Lexington and Concord. The fol- ers in arms in Boston.”
entourage will march to the First lowing day, April 22nd, Captain
Congregational Church for the Rev. Benedict Arnold and 58 men of the Later that day, the 2CGFG passed
Jonathan Edwards to bless the Guard in full dress, having vowed along the original Boston Post
troops and thence march to the to march to Cambridge to assist Road (Route 5) through Walling-
Town Hall to demand the Keys to their fellow patriots, marched ford and into our Meriden Parish,
the Powder House from the First across the New Haven Green to the where, because they were wearing
Selectman. At the end of the cere- First Church on the Green. “The red uniforms, similar to the Brit-
mony, there will be an open house Rev. Jonathan Edwards gave them ish, they were fired upon by some
until 4:30 PM at the Parsons House his blessing before they marched of the local men before they were
with a display of the history of the to Beers Tavern to demand of the able to identify themselves as the
2CGFG. Selectmen the keys to the King’s Foot Guard, and true patriots.
powder house. The Selectmen
You might ask what the relevance were reluctant to yield to Arnold’s This being the 250th anniversary of

34 Wallingford Magazine - Early Spring 2025