Page 62 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 54 Late Spring 2025

define future democracies. He rode
to Annapolis, where the Congress was
meeting and dramatically handed back
his commission as Commander in Chief.
King George, hearing that Washington
intend- ed to return to private life rath-
er than take power into his own hands,
declared, “If he does that, he will be-
come the greatest man in the world.”

Washington did attempt retirement,
but we know, of course, that Wash-
ing- ton was called back into service
to become the first President. At that
point, it was still not clear to the ex-col-
onists whether this was to be a unified
nation or a loose confederation. Wash-
ington was a strong nationalist and
understood that he himself was the
visible symbol of a unified nation. He
embarked on a tour of the country in
1789, to serve as a rallying point. The
tour included a second visit to Walling-
ford and to the Carrington Tavern. That
gave Wallingford its small but real role
in the creation of the first democratic
nation-state.

On June 14
The Wallingford Historical Society,
Wallingford Elks Lodge # 1365, and
the Wallingford Public Celebrations
Committee will mark the 250th
anniversary of Washington’s visit
with these events.

June 11
• 7pm: Talk at the Wallingford
Library by Sichan Siv, former
Ambassador to the UN on the
meaning of Washington for today.

June 14

• 10 am: Town Hall Steps, Elks
annual Flag Day celebration.
• 11 am: Washington Ceremony
begins, outside Michael’s Trattoria
• 11:20 am: Meeting at North Elm
and Christian
• 12 am: Final Stop at Royce House

62 WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE - LATE SPRING 2025