While the Rochester Historical Society will be celebrating the semiquincentennial throughout 2026, a high point was certainly joining in Freedom Bells on this past Saturday. We had good attendance at the museum even with the hot temperatures. Several people came early to try their hand at ringing the bell. They received Freedom Bells certificates to mark their participation.
I’ve already expressed my thanks to Col. Briggs and Wendy and Russ Keeler for their assistance with the bell ringer and I need to again. As we approached noon, the bell rope for the museum bell began to have issues. My first thought was “Oh, no. what will we do?”
Then I realized that all the help I needed was on hand. Russ and Wendy headed up into the attic and Col. Briggs backed his trailer with the church bell float into the driveway. Noon came and a duet of 13 bell tolls rang out as Wendy rang the bell in the belfry by hand and Col. Briggs rang the bell on the float. Several people around the museum vigorously rang the bells that they had brought. Bell ringing accomplished, I handed out certificates and ice cream cups.
To paraphrase what one of the participants said, ” It was great to do something that really honored the true meaning of the day”. Going forward we have to appreciate the risks that the Founding Fathers took when they signed the Declaration of Independence and the risks taken by the Rochester residents who vowed to defend them with their “Lives & Fortunes”.
By Connie Eshbach
