Every year our tiny Hamlet has a celebration called
Heritage Days! It is quite the to-do. It begins with a grand fireworks display. Gotta love the fireworks setting on my Canon camera!
Westernville was one home to General William Floyd - signer of the Declaration of Independence extraordinaire. Who is he you might ask? Well, William Floyd, was the first delegate from New York that signed the Declaration of Independence. He was appointment as a delegate from New-York to the first Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia on the fifth of September, 1774. You can read more on this
historic figure here.
The
General's home is a Historical Landmark and has been carefully restored. It provides the center for Heritage Days.
Westernville was, until recently, also home to a 5th generation descendant of William Floyd. This was a 2nd home that William Floyd never lived in. Sadly, this home and contents were actioned off just a week ago. The home was in the family for hundreds of years. I had the pleasure of going through the house and it was like stepping back in time to colonial days. There were items owned by William Floyd and newspaper clippings carefully framed that referenced the death of George Washington and so many more hidden treasures.
Getting back to Heritage Days, It is a weekend celebration of our history and where we came from. There is an encampment, reenactments, demonstrations and more!
We had visitors from Minnesota who commented on the old buildings in the area. That drove it home to me how lucky I am to live in New York ( except for the taxes :) . Here, we have so many reminders of the birth of our nation. Battles were fought here. Lives were built here that date back to our first freedoms. So we, here in our little hamlet, will continue to celebrate Heritage Days!
