6/28/26
It seems quite fitting with the July 4th holiday approaching that I am currently listening to Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom by Christopher S. Wren for the book discussion on Thurs 7/9 at 10:30 AM at Fletcher Memorial Library. The role of the Green Mtn Boys in the American Revolution is noted in great detail and I have already learned some surprising facts about the twist and turns on both sides. Please note that the Mount Holly Folk Club will perform a mix of favorite folk songs on the lawn of FML on Monday, July 6th from 4:30-6:30pm. Bring a chair or blanket and come enjoy the performance. It will be moved inside if the weather turns rainy.
Per Rejoice Sherry, Historic Site Regional Administrator, admission to Historic Site is Free on the 4th. The historic village of Plymouth Notch celebrates America’s 250th birthday and the 154th birthday of President Calvin Coolidge with a full day of activity jointly hosted by the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site and the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation. The museum and historic village opens for touring 10:00 a.m. There will not be fireworks, but you can catch them in Ludlow on the 4th and in Woodstock ($10 parking fee) on the 5th.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. America 250 Celebration to Take Place at President Coolidge’s Birthplace. Three-Day Event in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, to Feature Naturalization Ceremony, Orchestra Performance, Declaration Reading, Wreath-Laying, and National Debate Championship
PLYMOUTH NOTCH, Vt. — Americans from across the country will gather in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, July 2–4, 2026, as the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation host a major national celebration of America’s 250th anniversary at the birthplace and boyhood home of President Calvin Coolidge.
The three-day celebration, “America 250 at the Notch,” will bring together citizens from across the country for a unique observance of the Semiquincentennial at one of America’s best-preserved presidential sites. The event will feature civic ceremony, music, student debates, living-history performances, and opportunities for public participation, all centered on the enduring principles of the Declaration of Independence.
“To spend the Fourth of July with Calvin Coolidge is especially meaningful,” said Matthew Denhart, president of the Coolidge Foundation. “A century ago, President Coolidge led America’s 150th anniversary celebration and delivered what many regard as the finest modern speech on the Declaration of Independence, ‘The Inspiration of the Declaration.’ As our nation marks 250 years of independence, there is no better place to reflect on the meaning of citizenship and self-government than with Coolidge in Plymouth Notch.”
Throughout the celebration, visitors are invited to explore the historic village where Coolidge was born, raised, and sworn in as president in 1923. The events will also celebrate the birthday of Calvin Coolidge, the only president born on the Fourth of July.
Highlights include:
• Coolidge Cup National Speech & Debate Tournament (July 2–4) — Nearly 100 of the nation’s top high school students will gather in Plymouth Notch to compete in the Coolidge Cup National Championship. Students will debate questions of constitutional government and deliver historic speeches. Members of the public are invited to serve as citizen judges or attend rounds as spectators.
• America 250 Orchestra Evening (July 3, 6:00 p.m.) — A 26-piece orchestra conducted by John M. Masko will perform beloved American favorites, including marches by John Philip Sousa and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, complete with live cannon fire, courtesy of the Vermont Civil War Hemlocks. Guests are invited to bring picnic dinners and gather at the historic site for this tented performance. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are invited to bring a lawn-chair or blanket in the event of overflow seating.
• Naturalization Ceremony (July 4, 10:00 a.m.) — Experience one of America’s most moving civic traditions. Join us as 50 individuals take the Oath of Allegiance and become U.S. citizens in a public ceremony presided over by Judge Mary Kay Lanthier. A celebratory reception to welcome the new citizens will follow.
• Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 11:30 a.m.) — Vermont’s 80th governor, James Douglas, will lead visitors in a community reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Plymouth Notch Village Green, bringing Americans together to reflect on the principles that have guided the nation for 250 years.
• Ceremonial Procession and Wreath-Laying (July 4, Noon) — Members of the Vermont National Guard and the Coolidge family will lead a procession to the Coolidge gravesite, where a wreath sent by the White House will honor America’s 30th president. Direct descendants of Calvin and Grace Coolidge will read selections from Coolidge’s landmark speech, “The Inspiration of the Declaration.” Coolidge biographer and Foundation Chair Amity Shlaes and Vermont State Historic Preservation Officer Laura Trieschmann will offer remarks.
The celebration continues throughout the afternoon with a birthday party honoring both America and President Coolidge. Experience history come to life with captivating portrayals of Calvin Coolidge and John Adams, and cheer on the nation’s brightest young minds during the championship rounds of the Coolidge Cup National Speech & Debate Tournament.


