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300 and Counting
There are many celebrations, reenactments, and commemorations in historic Edenton. It seems like some building is having a birthday every month! This month we’re reenacting the Edenton Tea Party, and commemorating the 1819 visit by President James Monroe who was greeted with a 21-gun salute, a huge dinner party, and a Presidential Ball.
A traveling exhibit prepared by the museum studies students at the U. of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, commemorating President Monroe’s southern tour is located in the Historic Edenton Visitor’s Center. The exhibit opened March 15 and will be there until April 26.
Friday and Saturday of this week the 49th Edenton Pilgrimage will be including those events and more. Saturday evening is the formal dinner and ball. Period clothing or formal attire is acceptable, there will be dancing, with lessons in 18th century ballroom dancing, music by a musical historian, and of course, President James Monroe will be in attendance. This will take place in the old Courthouse.
What fun to be the fly-on-the-wall and relive history for an evening of elegance. Can you hear the rustle of taffeta and the soft leather shuffle on the old wooden floor? And that grand old dame of a courthouse, looks pretty darn good for her age.