New Exhibit Homes In On Orleans’ Role In American Revolution

ORLEANS – The inside of Hurd Chapel tells a story. Not just one of a revolution that gave birth to the American experiment, but the Lower Cape’s role in the storied conflict.

 We all know about Paul Revere’s ride, the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Bunker Hill. But “Celebrating 250 Years of America,” a new exhibit curated and hosted by the Orleans Historical Society, delves deeper into the American Revolution to shine a light on lesser known stories with ties to the region.

 An opening reception was held at the chapel June 27, and the exhibit will run through the end of August.

 “The town of Orleans did not necessarily have anything specific going on other than the Fourth of July parade,” said Bill Wibel, a historical society board member who worked to curate the exhibit. “It’s incumbent on us as the historical society, clearly, to both represent the country as well as the local impact.”

 Wibel said the society has in excess of 6,000 pieces of historical ephemera in its archives, the bulk of which he said has been collected over the years through donations. Significant time was spent sorting through the archives, as well as his own personal collection of material, to help shape the exhibit.

 Inside, space is dedicated to local luminaries such as Mercy Otis Warren, the Barnstable-based playwright and activist whose writings proved pivotal during the revolution. The exhibit includes letters written between herself and John Adams during the Revolution, as well as a bust of Warren’s face.

Elsewhere, a copy of a navigational map designed by Isaac Snow during his imprisonment by the British sits on display, as do artifacts from Joshua Crosby, the local seaman who fought aboard the USS Constitution during the War of 1812. Both the Snow and Crosby properties still stand in town today and are open for visitation.

 “They still exist,” said Jay Stradal, the historical society’s chair. “You can go see them. Even though we’re talking a couple of centuries ago, to have that kind of history and longevity here is just fascinating.”

 In sorting through materials and preparing the exhibit, Stradal said choices had to be made about what to highlight and what stories to tell. He said the exhibit showcases the Revolution from a number of perspectives. Those include from the viewpoint of African Americans and Native Americans, who were seeking their own personal freedom; women of the time who were trying to break free of their subservient roles under British rule; and the soldiers, approximately 3,000 of which fought from the Cape and Islands.

 “All were patriots because they were united by the idea of ‘We don’t like King George and what he’s doing to us.’ But they were fighting for different reasons, in many respects,” he said.

 Wibel also said an effort was made to reflect life on the Lower Cape in the years between the Revolution and the War of 1812. The exhibit also includes “annals” of life in Orleans later in 1859.

 “For people who want to just stand and look, it talks about different dates between those two wars,” he said. “What was going on in town, who was the teacher, all of that.”

 The exhibit also touches upon the famed Battle of Rock Harbor in December 1814 and features artifacts, such as a note from British Captain Richard Raggett to the Cape communities demanding ransom that most, but not all, towns gave in and paid.

“Orleans and Brewster refused to pay the ransom, but everyone else did,” Stradal said. 

Exploring Orleans’ ties to the broader Revolutionary conflict served as a reminder of the interconnected nature of history, creating an ongoing narrative that continues today.

“My mother gave me a story at an early age,” he said. “She said ‘When I was young, I sat on the lap of a man who sat on the lap of Lincoln.’ And I have never forgotten that, the transition from generation to generation and story to story.”

The exhibit also serves as a posthumous tribute to the late Bonnie Snow. A historical society member for decades, Snow died June 19 at the age of 88.

Stradal called Snow “the heart and soul” of the historical society, and Orleans’ “de facto town historian.”

“She was able to see it when we first set it up,” he said. “She was really very excited about it, so I’m glad she got a chance to see it.”

Preparing the exhibit also gave historical society members a chance to ponder the meaning of America’s impending 250th anniversary. Wibel recalled attending a recent hearing in town hall that he said reinforced what America is all about.

“What it represents to me is this freedom to have a contrary opinion and not be terribly subject to ridicule,” he said.

For Stradal, the semiquincentennial serves as a testament to America’s resilience.

“For me, it’s the birth of an idea that we’re still pursuing, as perfect or as imperfect as it is,” he said.

“Celebrating 250 Years of America” is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hurd Chapel at 3 River Rd. Admission is free.