Celebrate Independence Day at Mill Hill Historic Park!  The day will also include the annual “Let Freedom Ring” Bell Ringing Ceremony.

12:00pm – 1:30pm: Opening of the new exhibit “The History of Norwalk Schools: 1650 – 1870” in the one-room Downtown District Schoolhouse at Mill Hill Historic Park.  School Master Benedict will be leading lessons in penmanship with quill and ink, reading from the hornbook and arithmetic on slates! Kids & adults- experience school in 1826!

1:30pm – 2:15pm: Annual “Let Freedom Ring” National Bell Ringing Ceremony – The Town House bell will toll 13 times to commemorate the founding of the original 13 colonies. Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling will take part in the ceremony and selected sections of the Declaration of Independence will be read by Norwalk’s Town Clerk, Rick McQuaid.

2:15pm – “Heroes of the Battle of Norwalk” slide lectures by local historians and longtime Norwalk Historical Society Board Members, Ed & Madeleine Eckert. The contributions of Captain Stephen Betts and Black soldiers during the Battle of Norwalk which took place 240 years ago will be highlighted.

3:00pm – 4:00pm – Refreshments & self guided tours of the Governor Fitch Law Office, Colonial Herb Garden & “Preserving and Observing: Two Centuries of Norwalk Art”.