Reading marks Independence Day in Tiverton

TIVERTON — As people drove into the parking lot of Grinnell’s Beach to spend part of their Fourth of July on the sand, the park nearby with the World War I Doughboy statue started to fill up with those who would kick off their holiday by taking part in the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Resident Susan Anderson started the practice in 2012. Every July 4 at 9 a.m. she welcomes a crowd and gives attendees turns reading from the declaration that was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, but not formally voted upon until August of that year.

Anderson said she didn’t want the significance of the holiday to be overshadowed by fireworks, parties and barbecues.

“I just felt like it needed to be done ... especially after 9/11,” Anderson said. “I felt people needed to know the reason why we fought for our freedom from tyranny ... and what better way than to read the Declaration of Independence in public with everyone reading a part of it?”

Some have come nearly every year, but others, like the Geiger family, were riding their bicycles past the beach when they came upon the gathering and stopped.

“We’re happy to step in and help,” Jim Geiger said as he and his children — Grace, James and Kaitlyn — stood on the grass practicing reading through the passages they were assigned to read aloud when the time came.

June Parks held a large American flag throughout the event. She stood by the World War I Doughboy statue that has a plaque with the names of those from town who served their country during that time.

The names of her father, Holder Manchester, and uncle, Horace Waite, are on it, she said.

“It’s important to show our support for the USA,” Parks said of taking part in the July 4 event, “and the flag and for what it stands for.”

Just up the hill, on Highland Road, is Fort Barton, where Revolutionary War soldiers had a fortification that overlooked the ferry crossing between Aquidneck Island and Tiverton. The ferry landing, next to what is now Grinnell’s Beach, was a launching point during the Battle of Rhode Island.

It’s also from where American revolutionaries left to plan and then execute a midnight raid of British headquarters in Portsmouth and the capture of British General Richard Prescott in July 1777.

“Tiverton is so full of history,” said Sally Black, who was dressed from foot to mask in red, white and blue.

She didn’t need the hand-sized book Anderson handed out with copies of the declaration in it to recite some of it.

“We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor,” Black said of the ending of the declaration. “That means we all come together and do whatever it takes to make things work.”

Anderson spends a few minutes before the reading every year to remark about other memorable events throughout our history, including the first America’s Cup race in 1930 and Rhode Islander Claudine Schneider being the first woman elected to Congress in 1980.

In 1950, the Pocasset School was built, which was also the year Hostess Twinkies and Scotch Tape were invented, said Anderson.

“2020 will go down in history because of the pandemic,” she said speaking through her face mask of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of the reading of the declaration, the crowd joined Anderson in singing God Bless America. She also offered a prayer.

Jim Spears and wife Alita Marks usually spend July 4 with family in the lakes region of New York, but stayed put this year because of COVID-19.

“It seemed like the thing to do,” Spears said of attending and taking part in the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Marks, who was wearing red, white and blue star earrings, said she hasn’t been many places since the pandemic began, but said of this event: “It’s a good thing to do on the Fourth of July.”

Kathy Quinley said she’s been coming to the event every year.

“I think it’s important to remember the people who have gone before us and in their own way have helped us become independent,” said Quinley. “It’s given other people the opportunity to have the freedom we’ve had.”