Photo taken at the filming of the documentary, Resolved to Live and Die: The Revolutionary Roots of Southwest Virginia at the Willowbrook Jackson/Umberger Homestead Site in Wytheville.
A Salute to Southwest Virginia:
250th Anniversary of the Fincastle Resolutions
January 18 event marks Fincastle Resolutions, VA250 Mobile Museum Experience, VA250 Fanfare & special exhibits
Contact:
Mike Frontiero
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2025
RICHMOND, VA – Virginia will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Fincastle Resolutions on January 18, 2025, which marked the first time Americans declared that independence was a cause for which they were willing to give their lives, a sentiment famously echoed two months later by Patrick Henry.
To honor this milestone, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) will host a special event titled “A Salute to Southwest Virginia” at the O. Winston Link & Roanoke History Museum. The event will feature a variety of exhibits and activities, including the launch of the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience and a dynamic, new “VA250 Fanfare” composed by Broadway Music Director and Arranger David Chase and performed by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
On January 20, 1775, fifteen Virginia frontiersmen gathered in present-day Wythe County to endorse a bold declaration supporting the Continental Congress and initiating a boycott of British trade. These courageous individuals, known as the Fincastle Resolutions signatories, were the first Americans to openly defy British tyranny. Their actions inspired Patrick Henry’s iconic “Liberty or Death” speech and ultimately fueled the American Revolution.
“These were strong-willed folks who really did not like being told what to do,” said Eric Monday, a VA250 Commission member and historian with deep roots in Southern Virginia. “They had come to the frontier because they wanted to be free to choose where and how to live and worship. By 1775 they were ready to live and die for their liberty, and they put that in writing so that everyone — King and country — would know. That defiant frontier spirit lives on in the people of Southwest Virginia today.”
By the end of 1775, the Royal Governor had fled Virginia, and the following year, the 13 colonies declared independence. Virginia played a crucial role in the formation of the United States of America, and the legacy of the Fincastle Resolutions continues to inspire generations.
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Event Details:
Title: “A Salute to Southwest Virginia: 250th Anniversary of the Fincastle Resolutions”
Date: January 18, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: O. Winston Link & Roanoke History Museum
101 Shenandoah Ave NE, Roanoke, VA, 24016
The event will be livestreamed
Patriotic musical performances by:
Event highlights:
- Master of Ceremonies: Joe Dashiell, Senior Reporter for WDBJ7
- Flag presentation by the Virginia SAR Color Guard
- Reenactment of William Christian delivering the Fincastle Resolutions to Williamsburg on horseback
- Dramatic reading of the Fincastle Resolutions by local students
- Keynote remarks by VA250 National Honorary Chair Carly Fiorina
- Grand opening of three new exhibits at the Roanoke History Museum
- Ribbon-cutting ceremony and official debut of the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience
- Free and family-friendly
About VA250
Established in 2020 to commemorate Virginia’s role in the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) aims to form a more perfect union by educating Virginians about their history and civic duty and sharing diverse narratives that capture Virginia’s complete story and role in shaping the nation.
High resolution image (Photo credit: Lisa Fenderson, Blue Ridge PBS
