MIDDLESEX–The annual Urbanna Founders Day on Saturday, Aug. 5, will feature a reenactment debate between “Patrick Henry” (Richard Schumann) and “Thomas Jefferson” (Kurt Benjamin Smith) on the separation of church and state.
The debate is set for 11 a.m. at Urbanna Baptist Church at 121 Watling St. in Urbanna. Schumann and Smith are both performing interpreters for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Middlesex County and Urbanna citizens were strongly involved in America’s 18th century Great Religious Awakening that pitted the local Anglican Church against the arrival of Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and other denominations.
In 1771, the Urbanna jail housed several Baptists for their defiance of the English law for “carrying on a (religious) meeting against the authority of the land.” This type of religious split encouraged the American founding fathers to write into law protection of religious freedoms for all and separation of church and state.
The celebration of Urbanna Founders Day will also feature Luna, the Colonial Seaport Foundation’s (CSF) 1768 replica of the Virginia two-mast sailing sloop. The boat will be moored at the Town of Urbanna marina. CSF will offer a historical presentation of colonial maritime life.
The Deltaville Maritime Museum’s 17th century replica of the shallop Explorer will be located at the intersection corner of Virginia and Cross streets. Anas Todkill (William “Willie” Balderson) who arrived in Virginia in 1607 as a servant of Capt. John Martin and was one of a handful of colonists listed as having gone with Captain John Smith on most of his explorations of the region will be on hand for a reenactment explaining the significance of Smith’s early exploration of the Chesapeake Bay.
Balderson is the director of Living History and Trades for the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation where for the past 29 years archaeological excavations have revealed the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America — and the recovery of more than four million artifacts.
Also, the historic town colonial building Lansdowne on Virginia Street will be open to the public for tours. Lansdowne, circa 1740s, was once owned by Dr. Arthur Lee, who along with Benjamin Franklin signed the Revolutionary War’s treaty of alliance between France which brought the French into the war on the side of the colonists. There will also be a children’s story time at Lansdowne and a special children’s tour at 1:30 p.m.
The town’s 18th century former Middlesex County courthouse building, now the Middlesex County Woman’s Club building at 202 Virginia St., will also be open for tours. Urbanna was the county seat of Middlesex County from 1748 to 1852 when the present historic courthouse building in Saluda was completed.
Schedule of events:
• 10:15 a.m. — Town Crier invites all to celebrate and a fife and drum corps performs at the Woman’s Club on Virginia Street.
• 10:25-10:35 a.m. — Fifers and drummers and all march to the historic Baptist Church (UBC) on Watling Street.
• 10:35-10:55 a.m. — Balladeer performs at UBC.
• 11 a.m.-noon — Town Historian Larry Chowning welcomes all and introduces a debate on Separation of Church and State between “Thomas Jefferson” and “Patrick Henry” at UBC.
• Noon — Town Crier, fifers and drummers march to the center of town to launch events throughout the day. Celebrants follow.
• 12:30-3 p.m. — Lansdowne open for tours, plus children’s story time and special children’s tours at 1:30 p.m.
• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Scottish Factor Store Museum is open, with refreshments, Mitchell Map presentation, and docents.
• 18th century replica colonial trading sloop Luna is open for tours at the town marina.
• 17th century replica Explorer open for tours at the intersection of Virginia and Cross streets.
• “Anas Todkill,” who traveled with Captain John Smith, tells of his early 17th-century adventures at his encampment near the Explorer.
• 18th century historic courthouse, now the Middlesex County Woman’s Club on Virginia Street, is open for tours.
For information, email Peni.roberts@verizon.net.
