July 4 Celebration Follows Declaration of Independence Reading

BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON

From the vibrant red, white and blue attire dotting the Courthouse Green to the rich echoes of fireworks, Edenton’s celebrated the United State’s 249th birthday with a week-long celebration culminating in a day’s worth of activities that were equal parts patriotic and personal.

Videos and photos of the day’s events are found throughout this story.

Held July 4 beneath clear Carolina skies, the July 4 celebration kicked off with the 26th annual reading of the Declaration of Independence, hosted by the Edenton Tea Party Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The event featured the traditional reading of the Declaration of Independence and a moving historical portrayal of Edenton’s own Joseph Hewes — a signer of that very document. The program also recognized the 250th anniversary of Edenton’s Unanimity Lodge No. 7, a Masonic lodge with deep roots in the Revolutionary era.

“This is the most beautiful picture,” said event co-chair Beth Taylor, gesturing to the crowd. “So many dressed in red, all the way to the courthouse. It is beautiful.”

A Ceremony Worthy of Recognition

The Edenton Tea Party NSDAR’s Independence Day program has consistently drawn praise — and hardware. Chapter Regent Bonnie Henn announced that last year’s event won first place nationally among NSDAR chapters for best Independence Day celebration. It was the sixth year that we have placed first, second, or third in the nation.

The ceremony brought together community organizations, history enthusiasts, and descendants of American patriots. American Legion Post 40 presented the colors, and Rev. Dr. Koby Strawser of Edenton Baptist Church offered a prayer, thanking God for a nation “in which all are embraced simply because every individual within our borders is created in your image.”

Honoring Freemasons and the 250th Anniversary of Unanimity Lodge

This year, special recognition was given to Unanimity Lodge No. 7, which will mark its 250th anniversary this November. The lodge’s historical influence was evident in both its past membership and present-day service.

“As we mark the birth of our great nation, it is fitting to reflect on the institutions that helped shape its early character,” said Worshipful Master Mark Donahue. “Institutions like Freemasonry and lodges like ours.”

Founded in 1775, the lodge once held meetings at the King’s Arms Tavern — where the Hotel Hinton now stands — before moving into the courthouse behind the green and, later, to its current building at the corner of South Oakum and East Water Street. Members like Joseph Hewes were part of a brotherhood that valued liberty, truth, and community service.

After laying a wreath of real flowers — a first for the event, the lodge invited the public for guided tours and, as Donahue joked, air conditioning.

A Voice from the Past: Joseph Hewes Returns to Edenton

Perhaps the most memorable portion of the program came when the crowd was transported back to 1779 through the words of Joseph Hewes, portrayed in period costume by a local historian, Richard F. Mayer.

“I’m glad I had this opportunity to meet with you and to provide this overview,” the character of Hewes said before stepping out of the 18th century to offer a somber epilogue.

Born in New Jersey in 1730, Hewes moved to Edenton in 1754, where he established a thriving mercantile business with Charles Worth Blount and George Blair. His public service included justice of the peace, shipbuilder, and legislator — but it was his role as a delegate to the Continental Congress that defined his legacy.

Hewes recounted arduous horseback journeys to Philadelphia, sleepless nights crafting naval legislation with John Adams, and the personal toll of public service. He was a key advocate for the Halifax Resolves and one of 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, adding North Carolina’s voice to the call for liberty.

Though gravely ill by 1779, Hewes made one final trip to Congress. He died in Philadelphia on November 10 of that year, and his fellow delegates honored him with a formal funeral and a month of mourning. Today, a stone tablet at Christ Church Cemetery bears his name.

“Joseph Hewes was an unselfish, committed patriot who put service to his country ahead of his personal well-being,” Mayer said. “It is altogether fitting and proper that we remember and honor him this Independence Day — 249 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”

Reading the Declaration Anew

In a moment that connected the past and present, Jonathan Tobias, a theology professor and direct descendant of Edenton native and Revolutionary War soldier Malachi Cooke, delivered a stirring reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Surrounded by volunteers in colonial dress and attendees fanning themselves in the July heat, Tobias gave life to Thomas Jefferson’s words, reminding all gathered why the day is sacred.

Next year, the Edenton Tea Party Chapter will celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence — a milestone years in the making.

“This community knows how to honor history,” Henn said. “And we’re just getting started.”

For the family

The Chowan‑Edenton Optimist Club annual Fabulous 4th of July Celebration featured activities for the young and the young at heart at Colonial Waterfront Park in downtown Edenton, and 2025 was no exception.

This year’s celebration kicked off early in the morning on Friday, July 4, 2025, with a fun-filled lineup including a historic scavenger hunt, watermelon-seed spitting contest, watermelon eating contest, a lively car show organized by the club, family-friendly Independence Day activities, and a spirited golf cart and bike parade winding through downtown.

Later in the day, Police Chief David LaFon noted that the police had not received reports of any major incidents, except for a few fender-benders.

As the day progressed, boats from all across the Albemarle Sound settled in Edenton Bay securing their spot to watch fireworks. Visitors saved spots along the waterfront, at least three hours early in some cases, for the grand finale, a spectacular fireworks display. The show was made possible thanks to generous support from local businesses and private donors, who rallied behind the event to ensure a memorable evening for the community . The fireworks illuminated Edenton Bay in a dazzling display that drew cheers, applause, and an unmistakable sense of local pride.