Listing of local and state resources commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Mansfield Public Library
Tories, Spies, & Traitors: Divided Loyalty in Revolutionary Connecticut
June 23, 2026, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM, Buchanan Auditorium
Which side are you on? That’s the question that every single person in Connecticut had to answer in 1775, as the thirteen colonies began a rebellion against British rule. Loyalty was not only a matter of words or opinion. For soldiers and civilians alike, loyalty could mean loss of fortune, of friends, and even of life. This presentation reveals stories— some well-known, some obscure— of Nutmeggers who risked and sacrificed to support their chosen side.
About the presenter: Natalie Belanger is the Public Programs Manager at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History. She holds a B.A. in history from Smith College and an M.A. in women’s history from the University of Maryland. She has worked in museum education for most of her career, and teaches history courses at CT State Community College.
The Columbia Histoical Society, Living History
June 27, 2026 between 3:30 and 5:30 at Recreation Park, Columbie CT. Part of the 250th Family Fun Day.
The Columbia Historical Society/250th committee are hosting a two hour living history presentation by re-enactor Drew Shuptar-Rayvis. This event is entitled “Loyalty and Zeal: Algonkians of the Revolution 1774-1783.”
Join Drew Shuptar- Rayvis, citizen of the Pocomoke Indian Nation, to honor the contributions, struggles and sacrifices made by Algonkian peoples during the War of American Independence. Explore the unique material culture and trade of Algonkian and Iroquoian people during the Revolution. Navigate the complex political paths of patriotism, Toryism and neutrality trod by Algonkian and Iroquoian people as they worked to preserve their way of life in the face of overwhelming odds. Consider both the devastation of the Sullivan Campaign and the contributions to the shape of history made by numerous Algonkian people, both patriot and loyalist.
If you have questions, contact Judy Ortiz at 860 208-9881 or visit the Columbia Historical Society website.
Town of Mansfield 250
https://www.mansfieldct.gov/america250
Mansfield Public Library
https://mansfieldpubliclibraryct.org/calendar.aspx?CID=27
Programming at the Benton Mueseum
https://benton.uconn.edu/encounters-with-the-collection-exploring-america-at-250
Storrs Downtown Partnership
https://www.downtownstorrs.org