Ken Odor
A group of travel writers examine the gentlemen’s game room above during a stop at Patrick Henry’s home at Scotchtown in western Hanover last week.

“Road to Revolution” leads through Hanover

Apr 17, 2008

A tour of the area’s Revolutionary War historic sites, organized by The Road to Revolution Heritage Trail project.

“It was an eye-opener for the both of us,” said photographer Evelyn Shih, who works for The Record newspaper in Bergen, New Jersey.

She and her co-worker Terecille Basa-Ong were among the more than 20 newspaper and travel magazine writers who signed up for a tour of the area’s Revolutionary War historic sites, organized by The Road to Revolution Heritage Trail project.

The group’s tour began last Thursday when they viewed a reenactment of Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech at historic St. John’s Church in Richmond.

After dinner Del. Chris Peace led them on a night time tour of the State Capitol.

Friday the group visited Hanover Courthouse for a reenactment of Henry’s Parson’s Cause case, viewed the historic Polegreen Church site, Hanover Tavern, and wound up their excursion with a tour of Patrick Henry’s home at Scotchtown.

“I hadn’t realized how focused it was,” said Shih. “It was all about the life of Patrick Henry. It gave us a lot more detail.”

At Scotchtown docent Debbie Pellman guided half the group on a tour of the restored home. Henry moved there in with his wife Sarah and their five children in 1771. A sixth child was born there. The tour included the basement bedroom where Henry’s wife Sarah Henry spent much of her time after beginning to show signs of mental illness. She died there in 1775.

Henry rode from Scotchtown to deliver the “Liberty or Death’” speech at St. John’s Church.

Scotchtown was purchased by the American Society for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in 1958. It has been the site of extensive archaeological research and much of the building has been restored.

“What you didn’t have before is a trail focusing on the Revolution,” said Del. Peace during a break at Scotchtown. “There is a plethora of sites in Hanover.”

Peace said he favored more marketing of the historic sites in Hanover and the surrounding area.

“For every dollar invested there is a four dollar return,” he said.

“The return is there if people have the vision to invest.”

New Jersey reporter Basa-Ong seemed to be in agreement.

“The last time I read about American history was in the 10th grade,” she said. “I had no idea how rooted Patrick Henry was in the American Revolution.”

Shih and Basa-Ong said they hoped to do a substantial piece on the tour when they returned to The Record.

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