How did politically active rec.boats get all the way through the day without
somebody commenting on the 229th anniversary of our initial, armed resistance
to
oppressive, dictatorial government?

It's a day for all of us, regardless of political preference, to take pride in
the courage it must have taken for these simple farmers, shopkeepers, and
craftsmen
to stand up to King George, Parliament, and the Board of Colonies and
Plantations to demand the same rights that were afforded Englishmen elsewhere.

Proud to say that one of these patriots was a g,g,g,g,......grandfather. :-)

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From the web:

To learn about this barn is to step back into American history. It was built
about 1710 and originally stood at 129 Washington Street, about a mile from its
present site. It was built by the Goulds, one of the founding familes of
Topsfield. Zaccheus Gould came from England about 1639 and took an active role
in creating the town, then known as New Meadows, and was one of its leading
citizens. The barn's owner during the Revolutionary War was Joseph Gould,
Zaccheus's great-grandson. Joseph was a farmer who, on December 5, 1774 was
elected Captain by the citizens of Topsfield of one of the two Militia
Companies. It is recorded that Captain Gould was one of those who, on April 19,
1775, left his plow in midfurrow and galloped off to Lexington and Concord to
help drive the Redcoats back to Boston.

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Good job, Gramps! :-)