The Monroe County History Center is celebrating America’s 250th birthday by honoring veterans.
Revolutionary War veterans.
They were some of the area’s earliest settlers, and they are being celebrated with the new Join or Die exhibit, which tells the stories of men and women who moved to the area after the war ended.
Hilary Fleck, curator for the Monroe County History Center, was one of many involved in creating the exhibit.
“We have highlighted 30 patriots that are buried here in Monroe County,” Fleck said.
Fleck credited extensive research for the museum’s ability to piece together their biographies.
“There’s a lot of family names that are still present today,” Fleck said. “A lot of these names, the families and descendants are still here, so that’s really amazing.”
Watch: The State of Inquiry: America 250 (3 of 6): Indiana’s Patriots
But just as interesting to Fleck is where the veterans came from.
She wants the exhibit to illustrate how each of these people found unique paths to life in Monroe County.
“It’s a lot of individual stories, a lot of journeys, but they all ended up in Monroe County one way or another,” Fleck said.
Francois La Bas arrived in Monroe County under unique circumstances. As part of the Soissonnais Regiment, he came to America with Marquis de Lafayette and the French army to aid the Americans near the end of the war.
La Bas intended to return to France after the war but was delayed because he could not travel by boat during the winter. While waiting out the season in Virginia, he fell in love with a woman named Sarah Jennings. The two were married shortly thereafter and eventually moved to Monroe County.
All over America, people are celebrating 250 years since the Revolutionary War. However, that can be difficult in states that did not exist at the time.
Fleck says that creates a role for places like the History Center.
“A lot of what we know about the key moments of American History are happening somewhere else,” Fleck said. “We bring this larger story directly to us.”
The 30 individuals recognized in the Join or Die exhibit offer a unique blend of national and local history for Monroe County residents.
“They’re helping to shape our country, and specifically our community,” Fleck said.
The exhibit is open to the public until December 31.
