Bill Buell

Boston and Philadelphia may be two wonderful places to immerse yourself into American history, but to Revolutionary War buffs living in the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys, staying close to home can be equally as rewarding. The country has already celebrated the 250th anniversary of “The Shot Heard Around the World” last year just outside of Boston, and we’re currently remembering the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia 250 years ago on July 4.

Kingston may have been a hotbed of American patriotism during the summer of 1777, but even a few years before the British army burned most of the city to the ground, the idea of a “revolution” hadn’t really caught on. George Clinton, however, the man who would become the State of New York’s first governor, didn’t hesitate to voice his opinion much earlier, even before “The Shot Heard Around the World” was fired in Lexington, Massachusetts and got the rebellion started in April of 1775.

After more than a decade as a reenactor portraying generic camp followers during the American Revolution, Sandy Spector decided it was time to test herself a little bit. The idea of Martha Washington seemed like a good choice, but Spector wasn’t convinced until she heard it on very good authority — George Washington himself — that she’d be the ideal woman for the role.