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Lunenburg citizens gathered at the county’s historic courthouse on Sunday, September 17, to celebrate the 236th commemoration of the completion of the United States Constitution. 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution group was instrumental in the establishment by public law of Constitution Week, September 17-23, to emphasize this important document’s history and importance.  

Linda B. Bagley, regent of the local William Taylor Chapter, NSDAR, presided over the gathering, a part of “Bells Across America,” a nation-wide celebration promoted by the Daughters of the American Revolution to commemorate the U.S. Constitution. Participants ring bells, much as the church bells of Philadelphia rang out when the completion of the U.S. Constitution was first celebrated at 4:00 PM on September 17, 1787. 

In addition to ringing their bells for one minute at 4:00 PM, those in attendance engaged in singing the National Anthem and reading in unison the Preamble to the Constitution. RADM Stephen Israel USN (Ret), president of the Lunenburg County Historical Society, gave a brief history of the writing of the Constitution. 

Israel closed the meeting with a benediction that had been offered by George Washington, after which he invited attendees to visit the two law offices on the count house lawn that had been restored by the historical society.