Events

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Boston and Charleston Tea Parties at Ashley River Park

Published

1 year ago

November 10, 2023

Press Release

The Susannah Smith Elliott chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is partnering with Dorchester County Ashley River Park to host a day of fun-filled activities and reenactments of local history that commemorate the 250^th Anniversary of the Boston and Charleston Tea Parties.

“As the 250th Anniversary of America approaches, the chapter hopes to promote events that raise awareness within the community of the importance and history of the American Revolution within Dorchester County,” said SSE Regent Beth Pantone.

“This event is to educate elementary school aged children and their families about the history of the 1773 Boston and Charleston Tea Parties. Many people do not realize that there was a Charleston Tea Party,” she continued.

The event will take place Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ashley River Park, which is located at 200 Renken Road in Summerville. Admission to the park is $2 per person for ages 3 and up. Commemorative teaspoons will be handed out to the first 300 children.

Activities will include colonial games, crafts such as making tricorn hats and colonial bonnets, tea-dying handkerchiefs, the reading of a tea party book, and of course, the throwing of tea off a British ship.

Prior to throwing tea, participants can take and sign an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America. There will also be stations to learn about the tea plant and the history of growing tea in Summerville, to write a note to a military veteran, and to take a photo frame Tea Party picture.

The Sons of the American Revolution will have Revolutionary War reenactors present and will close the event with a parade march. There will also be DAR and CAR (Children of the American Revolution) booths to learn more about these two organizations. Several food trucks will also be on site.

“We hope children will have a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices our patriots made to create the United States of America. We want to foster a love of learning history in children. We also want to raise awareness in our local community of the Revolutionary War history that has happened in Dorchester County,” Pantone said. “We are expecting between 200-300 children and their family members. History lovers of all ages are welcome, too!”

The Charleston Tea Party took place on Dec. 3, 1773 – 13 days before the Boston Tea Party. Fed up with excessive taxation, when a British ship sailed into Charleston Harbor carrying more than 250 large chests of East India Company tea, Charles Towne patriots seized the tea and stored it in the basement of the Exchange Building. They hoped to send a message to the British government that the colonists refused to pay for over-taxed goods.

Almost two weeks later, angry Bostonians also frustrated with Great Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped more than 300 chests of tea, imported by the British East India Company into the harbor.

Both events served as pivotal moments leading up to the Revolutionary War and ultimately America’s independence from British rule. As one of the original 13 colonies, more than 200 Revolutionary War battles were fought in South Carolina.

“Ashley River Park and nearby Bacons Bridge are actual sites of Revolutionary War activity. Bacons Bridge was a strategic area that was guarded by the Patriots to prevent the British from reaching Charleston. The patriot forces camped and mustered in the area that is now Ashley River Park,” said Pantone.