In May of 1775 the General Assembly established a Council of Safety to plan the defense of the colonies during the revolutionary war. Being on the cross roads of the routes between Norwich to Hartford and Boston to New York, Lebanon was the logical place to meet.
This is a picture of Governor Jonathan Trumbull’s House. He was the only governor to support the war for independence. Under his leadership, Connecticut was credited with providing a substantial proportion of the provisions to the continental army. General Washington himself considered Governor Trumbull invaluable to the success of the struggle for independence.
Governor Trumbull’s store became the War Office. Nearly 1200 sessions of the Council of Safety met here. Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and William Williams, Connecticut’s signer of the Declaration of Independence met here at various times.
The First Congregational Church was built in 1706 and was designed by John Trumbull, Jr who became a revolutionary war artist. It’s his portrait of Hamilton that appears on the ten dollar bill.
These buildings all surround an area called “The Green”. French troops were quartered here during the winter of 1780-1781.
Another interesting part of Connecticut’s history.
He was the ONLY Governor? What the heck. What was wrong with the others? Love history so I really loved this post. Learn something new everyday.
ReplyDelete