Revolutionary War Living History Day

Every year, The Alliance for Historic Hillsborough puts on a Living History day to help people experience this region’s Revolutionary Era history with a hands-on festival of activities for participants of all ages. The event includes military reenactors, cooking and crafting demonstrations, kid’s activities, games, music, storytelling, and even some dancing.

The Living History day has become a tradition in Hillsborough for almost twenty years. Each year, people gather to learn about history and get a first-hand look at one of the most historically significant towns in North Carolina. The Revolutionary War period is a particularly interesting part of the town’s story. Hillsborough was a major North Carolina town back then. William Hooper, one of Hillsborough’s favorite sons, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. British General Cornwallis occupied the town in 1781 to rest his troops and recruit loyalists – after six days, they left with few, if any new soldiers. Hillsborough was also the site of the North Carolina Provincial Congress at the start of the war and hosted the state’s Constitutional Convention of 1788 once the war was over.

Revolutionary War Living History Day is free and open to the public.