By Carol Britton Meyer

The town is working on big plans for celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as part of a nationwide commemoration spanning this year and next.

Hull’s newly created 250th Anniversary Committee – or the USA Semiquincentennial Anniversary Committee – is charged with planning townwide activities focusing on remembrances, coordinating events related to the founding of the country, and aligning Hull’s activities with other local, state, regional, and national commemorations.

The committee, chaired by former select board member John Reilly, met formally for the first time on Tuesday.

Other members, who were sworn in by Town Clerk Lori West, who also sits on the committee as vice chair, are Hull Lifesaving Museum Director of Development Maureen Gillis; Peter Preble, pastor of St. Nicholas United Methodist Church; former town counsel James Lampke; and Notre Dame Academy Principal (and Hull resident) Mary Merrigan, who is serving as clerk.

Select board member Greg Grey, who also served on the 375th committee, was appointed earlier as the board’s liaison to the committee, and this week the select board added Hull Animal Control Officer Michael Sampson. There is still one opening on the committee.

“A majority of the time was spent completing a rough draft of an application for a $100,000 state grant that has to be submitted by April 11,” Reilly told The Hull Times about the committee’s work.

The committee will meet again April 8 to vote on a finished application. If the grant is awarded to the town, the funds would be spent on various celebrations in 2026, including a parade and field day, Fort Revere/Bastille Day observances, dances, theater productions, Revolutionary War re-enactments and encampments, and fireworks, among other events.

A national committee is organizing commemoration events in all 50 states, similar to the 1976 Bicentennial celebration.

Committee meetings are open to the public and there will be numerous volunteer engagement opportunities for interested residents with an interest local history.

“All citizens are encouraged to participate in upcoming USA 250th activities and to catch the ‘Spirit of 76’ on the town, state, and national level,” Reilly said.

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