Milford Announces Kickoff Event For America’s 250th Anniversary: Here’s What To Know

MILFORD, CT — City officials have announced a kickoff event for America’s 250th Anniversary that will take place in Milford on New Year’s Day.

The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. at Gulf Beach (flag pole) on Jan. 1. The event is free and open to the public.

Read details in the news release from Mayor Richard Smith below:

The City of Milford will host a public memorial event commemorating one of the most tragic—and most humanitarian—chapters in its Revolutionary War history: the arrival of approximately 200 paroled American prisoners of war on Milford’s shores in January 1777, following their harrowing confinement aboard the British transport ship Glasgow.

As 1776 came to a close, more than 225 American prisoners—many from Connecticut—were released from British prisons in New York City and placed aboard the Glasgow under a flag of truce. What was intended to be a brief voyage home instead became an eleven-day ordeal marked by extreme cold, hunger, disease, and death. By the time the ship anchored in Milford Harbor on January 2, 1777, dozens of men had already perished, and many more were gravely ill.

What followed became a defining moment in Milford’s history.

Despite the fear of contagion—particularly smallpox—the people of Milford responded with compassion and courage. Townspeople brought food, provided shelter in the meetinghouse, and cared for the sick. Local physician Dr. Elias Carrington tended to the men, aided by volunteers including mariner Capt. Stephen Stow, who ultimately gave his life in service to the suffering soldiers. In total, 46 of the former prisoners were laid to rest in Milford Cemetery at what is now the Revolutionary War Memorial.

“This event reminds us that Milford’s history is not only one of sacrifice, but of humanity,” Mayor Richard Smith said. “At a moment when fear would have been understandable, Milford chose mercy.”

Today, the plaque at Gulf Beach and the memorial at Milford Cemetery honor the prisoners who died aboard the Glasgow, those buried in Milford, and the many others who succumbed to illness along the long road home. They also stand as a tribute to the townspeople whose actions embodied the very ideals for which the Revolutionary War was fought.

“As Connecticut’s sixth-oldest town, Milford was an early supporter of the fight for independence,” City Clerk Pete Smith said. “Town records show that Milford officially joined the cause to ‘defend American liberty’ on May 1, 1775. This story reflects those values in action.”

The New Year’s Day event will include historical readings drawn from firsthand accounts, remarks by local officials and historians, a ceremonial remembrance of the fallen, and a moment of reflection honoring these prisoners of war.

The public is invited to attend and reflect on this powerful story of suffering, service, and shared humanity—one that continues to resonate 249 years later.

Event Details:

• Location: Gulf Beach (Flag Pole)
• Date: January 1, 2026
• Time: 10:30 a.m.
• Free and open to the public