Credit: Erich Martin/Levittownnow.com
Historic Bristol Day celebrated its 40th anniversary on Saturday as thousands of people flooded Radcliffe Street, Mill Street, the Waterfront and other popular locations in town.
Vendors lined Radcliffe Street, proud Bristolians opened their homes for tours and open houses and legendary DJ Jerry Blavat came to town to help celebrate the historic borough. The celebration also coincided with the Grundy Library, which is celebrating its 50th birthday.
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In addition to the events in the town’s historic and business districts, a sailboat regatta was held in the Delaware River and the nearby Silver Lake Nature Center on Bath Road was opened for tours.
Historic Bristol Day is a major draw for the waterfront town of about 10,000 people and is put on by the Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation.
“It’s a lot of fun and you really try to keep with the wishes of those who started the whole tradition,” said Mary Kehoe, a member of the board of directors for the Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation. “Hopefully, the young people keep it up after us.”
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“It’s a very good day and a wonderful day to be a Bristol resident and see people coming into town to learn about our rich history,” said Robert Strasser, who owns the King George III Inn with Bruce Lowe. “We take pride in the fact that the inn is such an important part of Bristol’s history.”
The King George III Inn has indeed served an important role in the history of Bristol Borough. Established in 1681, the building on Radcliffe Street served as an inn, a restaurant, a temporary post office and even a short-term jail, according to Strasser.
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Many town officials were about, including Bristol Borough: Raising the Bar Chairman Bill Pezza and several council members such as Council President Ralph DiGuissepe II.
“I think it’s a great day, and I take my hat off to all of the people who work all year to make this happen,” DiGuissepe said.
