New landmark arrives

#MiddleburyCT #MiddleburyHistoricalSociety #Rochambeau

Left to right, sculptor Tony Falcone, Dr. Robert Rafford, and Alice DeMartino stand before a clay model of the Rochambeau statue at the Falcone Art Studio in Prospect in November 2025. The statue, cast in bronze, will be unveiled at a June 27, 2026, dedication. (Middlebury Historical Society photo)

By DR. ROBERT L. RAFFORD

This month, many of you, new to our town or long-timers, will witness the unveiling and dedication of a new monument, beautifully crafted by artist Tony Falcone, called Marching Toward Freedom. It symbolizes General Rochambeau, the French army, the founding of our nation and its lofty values and the French and American veterans who so courageously won our freedom. The ceremony will take place in Meadowview Park, at Rochambeau Plaza, on June 27, from 1 to 3 p.m.

When my wife, Joan, and I first moved to Middlebury in 1975, I was very busy with my career and remained generally unaware of the rich history of the town I would call my home for the next 51 years. In the mid-1990s, Andy Monagan (1915-2001), president of the historical society, buttonholed me at a society presentation at our library and ordered me to arrive at the next board meeting. I dutifully acquiesced, became a member of the board of directors, and began an enjoyable odyssey through Middlebury’s history.

After five years of working on the board, the Board of Selectmen appointed me Middlebury Municipal Historian upon the recommendation of Bradford (“Brad”) Smith (1919-2005), a fine historian. I continued to become acquainted with Middlebury’s history, but especially of the visit and encampment on Breakneck Hill of the French army and their leader, the comte de Rochambeau, in 1781 and 1782. David W. Pope (1961-2008), my predecessor as president of the society, was especially enthusiastic about Rochambeau and the French army encampment, and gifted in telling their story. His descriptions seeped into my expanding awareness, as I realized that fate had bonded together General Rochambeau and his French army with our town, connecting Middlebury with the Revolutionary War and the founding of our nation in an intimate way.

The monument that we dedicate this June punctuates that connection. But the monument symbolizes not only the people, but also the values that we as Americans hold dear and were enshrined by their efforts. June 27, 2026, marks the 245th anniversary of the arrival of the French army, consisting of about 5,000 soldiers, officers and helpers, at Breakneck Hill. They found the climb one of the most challenging on their 680-mile march from Newport, Rhode Island, to Yorktown, Virginia. Additionally, on June 27, 1904, the American-Irish Historical Society, led by Dennis H. Tierney (1846-1916) of Waterbury, erected a modest monument on Breakneck Hill, commemorating the encampment.

Unlike the 1904 monument, which took a few months to create, the new monument at Rochambeau Plaza in Meadowview Park is the culmination of seven years of intense labor by your historical society. Thousands of hours of persistent planning, discussion, networking and communication brought us to this historic day. There are few projects in my life that have demanded more resources than this one.

The monument was made possible by the magnanimous support of Lawrence and Marie Janesky, who, since the beginning of our planning, have been there for their town as friends and benefactors. They introduced us to contractor Vinny Vizzo, whose company built the superb Rochambeau Plaza. Many local generous donors, too many to be included in this short space, joined in – a later plaque will honor them. Finally, Senator Joan V. Hartley accomplished the marvelous feat of obtaining a state appropriation.

Perhaps the greatest joy of seeing our monument completed has been collaborating with such a fine group of friends. The members of the Rochambeau Project Committee are Alice J. DeMartino, Dr. Ray E. Sullivan, Dr. Michael F. Simms III, Frank Mirovsky, Terry McAuliffe, Janet Serra, Kevin Casey, Ann Merriam Feinberg and me. Great credit goes to our loved ones, without whose support nothing could have been accomplished. The values of our nation live on. Thank you, everyone.

Bob Rafford is the Middlebury Historical Society president and Middlebury’s municipal historian. To contact the society, visit MiddleburyHistoricalSociety.org or contact him at president@middleburyhistoricalsociety.org. Your membership and support are welcome.