60th annual Let Freedom Ring patriotic program included Hitt appearance

MT. MORRIS — The burning hot benches in front of the Warren G. Reckmeyer Bandshell in Mt. Morris were conspicuously empty for the village’s Fourth of July patriotic program. Instead, attendees were set up in chairs to the left and right, safely beneath the shade of nearby trees.

The hour-long patriotic program — part of the 60th annual Let Freedom Ring celebration — started at noon, when the heat index was around 93 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

“In 1848, early inhabitants of what is now the village of Mt. Morris had the vision and foresight to incorporate our great village,” Village President Phil Labash said. “Over the years, Mt. Morris grew and prospered. Through a focus on higher education, printing, publishing and distribution, great things happened for many years in our small community.”

Mt. Morris celebrates its 175th anniversary this year, but it’s not the only notable anniversary. Let Freedom Ring was in its 60th year, the Kable Brothers Company was founded 125 years ago and the Kable Brothers Band for the Illinois National Guard 129th infantry was created 100 years ago.

Echoes from the past — the bandshell, Old Sandstone, the Coliseum and the Illinois Freedom Bell — showcase a rich and vibrant history that should inspire and motivate everyone as they look to the future, Labash said.

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The Illinois Freedom Bell is rung 13 times at exactly 1 p.m. on July 4, 2023, in Mt. Morris, by residents and officials during the village's annual Let Freedom Ring celebration. (Alexa Zoellner/Shaw Media)

“We are blessed to live in a nation where we have the freedom to dream, to create, to be all that we can be,” he said. “As individuals, as a community, we have the freedom to come together to make great things happen, and this is what I envision for Mt. Morris. I believe our greatest days are still ahead, and am proud to call our small village home.”

The patriotic program included a keynote “appearance” from former U.S. Rep. Robert R. Hitt, who served from 1882 to 1906. Hitt, a Mt. Morris resident and alumnus of Rock River Seminary, also served as the assistant secretary of state in 1881, prior to which he was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and secretary to various government officials.

“I understand this is a summer of anniversaries,” said Jeff Bold, a member of Encore! Mt. Morris and the Performing Arts Guild who portrayed Hitt. “It’s great to know our legacy is strong. It is truly a time to savor your many successes, to look back on how you managed major setbacks, to focus on future opportunities as you plan your path forward, to help prepare the way for our younger generations and, when the time comes, to hand over your batons.”

Bold recounted notable facts from Mt. Morris’ history, from the founding of Rock River Seminary and the Mt. Morris College to how the Kable Brothers Company and Watt Publishing came to be to efforts by the Mt. Morris Economic Development Corporation to revitalize the village.

Letters from other historical figures were read to attendees. Messages came from U.S. Army Major Gen. John A. Rawlins, former Illinois First Lady Helen Judson Beveridge and Harvey and Harry Kable.

“Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and remembrance with visions of the future,” Bold said in conclusion. “Following the lead of the Kable brothers, the important balance of the past, of the present and a vision of the future. I bid you all farewell until we meet again, perhaps on our bicentennial.”

The ringing of the Illinois Freedom Bell took place exactly at 1 p.m., following the conclusion of the patriotic program. The bell was rung 13 times by community members and officials alike, in recognition of the original 13 colonies.