The Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, CT will open a new exhibition commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 on Friday, July 6, 2012. The exhibit will coincide with the arrival of tall ships for OpSail 1812 Connecticut. The exhibition was developed in conjunction with the Mystic Seaport Museum.
Entitled The Rockets’ Red Glare: The War of 1812 in Connecticut, the exhibit focuses on important Connecticut events from the War of 1812, including:
- Commodore Stephen Decatur’s naval squadron taking refuge in the Thames River to avoid the British
- The bombardment of Stonington
- The raid on Essex
- The effects of the British blockade on New London and the region.
A major component of the exhibition is the 16-star American flag that flew over the defenders of Stonington. The New London Historical Society has also published a 112 page companion history and exhibit catalog, “The Rockets’ Red Glare: The War of 1812 and Connecticut.”The exhibit runs through January 5, 2013.
