Views of Leominster...a Glimpse into the Past

Leominster Historical Society - Yesterday & Today

Views of Leominster's Past

From a speech by Evelyn B. Hachey, at Mayoral Inauguration of Richard J. Girouard, January 1986

In 1766, Leominster was a village of 600 ruled by King George III of England. On March 3rd, the Town Fathers wrote an address and sent it to the people of Boston in answer to what they felt were unjust laws of the Bristish Parliament against the Colonies. The closing words of the address were: "We must, we can, and we will be free."

On April 14, 1975, over 200 years later, these nine words became the official motto for our City of Leominster. In that same month of April, 1975 Mrs. Holly VomEigen composed a poem using the motto, and dedicating the poem to the City of Leominster and all its children. It was later set to music.

In Leominster's National Bicentennial years of 1975-76, hundreds of Leominster school children learned and sang these words on many school and public occasions.

We must, we can, and we will be free.
We must preserve our liberty.
Our fathers died to make it so,
And we must never let it go.

The stars and stripes must forever fly,
and wave ever bright against the sky.
A really special freedom team,
They symbolize the American dream.

This flag should fly from day to day,
not just and only for today.
Let freedom ring and be the way
of life in this great U.S.A.

To keep it so we all must care,
and ev'ry one must do his share.
This precious right is ours, and we,
We must, we can, and we will be free.
© 1975 (used with permission)

Looking for more information about Leominster and its history? Be sure to visit The Leominster Public Library's website, The History and Genealogy of Leominster website, and that of the Nashaway Genealogical Society (NashGen).