“Spirit of ‘76: East Hampton in the American Revolution,” the East Hampton Historical Society’s new podcast coinciding with the United States semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, is researched, written, and narrated by an East Hampton High School senior.
“By January 1776, support for American independence was widespread in East Hampton, and many residents were ready to take up arms,” Colin Kelley says on the inaugural episode of “Spirit of ’76,” which features a brief introduction by Hugh King, the East Hampton Town and Village historian. “The community had long shown a willingness to resist British authority, adopting an embargo on British goods even before the Continental Congress proposed a non-importation agreement in September 1774.”
The three-minute segment is the first of a series, episodes of which will be issued monthly throughout 2026. The first four episodes have been recorded at the East Hampton Library’s podcast studio, Colin said this week.
“Spirit of ’76” can be found on Spotify, the historical society’s website, and via the Bloomberg Connects: Arts + Culture app.
“In addition to exploring the local implications of the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Long Island, the podcast explains how East Hampton residents prepared for the Revolutionary War and survived the British occupation of Long Island,” according to the historical society. “As podcast listeners will learn, East Hampton residents were far from passive witnesses to the War of Independence, they played an active role in helping found the American republic.”
Steve Long, the historical society’s executive director, is a family friend, Colin said. “We had been talking about it over the summer,” he recalled. “Then I saw him around when school started in September,” when Mr. Long discussed a monthly podcast about happenings in East Hampton during 1776. “I love history,” Colin said. “It’s my favorite subject, so I said, ‘of course.’ “
The historical society provides source material in the form of historical documents, Colin said, which he studies before assembling a narrative. “Once we edit that, we go to the studio and record.”
“Spirit of ’76” dovetails with Colin’s goals: He will attend the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., and plans to study history. “I recently got into podcasts, political podcasts,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed listening to them.” He mused about a career in law or, perhaps, politics.
“When the [Continental] Congress introduced what was called the Association,” a colonial boycott of British goods, “East Hampton and the other East End towns strongly supported the agreement, even though the rest of New York State rejected it initially,” Colin says on “Spirit of ’76.” “This early commitment showed that East Hampton was prepared to accept economic hardship to oppose British control.” The listener is drawn in to the story as tensions between colonists and the Crown inexorably rise. While the events and their conclusion are widely known, “Spirit of ‘76” is a fresh take on our origin story, 250 years into the American Experiment and at its latest inflection point.
Mr. King, who wanted to explore how the momentous events of 1776 shaped East Hampton’s past and present, conceived the project. “In addition to chronicling East Hampton’s history relative to the Revolutionary War, the podcast reminds us that the words of the Declaration of Independence are critically relevant to our lives today,” he said.
Mr. Long noted that the bicentennial celebration in 1976 saw a parade on Main Street in East Hampton Village and a quilt exhibit at Mulford Farm. For the semiquincentennial observance, a variety of educational activities about local events during the Revolutionary War is planned, he said. One includes restoration of the Mulford Farm to portray the farmhouse during the 1770s, when it was home to Col. David Mulford, the leader of a regiment during the war.
Colin “did a remarkable job,” Mr. King told the East Hampton Village Board on Friday, “which begs the question, how come we haven’t done this before? We have some ideas for next year.”