In early New England, settlers from England were familiar with both harvest festivals and days of thanksgiving. While today these two events have merged into our Thanksgiving holiday, in early New England, they were separate. A day of thanksgiving usually called for a lengthy church service, while a harvest festival was a coming together to feast on the fruit of the community’s hard work and successful harvest.
A totally different menu was served at the feasts or celebrations of the local Native Americans. When Captain Benjamin Church and Awashonks, the Squaw Sachem of the Narragansetts, were seeking an alliance during the Indian wars, the Captain was invited to a feast. The dinner consisted of fried eel, flatfish, and shellfish cooked in the same manner as today’s clambakes. Everything was steamed together on heated rocks covered with seaweed.
The story of this feast influenced the planners of both the 200th and 250th anniversary celebrations of Old Rochester. The 200th anniversary was a one-day affair of many speeches interrupted in the middle by a clambake to feed the hungry attendees. The 250th had many more events and spanned several days, but it also featured a large clambake for those who bought tickets.
The picture with this article is from the 1936 anniversary party. Today clambakes have become events of summer unconnected to any celebration other than the love of steamed clams. The Rochester Historical Society wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving no matter what you may be having for dinner.
By Connie Eshbach