ATHENS, W. Va. -Concord University has had the name ‘Concord’ since it was founded as “Concord State Normal School” in 1872. However, it isn’t the only place to have that name.
A Concord, Massachusetts, resident, Rob Morrison, identified more than ninety of them and planned to travel to them all, stopping at Concord University last summer. With this year marking the 250th anniversary of the “Battles of Lexington and Concord” which started of the American Revolution, Concord, Massachusetts is inviting Morrison’s “Concord Cousins” group to participate in their celebration and march in the parade.
Two of those marching there will be from our area: Elizabeth Chandler, library director, and Lindsey Byars, director of marketing and communications at Concord University. Byars says this is a great opportunity for them to share their love of Concord University on a large scale, and with “concord’ meaning “harmony,” it’s a fitting banner to bring together places from across the country, even as far as California.
“You know, I think it’s neat. I think that it’s important to focus on things that we have that are similar instead of things that are different when it comes to towns and places across the United States, and so I think that’s a nice reminder that, you know, we are more than alike than we are different,” says Byars.
If you’d like more information about the celebration, you can go to the Visit Concord Massachusetts website here.
If you’d like to see the full list of places in the Concord Cousins group and learn about the mission to see them all you can find that here.
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