PEPPERELL, Mass. -- The town of Pepperell is celebrating. They've got a massive birthday cake in the center of town and just had a parade last weekend honoring Independence Day. The celebration marks the town's 250th anniversary and Pepperell's proud connection to the American Revolution.

“Pepperell's connection runs very deep," Diane Cronin said. "Women and men from the town were deeply connected with what was going on in the Revolution.”

Diane Cronin Keating works with the Pepperell Historical Commission and the historical society to keep the town’s history at the forefront. Such as stories of Colonel William Prescott who lived in Pepperell and is best known for leading the Patriots in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

“They were very outnumbered by the British but he stood on top of the dirt fortification and encouraged his men to fight on at a time where motivation was very low," Cronin said. "So, he stood in aim of the British, telling his men to conserve powder and ammunition. And he's known for saying, ‘Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.’”

Although the British won the battle, Prescott’s actions inspired rebel troops throughout the colonies who went on to win the war.

Another local Patriot who worked to boost morale was Reverend Joseph Emerson Jr. His grave is next to Prescott’s in town.

“He was our first minister," Cronin said. "He went into Charlestown and preached to the troops there. He got fever and he never returned.”

Near the covered bridge in Pepperell, a memorial honors the spot where a group of women stood up to the British. They captured an alleged spy attempting to travel through town with correspondence.

“Prudence Wright and a band of women dressed in their husbands’ clothes and caught a British loyalist, Leonard Whiting, at the crossing of the river," Cronin said. "Found in his boot some dispatches to the British in Boston.”

Cronin Keating said Pepperell also did things like follow suit after the Boston Tea Party in 1773 by destroying tea outside their meeting house.

“Shortly after that, August 29th, 1774," Cronin said, "we have a record in the town that says that people raised a Liberty Flag, a Liberty Pole with the Liberty Flag, of blue and red cloth. We believe is very likely the first municipal liberty flag raised in open defiance of British rule.”

Now the town is keeping its history alive with reenactments of historical events and Cronin Keating said it’s important to keep sharing the stories of how America came to be.

“There's some stories that are well known and there are others that are lesser known," Cronin said. "We want to be sure that we talk about all efforts that were instrumental in our success. It's a very patriotic town. Always was - it always will be.”

Looking ahead, the party continues in Pepperell with their 250th birthday celebration scheduled for August 23.