This year Roslindale celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Roslindale Day Parade. The annual parade is the one event of which the Roslindale Historical Society is most proud. The first parade was held in 1976 in commemoration of our nation's bicentennial.

That year, Boston 200, which had been in existence for two or three years, encouraged each neighborhood to run a special event honoring the bicentennial of our country. Aside from being the impetus for Roslindale to initiate a local historical society, Boston 200 encouraged the Roslindale Historical Society to begin what no one ever imagined would become a yearly event and a great tradition.

The idea of a parade came easy to the founders of this community event. The year before, in 1975, Boston 200 provided a one man band to participate in a Memorial Day service. About 20 members of the fledgling Roslindale Historical Society gathered in Irving Adams Park and marched to the Walter Street Burial Ground where they paid homage to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Revolutionary War and placed American flags at their tombstones.

This bicentennial parade had people so excited that they dressed up in colonial garb, decorated homes and businesses with red, white and blue buntings, and waved American flags as the parade passed. Many an Uncle Sam and Betsy Ross were sighted that day. What was intended to be a one-time event captured the enthusiasm of an entire community and became the beginning of a wonderful tradition.

Leading the parade that year and nearly every year since was the Kentish Guard, a militia unit and fife and drum corps from Rhode Island. Their presence in the parade and the route the parade follows is steeped in Boston history.

In 1776, after the British evacuated Boston, General George Washington declared Boston an "open city" and ordered all the militia units from southern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to march to Boston to protect the city. Under the command of Nathaniel Greene, the Kentish Guard traveled the Dedham Post Road. This was the only major road through Roslindale at the tie. From Dedham to Boston, the road went from East street to Centre Street, bearing right onto South Street at the junction of Church and Centre Streets, up Walter Street, then back onto Centre Street, near Allendale, heading towards Jamaica Plain.

Two hundred years later, the Kentish Guard enthusiastically accepted the invitation of parade organizers to march in the parade so they could retrace the steps of their forbears. Their excitement was compounded by the fact that their commander in 197 was the great, great, great, great grandson of Nathaniel Greene. Their presence in the parade was an honor for the Guard and for Roslindale.

As with any event that spans 20 years, some years joggle the memory more than others. I recall the 1980 parade in which the grand marshall was Eddie Connolly, then captain at the Area E-5 police station. Eddie was referred to as "a cop's cop" and was respected and admired by citizens, the command staff, and the rank and file of the Boston Police Department. That year, the parade was a sea of blue, white and gray, with mounted police, cyclists, marching units and color-guards joining patrol cars that dominated the parade.

The following year, we saluted Boston firefighters. Parade organizers remember that Cummins Highway from Roslindale Village to Sacred Heart Church was lined on both sides with red apparatus lining up for step-off. Almost 50 towns from New Hampshire and Massachusetts were represented with fire apparatus, color-guards and antique fire engines. It was a spectacular parade to view.

Roslindale paid tribute to War Veterans in 1982 and honored Albert Goetz as Grand Marshall. Al and his wife Helen are founding members of the Roslindale Historical Society and are remembering their dedication to preserving Roslindale's heritage.

In June 1989 we saluted David and Judy Kunze, founders of the Roslindale Historical Society and primary organizers of the Roslindale Day Parade for seven years. The crowd cheered wildly, showing their gratitude to the popular couple as they road through town.

One cannot help but recall key plays in the establishment of he parade as a true tradition. From the early days, Rosemary and Leo Waters, Tess Gately, Maureen Costello and Jeff Farren, joined David and Judy Kunze and Al and Helen Goetz. In more recent years, Fraser and Sandy MacKinnon and Tom Donohue join the care of dedicated parade organizers. Of course, these leaders had many other Roslindale residents and business representatives who helped by serving on planning committees, and acting as parade officials. They are too numerous to mention but they deserve the appreciation of the whole community.

Looking back over the last 20 years, it is obvious that the Roslindale Day Parade has exemplified residents' spirit and pride in their community. The Roslindale Historical Society is proud of this great achievement and is grateful to the community for its enthusiasm. We also acknowledge and appreciate the additional sponsorship of the Roslindale Civic Association and the City of Boston, and believe that the continuation of this tradition is its own true reward.