Namesake envoys help mark Wilton bicentennial

WILTON – A half-dozen dignitaries representing namesake towns from around the country and across the Atlantic led a parade that marked Wilton’s 200th birthday.

Anthony Brown-Hovelt, district councilor in Wilton, England, said he was honored to have been invited to Saturday’s bicentennial celebration in this western Maine town.

“I am really impressed with how everyone here really ‘mucked’ in,” Brown-Hovelt said, using English slang for working together. “A lot of dedication and effort goes into this. I take my hat off to them.”

Every Wilton in the United States can trace its heritage back to Wilton, England, an industrial center for wool and carpets that was settled during the Stone Age and was a tribal capital during the Roman Empire.

As many as 5,000 people lined the streets during the two-hour parade, part of the celebration that included two days of activities, races, food booths, craft fairs, a Civil War re-enactment, fireworks, and the town’s first Loon Maine-ia auction.

The afternoon auction brought in more than $14,000 in total sales, with one decorated bird going for an unexpected $1,750, said New Sharon auctioneer Adrian Harris.

Earlier, the bicentennial parade featured more than 60 Shriners, floats, clowns, and kids in costume.

Kyle Tschosik, mayor of Wilton, N.D., was on a float with his wife, Sherry, and their two children. He had never been to the East and the family decided to make the trip into a vacation.

“North Dakota is flat and there are no trees. On the road, you can see 30 miles ahead of you in one direction. I get a little claustrophobic here because of all your hills,” he said with a laugh.

Thelma Nopoulos of Wilton, Iowa, is writing a history of her town for its bicentennial in 2005, and she and her husband, George, wanted to come to Maine to learn about their common roots.

“This event is marvelous. We are so honored to be here and are proud to represent the state of Iowa,” she said after the parade.

Peter Nielson, town manager of Wilton, said the event has brought the community together by having so many people working toward a common goal.

“This is one giant display of the ties that bind us,” he said.