Thousands of residents spent the last month traveling back in time at one or more of the 15 events put on by the Wareham Summer of Celebration.

Over a year and a half in the making, the Summer of Celebration series of events came to an end last Sunday with an 1860s-style baseball game, less than a month after the summer kicked off with a militia encampment on the Town Green.

"I hope the people of the town were proud of what we tried to do. Everyone came together as a group community," said Rudy Santos, Summer of Celebration committee president. "It took a lot of long days and a lot of long nights."

The event series revolved around two dates in Wareham history: Two hundred years ago on June 13, 1814, the town was invaded and decimated by British soldiers from warship, the HMS Nimrod as part of the War of 1812, with the second event is the anniversary of the Incorporation of the town of Wareham. Two hundred and seventy-five years ago on July 10, 1739, the town was born.

To celebrate the town's anniversary, the committee organized a birthday party on Thursday, July 10 and held one of the longest parade in Wareham's history on Saturday, July 12.

Santos said he was proud of the wide array of musical acts the committee was able to bring to the party. He said that Jim Bruce, the emcee of the event, was surprised with how diverse the artists were.

But Bruce, who also led the on Saturday parade with his wife Mary, delivered some surprises of his own.

The massive, five-tiered birthday cake on display at the party and the parade was designed, built and painted by Bruce and his crew at Morse Lumber, which he owns.

Also marching in the parade on Saturday and a presence at nearly all of the Summer of Celebration events was the Wareham Militia.

Captain of the Militia Mac Phinney said he spent over a year recruiting members to join, growing from a militia of one to about 14 at this point.

"I thought everything went very well," Phinney said. "I was glad to see events that highlighted the town this summer."

He said after the events the militia participated in, such as the Town Green encampment and British invasion reenactment, many people told him they should do it again next summer.

While that remains to be determined, Phinney said the militia is planning on going to Yarmouth next month to help that town's militia in it's reenactment of the War of 1812 Battle of Orleans, since their militia lent a helping hand to Wareham with events this summer.

Phinney also said the militia is open to teaching school children about history, as education is one of the main objectives of the unit.

Anyone looking to learn more about Wareham history should have made sure to stop by the historical exhibits that were on display in town hall for three days in July.

Angie Dunham, president of the Wareham Historical Society, said she invited social groups, churches, longtime local businesses and other members of the community to come forward and create displays to educate people on aspects of the town's history.

"I was absolutely blown away by the work and time these people put into the displays," Dunham said. "It was Wareham in a snow globe."

Dunham said she is excited that many of the groups agreed to display their exhibits at the Wareham Historical Society meetings on the third Monday of every month and provide a representative to lead a question-and-answer session.

This affords an opportunity for anyone who was unable to see the displays or would like to learn more about certain parts of Wareham history to do so.

Santos said while he is exhausted, he is proud of what the committee was able to accomplish for the town.

"Everyone said [the committee] took on too much, but as I look back, I'm glad we did," he said.

Claire Smith, the Chairman of the Summer of Celebration committee, shared Santos' sentiments.

"All in all, it was great," she said. "Between the party, the parade, the Founders Ball, the public safety day, and the baseball game, I'm exhausted. But it was well worth it."