The History
History of Billerica's Yankee Doodle Homecoming Weekend
The first verse and refrain of the popular "Yankee Doodle" song are among the best known. The last verse,
one of many variations, is believed to make reference to Billerica's own patriot, Thomas Ditson:
Father and I went down to camp,
Along with Captain Gooding.
There we see the men and boys,
As thick as hasty pudding.
Yankee doodle, keep it up,
Yankee doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls
be handy.
Yankee Doodle came to town
for to buy a firelock
We will tar and feather him
and so we will John
Hancock.
