As the South Coast prepares for the 250th anniversary of the country and the anniversary of Grey’s raid on Bedford Village and villages along the Apponagansett River in 1778, Dartmouth is joining New Bedford, Westport, Fairhaven and Achushnet to form Olde Dartmouth 250.

Olde Dartmouth 250 will serve as a regional group between the five towns, assisting each community in its anniversary commemorations of the events leading up to the American Revolutionary War, as well as events that occurred during the war.

“We see these coalitions and collaborations as an opportunity to build your support base as you begin to put together programming, not just for actually achieving the program, but also for promoting it, and making sure that you’re dotting all your I’s, crossing all your T’s,” said Jonathon Lane, the executive director of Massachusett’s Revolution 250.

On Friday, March 21, representatives from these towns came together to kick-off the partnership, including members of the Dartmouth Cultural Center, the Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society and the Dartmouth Agricultural Commission.

“We’re here to emphasize the work you’re thinking about,” said Lane, who helped organize Olde Dartmouth 250 with Diane Gilbert, the president of the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust.

“The goals were really very simple. It just had to do with bringing people together to represent the communities that made up Olde Dartmouth and to share information about what these various communities are doing or not doing — offer help when needed,” Gilbert said.

She added that Olde Dartmouth 250 will “fill a void” and enhance and strengthen each town’s anniversary programs.

“The goal is going to be whatever they want it to be,” Lane said. “I want Olde Dartmouth 250 to be representative of the people who make it up.”

He added, “There's so many ways to look at this history and what it means to the people of Massachusetts today that I'm just happy to have so many voices at the table.”

Any residents who would like to get involved can visit the Revolution 250 website, can email Gilbert at d.m.gilbert51@gmail.com or get in contact with the organizations involved in the group.

“Stay tuned for meeting notices,” Lane said. “We’d love to have more people at the table.”