Muskets Roar With the Music of Memories.

Cheery-Ville Column

By: Grace Smith – Wise News Network

CHERRYVILLE, NC (WNN) – “Here we stand before your door, as we did the year before.” These words represent a long-standing custom for the Cherryville area, as an homage to ancient traditions and “shooting” in the New Year.

If you are from Cherryville, the concept of New Year’s Shooting is far from foreign. However, it is a unique tradition for the City that has been passed down for generations. As the percussion of muskets rings through the air, Cherryville reflects on the true purpose of New Year Shooting.

The Cherryville New Year’s Shooters are a historical group that honors the new year by firing muskets around the City. This custom hails from Germany and was brought to the United States by settlers during the Colonial Era. 

The historical shooters were known as Mummers. They settled in Pennsylvania during the Colonial Era, carrying the shooting tradition with them. The Mummers have historical significance and shot their muskets for George Washington, the first US president.

The descendants of Cherryville can be traced back to the Mummers. Germanic settlers migrated south from Pennsylvania and many of their traditions followed. 

New Year Shooting have nearly died out completely in the US. According to the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, University of North Carolina Press, the only area where this tradition still occurs is in Gaston and Lincoln Counties.

Although the Cherryville New Year’s Shooters gained its federal charter in 1963, the act of shooting in the New Year in Cherryville has gone on for centuries. 

According to the Cherryville New Year’s Shooters’ website, early Cherryville shooters would travel to various houses, cry out a chant to welcome the new year and fire their muskets to ward off negativity. 

The modern shooters do not stray far from the tradition. They make at least 50 stops on their shooting path. The stops are determined by community members who sign up to be host families. Additionally, the Shooters will also shoot at popular city landmarks.

Rusty Wise, the secretary for the Cherryville New Year’s Shooter and founder of the Wise New Network (WNN), provided insight on what New Year’s Day looks like for a shooter.

He said that the day begins at midnight with the first round of shots. Then the shooters have 20 minutes to make it to their next shooting spot. This continues for 18 hours, only stopping a couple of times for meals. 

In addition to the shooting, participants also chant. The origin of the chant is unknown, but some of it can be traced back to a hymn from 1777, written by John Newton. 

“This is a unique tradition and I see it going on forever,” said Wise. 

Hundreds of Cherryville residents participate every year. This year the event had a record number of shooters, surpassing 500. 

“We ran out of our I.D. badges. We had 500, and we ran out, so we were probably pushing 520 members,” said Wise. 

The group accepts all different kinds of shooters, ranging from young children to seniors who have participated for decades. Charles Sisk, the president of the Cherryville Shooters, just celebrated his 75th year of shooting. The group welcomes a variety of participants.

“Our group has always been one that has been inclusive,” said Wise. 

The Cherryville New Year’s Shooters are welcoming to newcomers. It is a commonly felt sentiment that the more people who participate the longer the tradition will last. Comrade is a driving force behind this organization, and seasoned shooters will assist the green ones. 

Matt Aldridge has lived in Cherryville for two years. After witnessing this tradition unfold in front of him, he decided that he had to participate. 

He has participated in several international weightlifting contests. Notably, Aldridge went to the 2004 Paralympic Games. He ranked ninth in the world for weightlifting.

Aldridge prides himself on being an athlete, patriot and a history buff. New Year’s Shooting is a perfect amalgamation of his interests. He donned a musket wrapped in American Flag tape, a kilt as a nod to his Scottish heritage and his Olympic ring as he shot for the New Year.

“Being able to share my love of history [and] my love of sports, was kind of a neat combination.” said Aldridge.

He participated with his son, Maddox Eldridge, 12. The two share a love for history and this tradition allowed them to bond.

“We spent 18 hours now together and so it’s just such a bonding experience between him and me as well. There were so many aspects of it that I didn’t anticipate as a spectator and then this year as a first-time shooter,” said Aldridge. 

The family ties associated with this tradition run deep. In some instances, up to four generations of the same family will participate together. It is common to see parents and grandparents assisting kids with their muskets while making memories that will last a lifetime. 

Aldridge shared a touching sentiment. His stepson exclaimed that when he has children their grandpa will teach them about the shooting tradition. Eldridge acknowledged his stepfather as a parental figure by alluding that Aldridge would be his children’s grandfather.

Shooting in the New Year is also a way to honor loved ones who have died. It is common for participants to fire shots in the cemetery, over the graves of their deceased relatives.

“There was a moment where there was a young man who said the chant and he got very emotional and it was touching to so many of the shooters,” Aldridge said, “Another shooter said he did that in honor of his grandfather, who just passed. His grandfather was a very influential shooter.”

Aldridge described a touching scene from the cemetery, where the smoke from the young man’s musket hung over his grandfather’s tombstone like fog. Eldridge made an insightful connection about the scene. 

“It’s almost like a military funeral. It’s such a sign of respect, and also his insight as a 12-year-old that I hadn’t really thought of.” said the proud father. 

It is common for current shooters to pay homage to their predecessors. One way they do so is by choosing some retired shooters’ families as hosts.

“I saw in some of the host families that if they weren’t able to shoot for whatever reason, they truly appreciated us being there because they were able to still participate, even though they weren’t able to physically shoot,” said Aldridge. 

Once someone becomes a New Year’s Shooter, it is hard to stop. A statement that Wise and Aldridge both said in their interviews is that New Year’s Shooting “gets in your blood.” 

Aldridge and Eldridge already have plans to participate in 2025. Their family has expressed an interest in shooting next year as well. 

As the music from the muskets faded away on January 1, 2024, Cherryville’s streets experienced a tangible silence. The city embraced its heritage through the thunderous shots, and now, a quiet reflection settled in the hearts of its residents, carrying the weight of history and cherished memories.

To learn more about the Cherryville New Year’s Shooters visit: https://cherryvilleshooters.com

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