Celebrate Independence Together
We are very pleased to once again invite the public to attend the reading of the Declaration of Independence by members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts from the balcony of the Old State House on Monday, July 4.
In 1776, when the people of Boston first heard the Declaration read from this precise spot, it represented one of the first opportunities Bostonians had to gather together after a long period of crisis. During the occupation by British soldiers, many residents had fled the city, but by the summer, there was a celebratory air in Boston as people trickled back into town and together began to look forward to a safer, brighter future. It is in this spirit that we welcome the public to hear and reflect on the words and ideas that have fostered our common bond.
The reading will begin following a procession that is scheduled to arrive at the Old State House at 9:45 am, so we advise visitors to arrive outside the east end of the building by 9:30. The Old State House will open at 11:00 am.
This event is FREE.
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