New Hampshire Celebrates America 250 with Displays of Founding Documents

CONCORD, NH - In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, Governor Kelly Ayotte and state leaders are inviting Granite Staters to the State House for special displays of significant documents connected to the nation's founding.

Visitors to the New Hampshire State House Visitor Center will have the opportunity to view New Hampshire's 1776 Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence and an 1823 William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration. The Dunlap Broadside is on display through July 8, while the Stone engraving will remain on display through July 10.

"New Hampshire has played a proud role in shaping our nation's history - from being the first colony to rebel against British rule with the Pine Tree Riot, to adopting the first state constitution, to our First in the Nation Primary," said Governor Ayotte. "I'm excited that Granite Staters and people visiting our state during the celebration of America 250 will have the opportunity to view these historic documents and that we will also play a part in the celebration in our nation's capital. As we honor our nation this Independence Day, I invite everyone to come catch a glimpse of history at the State House."

Following the Continental Congress's adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Philadelphia printer John Dunlap produced approximately 200 broadsides-single-sheet printed copies of the document-for distribution throughout the colonies. One of these rare copies arrived in New Hampshire on July 16, 1776, where it was read aloud to citizens and reprinted in local newspapers. The document is believed to have passed through the hands of Meshech Weare, New Hampshire's first president.

Today, the State of New Hampshire, through the New Hampshire State Archives, shares custody of the Dunlap Broadside with the American Independence Center in Exeter.

Also on display is an 1823 engraving created by William J. Stone. Commissioned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, the engraving was produced to preserve the text and appearance of the Declaration of Independence for future generations. Stone's work is widely regarded as the most detailed and accurate facsimile of the original Declaration and has served as the basis for many reproductions since its creation.

"New Hampshire's revolutionary spirit runs deep and there's no better way to mark the nation's semiquincentennial than by exhibiting some of the most precious foundational documents among the millions in the State Archives," said New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan. "Given New Hampshire's primary role in the cause for independence, we're pleased to share them with Granite Staters."

New Hampshire's second Stone Copy of the Declaration of Independence, which is part of the N.H. State Library's collection, will be on display at the U.S. Department of State's Harry S. Truman Building as part of the National Museum of American Diplomacy's "Among the Powers of the Earth" exhibition that runs through July 2027.

"New Hampshire's delegates were among the very first to sign the Declaration of Independence, and our state is home to the first state library in the country, which was established in 1717 - nearly 60 years before the Declaration of Independence itself was issued," said Adam Crepeau, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. "The Stone Copy that was distributed to celebrate the United States' 50th anniversary is one of nearly 500,000 items in the State Library's collection today and is a breathtaking reminder of our country's founding. We are honored that it, along with our shared ideals of liberty and self-determination, will be shared with visitors to Washington, D.C. as part of the country's 250th celebration."

The New Hampshire State House will be open for tours, including viewing the Stone Copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Dunlap Broadside, on July 4, in celebration of America 250.