edited by Shannon Rogers
Carroll County will join more than 600 communities across the country on Wednesday, July 8, in commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence with a community ceremony at the Historic Carroll County Courthouse.
The free event will begin with opening remarks at 5:45 p.m. from Carroll County Commissioner Tom Gordon, District 3, along with other elected officials and community leaders. The public reading of the Declaration of Independence will begin promptly at 6 p.m., synchronized with the annual commemorative reading in Philadelphia, and is expected to last about 13 minutes.
The ceremony marks the historic moment on July 8, 1776, when Colonel John Nixon first publicly read the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, four days after the Continental Congress adopted the document on July 4. The reading announced the birth of a new nation and introduced the Declaration’s principles of liberty, self-government, and civic responsibility to the public.
Held at the Historic Carroll County Courthouse, 200 Willis Street in Westminster, the event is open to the public at no cost. Organizers encourage attendees to arrive by 5:45 p.m. for the opening ceremony.
Community members are invited to gather alongside neighbors, veterans, elected officials, and local leaders to reflect on the ideals that have united Americans for 250 years and to commemorate one of the nation’s defining moments.
