Nearly 250 years after the words “all men are created equal” helped launch a new nation, residents of Mendon gathered on Aug. 2 to revisit a moment that connected the town’s history with the birth of the United States of America.

As part of a community commemoration of the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, 56 Mendon “delegates” took part in a ceremonial reenactment of the signing of it, gathering at Town Hall to put their names to a commemorative copy of the document. After the document was signed, it was given to a waiting horseman to (symbolically) deliver it to Boston. 

The event echoed the actions of the 56 delegates who ultimately signed the official engrossed parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Although the document was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the parchment copy was signed beginning on Aug. 2, 1776, with additional signatures added later.

Mendon played an early role in the movement toward independence through the Mendon Resolves of 1773, a set of town resolutions expressing opposition to British authority more than two years before the Declaration was adopted. Historians have noted that Mendon’s action was among the earliest expressions of resistance by an American town and reflected ideas of liberty and self-government that would later appear in the Declaration itself.

The ceremony was part of Mendon’s broader celebration recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Approximately 250 people attended the afternoon events. 

The Aug. 2 festivities included a gathering at Ammidon Tavern with a historic slideshow, refreshments, and a fife and drum performance. The townspeople then walked down Main Street, led by the ‘town crier’ and followed by the band, to Town Hall where the signing took place. The celebration culminated in a fireworks display that evening. 

The event was sponsored in part by the Mendon Cultural Council and donations by others.