Morris County To Join Nationwide Reading Of Declaration Of Independence

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Morris County will join communities across the country on Wednesday for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on the front lawn of the historic Morris County Courthouse in Morristown.

The event at 56 Washington St. begins at 5:45 p.m., with the reading starting promptly at 6 p.m. as part of the nationwide “Sharing the Spirit of America” initiative.

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The event commemorates the 250th anniversary of the document’s first public reading in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, and also marks the conclusion of Morris County’s weeklong “Light to Unite” celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial.

Communities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories are expected to take part in synchronized readings at the same time.

The county said the ceremony will feature members of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, along with county constitutional officers Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Sheriff James M. Gannon, County Clerk Ann F. Grossi and Surrogate Heather J. Darling. Superior Court, Morris/Sussex Vicinage Assignment Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz also is scheduled to read an assigned portion of the Declaration.

“This event offers our community a unique opportunity to stand together and commemorate one of the defining moments in our nation's history,” said Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw. “By joining Americans across the country in reading the Declaration of Independence at the exact same moment, we honor the principles of liberty and self-government that continue to unite us 250 years later.”

The ceremony will begin with music by the Colonial Musketeers Senior Ancient Fife and Drum Corps of Hackettstown. Just before 6 p.m., the historic courthouse bell will ring 13 times before the reading begins.

After the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy complimentary Bomb Pop frozen treats, view the Morris County 250th Traveling Mural and explore a special 250th anniversary exhibit inside the courthouse.

According to the announcement, the exhibit traces the evolution of Morris County’s courthouses, highlights landmark trials and features historic artifacts, photographs and interactive displays about the county’s legal history. Visitors also can see exhibits about the history of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and receive a complimentary pocket Constitution, courtesy of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

The reading also will be livestreamed on the Morris County Facebook page. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will move to the historic courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse.