This August, the Belfast Free Library will display a rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence known as the Dunlap Broadside, one of only 26 surviving copies from the first printing distributed throughout the colonies after independence was declared.
It’s proving to be a unique opportunity to galvanize a Waldo County celebration of America’s independence and highlight the local role in the Revolutionary War.
“The logistics of it are really interesting,” said Sharon Pietryka, reference and special collections librarian at the Belfast Free Library. “It’s the real deal, and it’s rare.”
The Declaration’s trip to Belfast is part of a statewide tour organized by the Maine Historical Society in recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The document will travel to each of Maine’s 16 counties and will be on display at the Belfast Free Library Aug. 13-15.
According to library staff, the process of securing the exhibit began in late December last year when Maine Historical Society representatives started visiting potential sites throughout the state to display the exhibit.
“We instantly started dreaming of the possibilities,” Pietryka said. “We thought it would be amazing to bring something like this to Waldo County.”
The Declaration will arrive in Belfast in August from the Camden Public Library, the previous stop on the statewide tour, before continuing to Hancock County.
The tour will kick off on July 4 at the Maine Historical Society in Portland and run through Oct. 31, when the Declaration will end its journey at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Full details of the tour can be found at mainehistory.org/revolutionary-maine/declaration-of-independence-tour-schedule.
Maine Historical Society staff evaluated potential locations based on a variety of requirements, including facility capabilities, visitor access and exhibition space.
Hosting a document of such historical significance comes with extensive preservation and security requirements, including display in a locked case, protection from excessive light and humidity, and regular monitoring while it is on public view.
The Declaration travels in a specialized temperature and humidity-controlled case designed to protect it from environmental damage. The broadside is never removed from the case and will arrive with its own display stand. Transportation is handled by professional fine arts movers contracted specifically for the tour.
Visitors will also be able to view an exhibit created by Maine Historical Society featuring panels about the American Revolution, Maine’s role in the conflict, and the history of the Dunlap Broadside.
There will also be an accompanying exhibit highlighting Waldo County’s connections to the Revolutionary era, created by Penobscot Marine Museum.
“Anyone can read [the Broadside] online,” Pietryka said. “But actually seeing the real thing itself in person, that’s something irreplaceable.”
For her, the exhibit’s importance lies in giving community members the opportunity to engage directly with one of the nation’s founding documents and reflect on what its words mean today.
“This document belongs to everyone,” Pietryka said. “It’s really everyone’s Declaration.”