In celebration of our country's 250th anniversary, Maine Historical Society (MHS) is on the road with its Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence Statewide Tour through October. MHS is traveling to all 16 of the state's counties, and on July 24 and 25 the tour arrived in East Boothbay at Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences. 

Only 26 of the original Dunlap Broadside copies are known to existence today. As the 14-page MHS handout explained, printer John Dunlap's hand-set type left traces on each copy that was individually inked and pressed resulting in some with irregular spacing, uneven inking and small typographical variations on each of the surviving copies. In addition to the copy at Maine Historical Society, other copies are in Washington D.C., Connecticut at Yale University, Indiana, Illinois at the Chicago History Museum, Maryland, Massachusetts (three copies), New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas and the United Kingdom. Two copies are in private collections.

People of all ages lined up waiting to view the historic document and, in many cases, had photos taken standing beside and around it.

Built around the viewing of the Dunlap Broadside Declaration of Independence was a historical video presentation about Maine's role before and during the Revolutionary War. Before the fight for independence, there had been encroachments and wars over Wabanaki lands for over a century; the importance of Machias and the access Maine provided to eastern ports and Canada were touched on. 

Another presentation featured interviews with Mainers, including grammar school students to elders representing all walks of life. Each spoke about what meaning the Declaration of Independence had for them. Responses included: Being able to exercise constitutional rights; the responsibility of all Americans to vote, whether for dog catcher, local government, or the presidency; our shared responsibility to care for one another; that ours is a democracy in a constant state of revolution; and passing our history, hopes and dreams from one generation to the next.

Maine Historical Society's Director of Audience Engagement Lauren Webster said over 2,000 people had attended the first two destinations: Sagadahoc County at Maine Maritime Museum and last weekend at Bigelow.

"It's wonderful community engagement marking the occasion and the significance of the past in the present," Webster said.

This statewide tour of the Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence travels to Knox County at Camden Public Library Aug. 7-8; and Waldo County at Belfast Public Library Aug. 15-15.

The full "Pathways To Freedom: Maine Stories of the American Revoltion" exhibition at Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St., continues through Dec. 31 with items not included in the statewide tours. For more information: https://www.mainehistory.org/