DANVERS — Two extremely rare 18th century copies of the Declaration of Independence were on display for the public at the Danvers Archival Center Monday evening.
The documents, which are part of the archival center’s collection, are two original broadside printings of the Declaration, one of which was read in South Danvers in the late summer of 1776 to officially inform local residents of the vote for independence.
The other was sold as a keepsake that year to patriotic North Shore residents, and features the first-ever printed depiction of George Washington. It is one of only two surviving broadsides with this image that are known to exist, with the other belonging to the Massachusetts Historical Society.
The original Danvers Town Meeting Record Book that contains a handwritten recording of the Declaration of Independence was also on hand, as well as an original 1780 English print depicting the Declaration being read to citizens.
The Danvers Archival Center is located in the basement level of the Peabody Institute Library at 15 Sylvan St.