Reading the Declaration of Independence

Reading the Declaration of Independence Friday, July 17, 2026 • Independence Park • Gathering at 5:30 P.M. | Reading Begins at 6:00 P.M. Join Historic Beverly for a commemorative public reading of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Park, the very site where Beverly first heard the Declaration read aloud in 1776. On July 17, 1776, Colonel John Glover gathered his regiment on the parade ground that would later become Independence Park, where they were joined by Beverly townspeople to hear the newly adopted Declaration of Independence publicly proclaimed for the first time. Printed by E. Russell of Salem just two weeks after the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4th, Beverly’s reading copy announced the birth of a new nation before the celebration continued with a cannon salute and the ringing of church bells throughout the community. 250 years later, Historic Beverly invites the public to gather once again at this historic location to reflect on the… View Source