Brett Carroll, Staff Writer
Church bells chimed while the public shared in reading parts of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 at the historic Allen House in Shrewsbury.
The holiday event, which drew a crowd of 400, was the third annual Independence Day celebration that was sponsored by the Monmouth County Historical Association.
The celebration started with the audience taking turns reading portions of the Declaration of Independence. The president of the Monmouth County Historical Association, Linda Bricker, served as the master of ceremonies, while Shrewsbury Mayor Donald Burden and Rev. Lisa Mitchell from the Christ Church, Shrewsbury, also joined in the festivities.
The Christ Church bells rang 13 times to honor the 13 original colonies while the readings took place.
The crowd was also presented with the opportunity to view one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, which was dated from 1880. This copy was reproduced from an 1818 engraved plate and on loan from the permanent archives of the Monmouth County Library in Manalapan.
Costumed interpreters welcomed guests and conducted tours of the historic Allen House. Refreshments were served throughout the affair.
The Monmouth County Historical Association, according to its website, is a private and a non-profit organization that has been working to preserve history and provide educational opportunities since its founding in 1898.
The Monmouth County Historical Association Museum and Library is located at 70 Court Street in Freehold. The museum is open every Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the library is open every Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.
For more information about the Monmouth County Historical Association, please call 732-462-1466 or visit the web site at www.monmouthhistory.org.
