DORCHESTER, Mass. - Visitors of the Commonwealth Museum at the Massachusetts State Archives can now get a closer look at the early days of the American Revolution with a new exhibit featuring centuries-old letters, notebooks, documents and currency.
What You Need To Know
- A new exhibit at the Massachusetts State Archives feaatures various artifacts from the Revolutionary War
- Items include the signatures of John Hancock and George Washington, and a drum used in the Battle of Bunker Hill
- The exhibit remains open through June 17
- Other items stored at the Massachusetts State Archive are always available for the public to view
The treasure trove of history includes the signatures of John Hancock and George Washington, a drum used in the Battle of Bunker Hill, a bill written by Paul Revere, and colonial currency which still looks sharp and well-preserved.
On Monday, Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin visited the exhibit, which is called ‘Upon Such Ground: Massachusetts and the Birth of the Revolution.’
“The real issue that’s presented by all of these historical artifacts is the fact our greatest export in Massachusetts from then and now is democracy,” Galvin said. “That’s what we said we have to have. We had to have the right to declare for ourselves how we were going to proceed.”
The story of everyday life in the birthplace of the American Revolution has been well-documented, but the history books likely won’t have the same impact as seeing the original documents themselves.
Massachusetts State Archivist John Warner said the various artifacts put the colonists’ struggles into context.
“At the time, I believe they felt they were forced into war,” Warner said. “The British government was not responsive to their requirements, to their needs. The British government had their own agenda, so to speak. And the Massachusetts Bay colonists were not following those kind of rules.”
Alongside St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 is observed as Evacuation Day in Boston, marking the day British forces fled the city in George Washington’s first victory of the Revolutionary
The exhibit closes on June 17 to coincide with Bunker Hill Day, but Warner wants people to know that all the history contained within the archives building is meant for the public to access., regardless of what’s on display.
“This is a public records facility, which means you don’t have to make an appointment,” Warner said. “All you have to do is basically tell us who you are, come in here, and if we have it, we’ll make it available to you.”
