ATHOL – At its meeting last Tuesday, the Selectboard accepted a replica of the Declaration of Independence as part of a series of celebrations for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The replica declaration was presented by Missi Eaton, executive director of the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce, and her husband Dan. This follows an event held July 18, when a number of state and local officials, municipal department heads, and community advocates gathered at the bandstand on the Upper Common, where each read a portion of the declaration to a crowd of 50 to 60 people.

“That was a great day, wasn’t it?” said board Chair Bill Chiasson.

Dan Eaton explained, “A month ago, we reenacted an event that happened 250 years ago to the day, and in that very location, which was the reading of the Declaration of Independence to the residents of Athol. Every municipality in the Commonwealth gets a block-printed, historically accurate copy. This happens to be Athol’s copy. The Chamber of Commerce and History Expo had this framed and matted.

“We hope that you will display it proudly. We are planning on reenacting this every July 4th from the steps of the Historical Society,” Dan added. “We ask, if you do need a home for it or you’re thinking of putting it into storage, I would ask that you consider putting this on display at the historical society year-round, just in case you don’t have a spot for it.”

The copy of the declaration was, Missi Eaton told the Athol Daily News, “Presented to the town of Athol by state Rep. Susannah Whipps as part of Revolution 250’s Declaration Delivery Day, commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.”

Declaration Delivery Day was part of the nation’s semiquincentennial commemorations. It recreated the events of July 1776, when Massachusetts’ Provincial Congress authorized the printing of over 300 copies of the declaration, which were sent to each parish in the Commonwealth, read aloud, and set down in town records.

Missi Eaton said the reproductions were hand-printed by historian and printer Gary Gregory of the Printing Office of Edes and Gill at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill. The reproduction of the 1776 Ezekiel Russell broadside gifted to Athol was created using 18th-century printing techniques, hand-set movable type, a wooden hand press and specially made cotton-linen paper.

“We certainly will find a place for it that’s appropriate,” Chiasson told the Eatons. “Thank you so much for putting all of that together.”