08/07/2026
It's First Friday! On the First Friday of each month, we share a favorite from the Read House & Gardens. In July, we dove into an engraving entitled "Declaration of Independence," which hangs in the front parlor. This month, as we continue to mark the 250th anniversary of its signing, Read House Lead Ambassador Pam Mansfield explores the signatures on the Declaration itself:
While July 4, 1776, marks the official adoption of the Declaration of Independence, finalizing the document took several weeks. On that day, the Continental Congress formally declared the thirteen colonies independent from Great Britain.
By July 19, Congress instructed that the text be engrossed (calligraphed) on parchment under the official title, "The unanimous declaration of the thirteen united states of America," and signed by all members.
Though commonly associated with July 4th, the signing of the Declaration actually began on August 2, 1776.
Congress President John Hancock was the first to sign, placing his bold and prominent signature below the center of the text. The remaining delegates' signatures are arranged geographically from north to south, starting with New Hampshire, then Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Following this pattern, one can match the delegates to their states- for the most part. Not all delegates were present on August 2nd, so they signed where there was available space. Late-arriving New Hampshire delegate Matthew Thornton found a spot and signed at the bottom of column six below Connecticut. Others, like John Dickinson, who opposed separation from British rule, chose not to sign at all.
In the end, the Declaration's unique layout reflects both geographical order and practical necessity, capturing a pivotal moment in history through the signatures of those who risked everything for independence.
