By Elizabeth Russell
Pentwater Historical Society
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the writing of the Declaration of Independence, and truly the very beginning of our nation, the Pentwater Museum is partnering with local libraries to provide activities for children and families, as well as an interesting look at the history of the Declaration in the museum itself.
A passbook is available at the museum, the Pentwater Library and the Hart Library. Each page of the passbook has questions to be answered about the Declaration and the men that wrote it and signed it. Of the 56 signers of the Declaration, the names Hancock, Jefferson, Clymer, Carroll, Hart and many others appear throughout Oceana County. A prize is awarded for each completed page of the passbook.
In Pentwater, yard signs throughout the residential area allow parents and guardians to scan QR codes to get information about the man that street is named after. The passbook has the map, and the questions to be answered!
The Declaration exhibit was installed in the Pentwater museum on June 29 and will remain there for the remainder of the season. It tells the stories of some of the men who wrote and signed the Declaration and the contributions they made to America’s independence.
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson (a Hart street) studied law under George Wythe (a Pentwater street) and was the primary author of the Declaration? Congress made over 80 changes to his draft before approving it and signing it, and that’s how our nation began.
Did you know that Charles Carroll (a Pentwater street) was the only Catholic delegate to the 2nd Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration? He was prohibited from practicing law in England because of his religion.
Activities are available at the museum for non-readers as well, with prizes for completed pages of the passbook. Come and visit us this summer!
See the website https://pentwaterhistory.org to see some of the facts and answers for the passbook. Please email questions to info@pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org.
