rare 1776 broadsheet

Mayor Robert Stubbs #20 is shown holding Hallowell’s rare, original 1776 broadsheet of the Declaration of Independence #21.

The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and then ordered Ezekiel Russell, a printer in Salem Massachusetts to print 250 of these broadside copies of the Declaration for distribution around the colonies. Only 11 of these broadsheets are known to exist today.

The broadsheets were circulated to churches and meeting halls across the 13 colonies. The broadsheets were to be read aloud so the citizens could know that America was declared sovereign lands, no longer under rule of the British monarchy.

Three of these now rare documents were originally sent to Maine, one to North Yarmouth and one to Fort Western in what is now Augusta, Maine, but in 1776 was still part of Hallowell.

According to one 1870 history of the region, the Fort Western copy was proclaimed throughout Hallowell and Gardiner, but apparently was never returned to Fort Western.

The document disappeared for over 100 years, only resurfacing in 1908 when Hallowell native E.T. Getchell donated the broadsheet to the small museum in Hallowell’s Hubbard Free Library, what is now the children’s section of the library.

found in the library

Then the rare document had essentially disappeared again. However, in 1976, 200 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our Hallowell historian Sam Webber #41, found the broadsheet, framed and tucked away in the library.

The Hallowell broadsheet was loaned to Maine State Museum for an exhibit from 1990 to 1993. Later an agreement was reached for the document to be owned by the residents of Hallowell but permanently preserved anmd housed in the Maine State Museum.

The rare broadsheet is estimated to be valued at $1.6 million.

On rare occasions the document is brought to Hallowell for public display. Sandy and Bob Stubbs were instrumental in making this happen the last time on July 4, 2015. As part of the July 4th celebrations various Hallowell residents read from the broadsheet Declaration to a public gathering at City Hall.

Elisa Clark Lowell

Elisa Clark Lowell was a direct descendant of the Deacon Pease Clark #109, the family of European descent to build a home on Hallowell shores.

In 1897 Elisa Clark Lowell donated $10,000 for an addition to the Hubbard Free Library to be dedicated as a small city museum. This is now the children’s section in the library. She attended the dedication the next year at the age of 97.

Eliza then donated $20,000 to build a new City Hall, saying, “Build it strong that it may last for years to come.” While she saw it under construction, unfortunately, Eliza Clark Lowell died shortly before the building was dedicated in 1898.