Two 1776 Declarations Reunited at Nipmuc Regional High School for the First Time Since the Revolution

The Nipmuc Regional High School Social Studies Department welcomed the Mendon and Upton Town Clerks on Nov. 17 to show students the towns’ handwritten copies of the Declaration of Independence. (Photo Courtesy Mendon-Upton Regional School District)

UPTON — The last time Mendon and Upton’s handwritten copies of the Declaration of Independence sat side by side, the American Revolution had barely begun.

Last week, they were placed on a library table at Nipmuc Regional High School, where students leaned in close to study the pieces of local history created on July 17, 1776.

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. A local printer produced about 200 copies, which were sent to the states with instructions to read the document aloud and to copy it by hand into town record books. Both Mendon and Upton created handwritten copies that still survive today.

On Monday, Nov. 17, the Nipmuc Social Studies Department welcomed Mendon Town Clerk Ellen Agro and Upton Town Clerk Denise Smith, who brought their towns’ original handwritten copies for students to examine. It was the first time the two documents had been in the same room in 249 years.

The program is part of the Social Studies Department’s “Revolution In Our Back Yard” unit and supports the national America250 effort. Teachers designed the lesson to link national milestones to local places so that students understand how major events impacted their own communities.

“Looking at the Declaration of Independence made me feel that the history was right there and very immediate, more real than just reading about it in class,” said Sophomore Cate Tengler. “Looking at the actual document made me realize and understand that the people who wrote it were real individuals making serious decisions that shaped our country. I think it’s important to see documents like this because it gives us a sense of how close and real history is.”

Social Studies Teacher Darcy Daniels said the goal is to connect national history to more familiar surroundings near home.

“As a department we have been working on linking national history like the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to local, place-based history so that students feel connected to their communities,” Daniels said. “This creates a more authentic learning experience, because if students can drive by a place or see a local document, they are more likely to retain the information about the national event. We are so lucky to have fantastic community partners like our two Town Clerks Ellen Agro and Denise Smith who help to facilitate this intentional pairing of national and local history.”

Agro, the Mendon Town Clerk, said she was encouraged by the students’ interest in the documents during the event.

“As we approach our country’s 250th birthday and the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, I was struck by the enthusiasm shown by the Nipmuc students who took the time to inspect Mendon’s Resolves and the transcribed copies of the Declaration of Independence,” Agro said. “Seeing them engaged in actively trying to read the old script was entertaining. Our future is bright in the hands of these future voters.”

Nipmuc Library Media Specialist Paige Rouse helped host the visit in the Nipmuc Media Center.

“This was an incredibly powerful experience to have right here in our school, not only to absorb the significance of this historical document, but also to explore the impact of everyday people on the course of momentous events and to reflect on the power we each have to shape our shared future,” Rouse said. “I am honored to have been a part of this opportunity.”

“Our students had a chance to see how national history lives in their own towns,” said Superintendent Dr. Maureen Cohen. “Experiences like this help them understand that the events they study in classes were shaped by real people in real places. I am grateful to our town clerks and our staff for giving students such meaningful access to these documents.”

This learning experience is representative of the work undertaken by Ms. Daniels and the Nipmuc Social Studies Department to create connections between the curriculum and the world beyond the school campus. Ms. Daniels was honored for her work when she was named the Massachusetts 2024 History Teacher of the Year. Additionally, in May 2025, Nipmuc’s Social Studies Department received the “Recognition of Department Excellence in Teaching Social Studies Award’ from the Massachusetts Council for Social Studies, honoring their ongoing work to bring the curriculum to life through authentic learning.

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