Weston Reenacts 1776 Declaration Reading 250 Years Later

Declaration Day!_ The 250th Anniversary of the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Weston · Meeting of September 8, 2026

Weston marked the 250th anniversary of its 1776 Declaration of Independence reading with a benefit drawing 100 to 120 attendees. The Weston Historical Society, led by board members Molly Varno and Pam Riffin, co-hosted the event with First Parish Church, whose current minister, the Rev. Jeff Barsnell, is the parish's 15th since its fourth minister first read the Declaration there on September 8, 1776.

Barsnell spotlighted Weston-born Samuel Phillips Savage, a select board member and innkeeper who later organized Revolutionary War supply logistics as a member of the Massachusetts Board of War, calling frontline logistics work "the true legacy of the document." Before the reading, Artemis Willis noted the Wabanaki Confederacy was "the first nation to recognize American independence," signing a treaty at Watertown on July 19, 1776. Reader Tom Payne then delivered the full Declaration text, naming Massachusetts signers John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine and Elbridge Gerry.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,522 words

Source: the Declaration Day!_ The 250th Anniversary of the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Weston meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.