'Declaration 1776' exhibit arrives at Bedford Town Hall

Panels of the Declaration 1776 display will encircle the town hall rotunda for a week.

Photos: Tom Bartley

Bringing the story of 1776 closer to home, two locally created panels focus on the role of Bedford and John Jay as a new nation emerged.

Photos: Tom Bartley

Caroline MacGill, president of Friends of John Jay Homestead, addresses the Bedford Town Board’s June 2 meeting, describing the Declaration 1776 exhibit.

Photos: Tom Bartley

Posted Thursday, June 4, 2026 9:19 am

By Tom Bartley

Contributing Writer

BEDFORD, N.Y. - "Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy" went on display this week in the rotunda of Bedford Town Hall.

The traveling exhibit of panels from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History uses primary sources to explore the impact of the Declaration of Independence here and around the world. Augmenting the Gilder Lehrman display are two panels created by Friends of John Jay Homestead. They depict the connection of John Jay and Bedford to that historic era.

The exhibit continues through Wednesday, June 10.