Preserved in city vaults for centuries, the Worcester City Clerk’s office is displaying for the public some of the most historic documents in the official city records. Included in these are the copy of the Declaration Of Independence which was read and transcribed into Town Record Book Number Four on July 17, 1776. City Clerk Niko Vangjeli said these documents are not only a part of the city’s extensive history, but of the nation’s. “It’s on our record number four, which dates back to the 1770s. And inside that town record, at the time the town council met, the clerk transcribed the Declaration of Independence. And it was dated July 17, 1776. So it’s certainly a historic book. It’s the actual copy that we are presented here.”
Worcester was founded as a town on June 14, 1722. It was incorporated as a city in 1848.
As current keeper of the city’s records, Vangjeli said the diligence of those before him allows this special history to still be enjoyed and studied today, “It’s certainly very special. It’s the penmanship that they had back then. It’s certainly very legible, and we’re grateful that the clerks over the years have preserved this history to have the actual official copy of the town records from 250 years ago. We’re very proud here in the city of Worcester to preserve our records. We preserve them every day here in the Clerk’s office. We’re also grateful for the previous clerks. There’s been 11 City Clerks or Town Clerks throughout the city’s history. So we’re grateful for their efforts to make sure our vault downstairs, temperature controlled, and those records are properly stored and preserved.”…