Patriotic ceremony from 1-3 p.m. at Veterans Park

COLUMBUS—Polk County residents and visitors will soon be able to view replicas of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 

A dedication for Polk County’s Charters of Freedom is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Veterans Park in Columbus. 

The ceremony, held on Constitution Day, will include a patriotic ceremony with speakers and the unveiling of the Charters of Freedom. 

Foundation Forward Inc. decided to donate the Charters of Freedom to Polk County last year. The county and town of Columbus have worked together for the location of Veterans Park, which was recommended after some study by the Polk County Appearance Commission. No county or town dollars have been spent on the displays of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The displays are said to be constructed to last for 300 years and will also include a time capsule. 

Several donations have been made for the project, including from Statesville Brick Co. for the bricks, Henson’s Lumber for the mortar cement and sand as well as donated masonry labor. Volunteers also recently completed heavy lifting of the top frames for the displays and there have been two work days, where volunteers did landscaping to get the site completed. 

Foundation Forward is a nonprofit educational organization based in Valdese. 

For more information about Tuesday’s ceremony or the Charters of Freedom project, contact Columbus Town Councilman Robert Williamson at Williamson.Columbus@gmail.com or 828-817-9428. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend Tuesday’s dedication.