New Jersey celebrates 345th birthday
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
By: Phil Gregory
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New Jersey celebrated its 345th birthday yesterday with celebrations in Trenton.
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State officials, teachers and students gathered at the State Museum to get a look at two special documents: the 1664 charter establishing New Jersey as a British colony and the only copy of the Declaration of Independence that tours the country.
Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells says it's important to celebrate the state's founding and New Jersey's historic venues
Michell Wells: The historic piece is a huge part of our travel and tourism industry. Cultural and heritage tourism are really growing areas and bring a lot of revenue to the state.
New Jersey earned the opportunity to display the copy of the Declaration of Independence because students at schools in the state were winners of a National Mock Election campaign last fall.