Swain installs Charters of Freedom
Swain County officials came together last week to dedicate the Charters of Freedom monument that can now be seen just outside the county’s administrative building.
The monument includes cased replicas of the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights plus a time capsule that won’t be unearthed and opened until Constitution Day. Sept. 17, 2087.
The monument was made possible by Foundation Forward, a nonprofit founded by Vance and Mary Jo Patterson, to fund these kinds of monuments all over the country — starting with North Carolina.
Vance Patterson was present at the Swain County dedication and told the community about how his trip to the National Archives in Washington, D.C., inspired him and Mary Jo to make these incredible pieces of America’s history available for all citizens even if they can’t make the trip to the U.S. capital.
A Charters of Freedom monument has also been installed in Jackson County and Macon County’s monument is in the process of being installed.