Trenton leaders mark 250th anniversary with public reading and time capsule dedication

Mike Hawkins, Trenton’s chief of police, opened a July 8, 2026, commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by welcoming elected officials, civic groups and scouts and introducing a time capsule that will be sealed by the Trenton Historical Commission.

The event, held in Trenton, included a full public reading of the Declaration by local scouts and volunteers, remarks from Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, State Representative Riley Linting, State Senator Darren Kamilar and Mayor Steven Rzeppa, and a display of artifacts destined for the capsule.

Hawkins framed the ceremony around three leadership qualities—character, competence and courage—and tied them to the Trenton Police Department’s effort to create a new mission, vision and professional culture. He invited local scout troops to lead the Pledge of Allegiance and to take part in the Declaration reading, which the audience received with sustained applause.

"These are the future leaders of Trenton and beyond," Hawkins said, thanking scout leaders and volunteers. He also noted letters included among the capsule items from students, residents and city leadership.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell said the national series of readings ties local civic life to the country’s founding principles and urged participation in democracy. "United we stand, divided we fall," she told the crowd, calling the anniversary a reminder that "government is meant to serve the people."

State Representative Riley Linting reflected on the diversity of the 56 signers and the pledge that followed, urging continued civic service across generations.

Senator Darren Kamilar, who said he chose Trenton to raise his family, praised local institutions and conservation efforts tied to the John D. Dingell Visitor Center and the International Wildlife Refuge, and highlighted community cooperation across political differences.

Mayor Steven Rzeppa thanked the Historical Commission and event organizers, and highlighted recent local redevelopment. He said demolition and cleanup efforts at the former Macleod Steel site and the old Riverside Hospital property have cleared land along the waterfront, and that a coal-fired DTE plant at the south end of town was removed to make way for a new project. "The DTE property is being transformed into the largest battery energy storage system project in the Midwest," Rzeppa said, adding that such developments help stabilize the power grid and contribute to the city’s tax base.

Rzeppa also noted a millage voters approved two years earlier to build new police and fire stations and renovate other city facilities; he said construction of a new police building on Maple and a consolidated fire station near Veterans Parkway is underway.

The program concluded with Hawkins inviting attendees to view the time capsule artifacts on display; he said the Historical Commission will seal the capsule later. Hawkins and others described the capsule’s contents as a snapshot of Trenton life, including letters from the mayor and other community members intended for a future generation.

Officials gave slightly different dates and milestones for the capsule’s timeline in their remarks: Hawkins said in his remarks that the capsule would remain sealed until 2084 when the city would celebrate its 200th birthday, while Mayor Rzeppa referenced a dedication date of 07/08/2026 and made an aside about opening it 55 or 58 years from now; those timeline references were presented without further clarification at the event.

No formal votes or policy actions were taken at the ceremony; the program was a civic commemoration and community celebration of the Declaration’s anniversary and local service.

The program ended with a final round of applause and an invitation to attendees to view the artifacts before they are sealed by the Historical Commission.