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Edison marks America’s 250th with public reading of the Declaration of Independence
Summary
Edison Township gathered at the Colonial Commons on July 4 for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence led by council member Robert Pentos and Mayor Sam Joshi. Organizers announced a procession to Revolutionary War graves and evening events including a band and fireworks at Lake Papiani Park.
Robert Pentos, a township council member and co-chair of the America 250 celebration committee, opened a July 4 commemorative reading of the Declaration of Independence at Edison’s Colonial Commons, welcoming residents to a program that organizers said would honor 250 years of American history.
"I am Robert Pentos, a member of the township council and co-chair of the America 250 celebration committee," Pentos said as he introduced the program and described local Revolutionary-era landmarks, including the Dunham House. He placed the site in historical context, noting that 250 years ago this area was part of Piscataway Township and that printed copies of the Declaration had been read at post-road stops en route from Philadelphia.
Mayor Sam Joshi praised the organizers and framed the day as one for remembering the township’s place in history. "What a beautiful day to celebrate America's 250th anniversary," Joshi said, adding that Edison "has played a significant role in nearly every single decade from the Revolutionary War all the way till now."
Following brief remarks, a sequence of Edison residents read passages from the Declaration of Independence, beginning with the preamble and continuing through the document's list of grievances and its concluding pledge. The reading included the lines "We hold these truths to be self-evident" and the closing passage in which the signers pledged "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
Walt Stoschel, co-chair of the celebration committee, closed the program and thanked municipal departments and volunteers. He invited attendees to a procession to visit local Revolutionary War graves — "22 of them are buried here," he said — and outlined the remainder of the day's events, noting a bell-ringing at 2:50 p.m. at the Danish Home on New Durham Road, an evening concert at Lake Papiani Park at 7:30 p.m., and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
The ceremony combined local historical remarks with a communal reading of the Declaration, and organizers encouraged participants to continue commemorations across the township through the evening’s scheduled events.
