Patriotic music and the recitation of the Declaration of Independence were featured during a celebration held on July 4 on the front lawn of the Ironmaster's Mansion at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. The event also included the reading of winning essays as part of a contest that invited local students to address the question, "What Does the Declaration of Independence Mean to You?"

The National Park Service and the Friends of Hopewell Furnace presented the program, which was held to commemorate the 246th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Jeff Jones, site manager for Hopewell Furnace, provided the welcome, which was followed by "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by Molly Herman and the presenting of colors by Girl Scouts from Daniel Boone Service Unit 763 and Boy Scouts from Pack and Troop 595.

Danica Leister, a student at Daniel Boone High School, was named the third-place winner of the essay contest. In her narrative, Danica spoke about how the Declaration of Independence was related to the women's rights convention in Seneca Falls in July of 1848. "During the women's rights convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton spoke her draft of the Declaration of Sentiments. This Declaration follows the text and composition of the Declaration of Independence but includes changes to the document to demonstrate the women's effort toward equality and dedication to be taken seriously," the essay stated.

The second-place winner was Abigail Smith, a student at Owen J. Roberts (OJR) High School. In her essay, Abigail said that while many people enjoy barbecues or fireworks on July 4, it is also a time to remember those who founded the U.S. "Next time, on the Fourth of July, take a moment and step back ... (and) reflect on the sacrifices of millions who allowed the United States of America to become the country it is today," the essay stated.

First-place essay contest winner Celia Kerr, a student at OJR, was unable to attend the ceremony on July 4, so her essay was read by Hopewell park ranger Kailey Loughran. Celia's essay stated, "To most, the Declaration of Independence is a symbol of freedom, of liberty, of our country as a whole, but in its status as a symbol, I feel that many have neglected to remember what it is really about. While I do appreciate its symbolism, it is the full body and content of the document that compels me to admire and remember it."

Each of the essay contest winners was presented with a framed certificate and a cash prize. To read the essays in their entirety, visit http://www.facebook.com/HopewellFurnaceNHS and scroll down to the post dated June 21.

After the essay readings, audience members volunteered to read the Declaration of Independence line by line using printouts of the document provided by Jones.

The ceremony concluded with the singing of "America the Beautiful" by Amelia Shelgren.

Hopewell Furnace, located at 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, is currently open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the park is free. For more information, call 610-582-8773 or visit http://www.nps.gov/hofu.