A very rare 1776 printing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence is presented to the public for the first time in over a century at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.

“We are honored to be able to share this extraordinary treasure of the American founding with our visitors this summer. It is humbling to stand in the presence of such an authentic witness to our nation’s birth,” President and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution, Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, stated.

The document, printed by newspaper publisher and printer John Holt in New York in 1776, is addressed to Col. David Mulford, a Revolutionary War colonel.

It remained in Mulford family’s possession until 2017, before being sold to Holly Metcalf Kinyon, a descendant of Declaration signer John Witherspoon.

“The Mulford family’s deep appreciation for history enabled me to connect with my American heritage in a profound way. Women played a vital role in preserving this printing of the Declaration and it’s my privilege to see it displayed publicly again by the Museum of the American Revolution,” Kinyon said in a statement.