DENVER, Colo. -- As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the National Archives is giving people across the country a rare opportunity to see some of the documents that helped shape the nation.
For the first time, original founding-era documents are traveling the country aboard the Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents That Forged a Nation. The exhibition is part of the National Archives' commemoration of America's semiquincentennial, bringing historic artifacts directly to communities rather than requiring visitors to travel to Washington, D.C.
KTBS 3's Shannon Binias reported from Denver, where the traveling exhibit is staged at the History Colorado Center.
The Denver museum is one of only eight cultural institutions nationwide selected to host the collection. Among the featured items are an original engraving of the Declaration of Independence, a rare draft printing of the U.S. Constitution containing handwritten notes and George Washington's Oath of Allegiance signed during the Revolutionary War.
Organizers say the tour is designed to give Americans a closer look at the documents and artifacts that helped forge the nation as the country marks 250 years of independence.
The Denver stop runs through June 14 and is part of both the America 250 celebration and Colorado's 150th anniversary observance.
The Freedom Plane National Tour is now past its midway point, with three remaining stops scheduled in Seattle, Miami and Dearborn, Michigan.
National Archives officials say the tour offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Americans to experience some of the nation's most significant historical documents in their own communities.