Original Portsmouth Compact of 1638 to be on Display at Portsmouth Town Hall

This Thursday's 375th Anniversary ceremony at Portsmouth Town Hall will feature the original Portsmouth Compact of 1638, the first time that this historic document has been shown in Portsmouth, according to local records. This compact was signed 375 years ago, on 7 March 1638, by 23 men, all banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for being followers of Anne Hutchinson's religious beliefs. It laid the foundation for the establishment of the town of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island later that spring. The document itself is stored in the State Archives in Providence and will be conveyed to and from Portsmouth with a Portsmouth police escort. To put it into historical perspective, the compact is 138 years older that the Declaration of Independence.

The public is invited to attend this once in a lifetime event at Portsmouth Town Hall from 12-1PM on Thursday. Following the ceremony, guests will be able to view the document itself, along with a different, 1639 Compact also on disply. Seating will be limited to the capacity of the Town Council Chambers, so early arrival is recommended.