VAN NUYS, California, April 14 — A rare collection of founding-era U.S. documents arrived in Van Nuys, California, on Monday aboard the touring “Freedom Plane,” bringing one of the country’s most ambitious America250 exhibitions to Southern California.
The white Boeing 737, accented with blue and red striping, touched down at Van Nuys Airport shortly before noon carrying nine historic records that helped shape the United States. The arrival was marked by a ceremonial water cannon salute, musical performances, and the formal transfer of the documents from the aircraft.
The Freedom Plane National Tour: Documents that Forged a Nation is part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. Organizers say the eight-city tour is designed to reconnect Americans with the ideals of the founding era by taking rare and significant documents beyond Washington and placing them before communities across the country. The effort draws inspiration from the 1975-1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train, which carried historic national treasures around the country during the bicentennial celebration.
The documents on board include the 1774 Articles of Association, the 1778 Oaths of Allegiance signed by officers including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, an 1823 William Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the 1783 Treaty of Paris, a draft Constitution known as the “secret printing,” state delegation votes approving the Constitution, and a Senate markup of the Bill of Rights.
“I saw the opportunity for USC not just to create a place where our students and our faculty could come and look at these documents up close, but an opportunity for the entire community of Los Angeles to come and view these documents and reflect on their enduring value,” he said.
“These documents have never left Washington, D.C. So the opportunity to host them at USC is absolutely thrilling,” said Bethany Montagano, executive director of USC Museums.
The documents will remain in crates until they are installed at the USC Fisher Museum of Art, where the National Archives exhibition opens Friday and continues through May 3. Admission is free with advance tickets.
