Members of the Marietta chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the American Revolution participate in a 2017 anniversary celebration of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. There are several activities planned on Friday and Saturday for this year’s celebration. (File photo)

History fans will have the chance to celebrate the adoption of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 this week.

The 237th celebration of the Northwest Territory Ordinance of 1787 will start on Friday, according to a media release from the celebration committee for the event.

The Northwest Ordinance, which was passed by the Continental Congress on July 12, 1787, plays a part in the history of Marietta and the United States.

The release said Marietta is the site of the first organized settlement and capital of the Northwest Territory. Marietta was started by 48 members of the Ohio Company led by General Rufus Putnam who landed at the mouth of the Muskingum River on April 7, 1788, starting the westward expansion of the U.S.

It said these men served in the Revolutionary War and lobbied Congress for land as payment for their service and this resulted in the Northwest Ordinance, which establishes territories north of the Ohio River to Canada and east of the Mississippi River, abolished slavery in these territories and serves as the model for the Bill of Rights.

The release said there will be a bell ringing of the carillon by Sean Lofty from 10-10:30 a.m. Saturday at First Congregational Church.

“Guests are invited to climb the steps into the bell tower to watch,” the release said.

According to the release, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday there will be a Northwest Ordinance commemoration at the Memorial to the Start Westward of the United States. Jean Yost, a member of the celebration committee, said there will be two speakers during the event.

The release said if there is rain the event will be held at First Congregational Church.

Executive Director of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Gleaves Whitney will give a presentation titled “America’s Refounding: The Northwest Ordinance and the Vision of a More Perfect Union,” according to the release.

“The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 is one of the world’s greatest papers,” Whitney said in the release.

“Arguably the greatest achievement of the Confederation Congress, the document provides the blueprint for the growth of the new American republic and set the course for forming a more perfect union – most of all by excluding slavery from new territory.”

Yost agrees with Whitney’s description of the Northwest Ordinance.

“As you look at the greatest human rights documents in the word it’s in the top three,” Yost said.

He said the Northwest Ordinance helped keep slavery out of an area that was as big as the original 13 colonies and it included rights for women and children.

According to Yost, Executive Director of America 250-Ohio Todd Kleismit, which is Ohio’s commission for the celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, will also be speaking during the program.

“He’ll be talking basically about how Marietta can celebrate and get more involved (in the 250th anniversary),” Yost said.

Yost thinks people should come to the commemoration to “hear these words from these great scholars,” he said.

According to a flier included with the media release, at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the McDonough Center Auditorium at Marietta College there will be a screening of a sneak-peek of an upcoming documentary by David Garrigus called “The American Constitution:1787.”

“The year 1787 inescapably set the stage for America’s future,” the flier said about the movie.

“Witness (George) Washington, (Alexander) Hamilton and (Benjamin) Franklin’s riveting story of compromise and triumph creating the Constitution in Philadelphia. Meanwhile in New York, Congress created the seminal Northwest Ordinance. The (film) explores how these pivotal documents profoundly influence our world today.”

According to the flier, there will be a question and answer session with Garrigus after the screening that will give people the chance to provide him feedback and will give attendees insight into how these historical moments were brought to life on the big screen.

The flier said the screening is sponsored by American 250-Ohio and the Northwest Territory Ordinance of 1787 Celebration.

Other events happening as part of the celebration are:

*Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Campus Martius people can tour the General Rufus Putnam House and see the exhibit “Celebrating the Pioneers” based on David McCullough’s book of the same name. Regular admission rates apply.

*Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. History in the Park at Muskingum Park will take place and will include history exhibits and history reenactors.

According to the release, the celebration committee co-chairs are Mayor Joshua Schlicher, former Ohio governor and former Marietta Mayor Nancy Hollister, Multicultural Genealogical Center Board Member Sharon Barnett, Marietta Daughters of the American Revolution Member Lila Hill and Marietta Sons of the American Revolution Member Jean Yost.