Local man hopes to bring Charters of Freedom monument to Carson City

Chuck Slavin is on a mission to bring the documents that shaped this nation to a permanent display in Carson City.

Slavin hopes to have a monument displaying this nation’s three major founding documents — the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, known as the Charters of Freedom — in Carson City as soon as this summer. Slavin is working with chartersoffreedom.com, an organization which assists in placing Charters of Freedom displays in communities across the country.

Slavin said he hopes to have an agreement with the city by the end of January for the monument to be placed. He said it’s planned for the monument to be placed in front of the courthouse on Musser Street. The Charters of Freedom monument would display exact replicas of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution — that are now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. With the exception of the original parchment, the documents exhibited here would be the exact replicas of the three documents in Washington.

Slavin said he had an idea of “building some kind of monument” on his own until he found out about chartersoffreedom.com.

“It’s something somebody should have some knowledge about, I believe,” said Slavin about the Charters of Freedom.

He said $80,000 needs to be raised for the monument to be constructed and he said he doesn’t want to begin fundraising until an agreement is reached with the city. When fundraising begins, Slavin said, “Frankly, I’ll meet with anybody who has an interest.”

Everyone who donates to the cause will be acknowledged in a vault to be placed in the monument. Those who donate $500 or more will also have their names placed on plaque to be displayed with the monument. Slavin said his goal is to have the monument constructed by June or July.

For information on the monument, call Slavin, 775-762-2662 or visit www.chartersoffreedom.com.