Benedictine College draws 1,500 to America 250 library preview

More than 1,500 people came to Benedictine College’s campus for a free July 4 preview of the new Moritz Library, turning the Independence Hall-inspired building into one of Atchison’s biggest America 250 gatherings of the holiday weekend. The public preview ran from 9 a.m. to noon and drew visitors despite the rain, as downtown festivities, a parade, family activities, food trucks and fireworks over the Missouri River made the holiday feel like a citywide event.

Inside the three-story, 58,000-square-foot library, the college staged a preview built around the country’s founding era. Benedictine said the display included a replica of the Liberty Bell and a replica of the Assembly Room in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and signed. Colonial reenactors moved through the event in period dress, and presentations followed the National Anthem every 15 minutes. Visitors could also take part in colonial-era games, sign a copy of the Declaration of Independence and use a hand-operated printing press.

The program gave Atchison residents and July 4 visitors a chance to move through a project that Benedictine says is meant to serve both the college and the public. The new Moritz Library is designed to house the college’s entire book collection, provide three times the study space of the old facility and add classrooms and a coffee shop. It will also house the Center for Constitutional Liberty, the Department of History and the Department of Political Science. Benedictine said architect James McCrery designed the building as a classical tribute to Independence Hall, linking the campus project to the city’s broader America 250 observance.

The library preview also doubled as a civic stop for a holiday already centered on Atchison’s patriotic identity. Benedictine said the day included public readings tied to America 250 and opportunities to meet historical figures including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, with reenactors answering questions in period voice. The school said the event was meant to connect the campus celebration to the downtown program and the riverfront fireworks, giving the community a shared attraction with both educational and tourist appeal.

The day also marked the conclusion of Benedictine’s “250 for 250” scholarship campaign, which the college said exceeded its goal of creating 250 new scholarships for the nation’s 250th birthday. By the time the holiday crowd left campus, the new library had already become more than a construction milestone. It had become part of Atchison’s America 250 story.