Not many towns can say they are older than the country they reside in, but on July 10, 2014, Wareham turned 275.

Residents celebrated at Town Hall on Thursday afternoon as Town Moderator Claire Smith read the Act of Incorporation that officially made Wareham a town on July 10, 1739.

Just as in 1739, a courier came in on a horse to hand the parcel to a Selectman.

"We try to keep it period-specific," said Selectman Alan Slavin.

State Rep. Susan Williams Gifford spoke at Thursday's celebration and noted that the 54 shillings the town paid in 1739 in order to be incorporated are worth roughly $619 today.

Gifford also presented town officials with a proclamation from the State House of Representatives and Gov. Deval Patrick. She said that Patrick proclaimed July 10, 2014 as Wareham Day and that everyone should, "participate fittingly in its observance."

Patrick's proclamation mentioned major events in Wareham history, such as when the town was incorporated in 1739, the attack of the Nimrod in 1814 and the opening of the Tremont Nail Factory in 1819.

Town Administrator Derek Sullivan accepted the proclamation from the State House on behalf of the town and spoke about the Wareham's "deep and rich history."

"275 years of history has been important for us to build off of," he said. "But it's the next generations and how we look forward that will be important."

President of the Summer of Celebration Committee Rudy Santos thanked all the members and volunteers who worked to put the summer events together.  All of the Summer of Celebration's events are and were funded entirely by fundraising from within the community.

"We've all worked very diligently and very hard to represent this town I call my home," he said.