REGION – If you heard church or community bells ringing on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m., it was to commemorate when the Continental Congress signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787, celebrating its 236th anniversary. The tradition of celebrating the Constitution was started by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), who petitioned Congress to set aside a date. Constitution Day was signed into public law Aug. 2, 1956, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and is observed every year on Sept. 17.