The entrance gate to the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer is adorned with the Great Seal of the United States. It is thus clear to all visitors that they are entering a small piece of American territory in France. The creation of the Seal dates back to the years following the Declaration of Independence of the United States in 1776. Although first unsuccessfully initiated by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, the Seal was adopted by the American Congress in 1789 thanks to John Prestwick, William Barton, and Charles Thomson. Ever since, the Department of State is the official guardian of the Great Seal, which is used to authenticate certain federal government documents.