(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) A piece of St. Joseph's history is now out for the world to see.

The St. Joseph Visitors Bureau unveiled a framed copy of the original plat of the city on Thursday.

The original plat was recently discovered in the Buchanan County Recorder of Deeds Office.

It was commissioned by founder Joseph Robidoux on July 16, 1843.

The office noted the original was in a deteriorating state and got help to reproduce and frame copies of the original image to help preserve it for generations to come.

"It makes the people in my office and myself feel really good that we were able to find this, having it restored and more importantly getting this piece of history out to the people of the city of St. Joseph. To us, it's a very exciting document and it's something that should be a source of community pride," said Buchanan County Recorder of Deeds Ed Wildberger.

The copies were presented as gifts to the Buchanan County Tourism Board, the St. Joseph Library and the St. Joseph Museum.

The original plat is now at the Missouri State Archives at the Secretary of State's Office in Jefferson City.