Vintage Fourth of July stories prove that our 19th-century ancestors knew how to have a good time on summer holidays. As it turns out, some things don’t change all that much when it comes to celebrations.
Following are a few of my favorite Vintage Fourth stories.
Victorian July Fourth Parades Lit Small Towns
Victorian July Fourth parades blossomed into yearly events in towns across America. Philadelphia celebrated the first annual commemoration of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1777 (signed in 1776). In the following years, the holiday gained popularity. By the early 1800s, parades, contests and games elevated the Fourth of July to a favorite holiday for many Americans. See More
July Fourth Cards Sparked With Dark Humor
Vintage Fourth of July cards sparked with dark firecracker humor for . In the late 1800s to early 1900s, people sent greetings for every holiday, including Independence Day. Advancements in printing, postage made mailing and collecting cards and postcards a fashionable trend.
Check out these rowdy and rebellious favorites.
Maria Spelterini Celebrated American Independence On A Tightrope
Maria Spelterini was the only female funambulist (tightrope walker) in history to cross Niagara Falls. She did it in celebration of the U.S. Centennial week in 1876. Spelterini did everything her male counterparts did, except she did it like Ginger Rogers—backwards while wearing high heels. With vintage fourth of July flamboyance, she also did it with peach bushels on her feet. See More
Philadelphia Centennial Exposition 1876 Introduced Everything From Bananas To Telephones
Centennial Exposition 1876 was the first World Fair held in America. It celebrated the 100thanniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was also a manufacturing trade show extravaganza that allowed Yankee Ingenuity to shine. It changed the world’s perception of the upstart country and the rebels who founded it. The 10 million plus people who visited Philadelphia from May 10th to November 10th witnessed July Fourth flair for many months. See More
European Immigrants Cheered Lady Liberty
European Immigrants arriving to New York Harbor cheered lady liberty from her unveiling in October of 1896 until the closure of the Ellis Island immigration center in 1952. A gift from France, the Statue of Liberty commemorated friendship between the two countries.
Formally named “Liberty Enlightening the World” she’s imbued with symbolism fitting for a monument to American freedom and Vintage Fourth of July excitement. See More
Happy Fourth of July!
Racing Nellie Bly
Victorian Secrets From Footnotes In History
Know The Past To Invent The Future
