Picturing the Past
The Labor Day Parade
Story and photos: Mayor Greg Wright
The Labor Day Celebration in Princeton, Indiana, is the oldest in Indiana, and the second oldest continuous Labor Day Celebration in the United States. The first Labor Day Celebration held in 1886, in Princeton, was eight years before Labor Day was made an official U.S. national holiday in 1894. That first celebration was almost like our present-day one. It was sponsored by the Knights of Labor, which was one of the labor groups representing unionists in Indiana. A train from Chicago, The Labor Day Parade in the 1930’s on the North Side of the Square. Illinois, brought four coaches of unionists. They were met at 3:30 a.m. in the morning by the Princeton High The celebration started drawing national attention School Band and escorted to the Princeton Fairgrounds. in 1931, when a movie company, Fox Movie Town, sent At 10:00 a.m. another train brought six coaches full of its film crews to Princeton, Indiana. They traveled by Knights of Labor, along with two bands. A parade, as it is train to film the event for newsreels. Fox Movie Town now, was the highlight. Speeches were made by area was to become 20th Century Fox and was only one of labor leaders, and a tradition was born. the many major studios to cover it. Between 1931 and By 1900, the celebration moved a few miles to 1949, every major movie studio in the country sent Petersburg, Indiana, and it grew several hundred times camera crews to southern Indiana to cover what had over what it had been just a year before. It drew between become one of the largest celebrations of union labor in 8,000 and 10,000 people, and a free meal was served to the nation. all union men who marched in the parade. Over 1,500 From 1950 to 1980, only the U.M.W.A. sponsored the meals were served that afternoon. In the first part of the celebration because the other international unions were 20th century, the celebration moved between Evansville, associated with other ones. In the early 1980’s, a Ft. Branch, Vincennes, Oakland City, Princeton, steelworker local union joined the association. At that Boonville, Washington, Sullivan and Petersburg in point, other international unions returned their support so Indiana, Mt. Carmel, Illinois, and Henderson, Kentucky. that today 40 locals, representing 23 internationals are In the late 1920’s, the celebration saw a growth that dues paying members of the association. would take it from a local event to a national event. In From 1950 to 1992, the celebration moved between 1930, attendance at Princeton, Indiana, was over 40,000 Boonville and Princeton. In 1993, the association on parade day. In following years, that attendance would traveled to Evansville, Indiana, for the first time since never drop below 30,000 and would reach its peak of 1942. This ever changing and traveling event continues 75,000 in 1949. A single union alone had over 10,000 to be one of our area’s most honored traditions. members march in the 1936 parade.
Colvin Funeral Home 425 North Main Street Princeton, IN 47670 812-385-5221
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September 2021
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Small Town Living
