C 6 • Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
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Cars were decorated back in 1912 and took 1st place in a Fourth of July parade in downtown Port Townsend. Photo courtesy Jefferson County Historical Society Research Center and the Jefferson County Historical Society
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Past: ‘Biggest in history’ included swim races, tug-of-war ▼Continued from page 1
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BOAT TO IRONDALE Thirteen years later, in 1910, The Leader’s front page featured a “Grand July Clearance Sale.” An ad for The Toggery noted you could buy a suit for $15.95 or fine coat for $9.50 or a silk one-piece dress for $12.50. All-wash dresses were $3.75. As for the 4th of July events, a smaller-thanin-1897 headline promoted “Two excursion boats are coming from Seattle Monday.” And the day was said to be not in Port Townsend, but in Irondale where “the celebration of our national holiday will be the most extensive ever witnessed in this section and the people of that city have prepared to entertain all who come.” “The various events have been arranged to the best advantage and every detail looking into the comfort and enjoyment of visitors has been carefully and systematically planned,” a story in The Leader said. “There will be two excursion steamers from Seattle on Monday, and the City of Everett and the Iroquois. The fare for the round trip on both boats will be $1, which will insure [sic] a large number from the Queen City, as people are anxious to have an outing and at the same time visit the steel plant.” Even people from Port Townsend were headed to Irondale back then. It cost 25 cents for a round-trip. Celebrations fell out of favor somehow in 1916 and 1917, according to a check of past headlines. World War 1 might have had an impact on spirits. In 1918 The Leader reported Chimacum was the only community to celebrate since the county commissioners had banned firecrackers.
IN THE HEADLINES Excerpts from the July 6, 1950 issue indicate the Fourth of July was generally quiet with no fires. There was “picnicking, fishing trips and just plain loafing were the general order of the day.” The annual fishing derby was going on “despite no other celebrations.” Headlines also told the stories succinctly in later years: “No fireworks in the city on July 4” – 1955 “Beckett Point headquarters for 4th derby” – 1956 “Bells of city to ring on July 4” – 1966 “Holiday activity in Point Hudson 4th of July” – 1970 “4th at the Fort, Folk art, music feature of holiday weekend fare” – 1975 “Brinnon celebrates 4th,” “Production of 'And they say nothing ever happens in Brinnon'” – July 1989 “City briefs: July 4th fireworks hinge on donations” – 1992 “Dripping wet Indian Island celebrates 4th,” with photos by Fred Obee – 1994 (See his perspective in the A section in this issue.) “Bring family together for 4th of July at Fiddle Tunes” – 2001 So there you have it – headlines of celebrations in the forgotten past and in the not-so-distant past. And in this issue of The Leader – how to celebrate what’s happening here and now.
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CHIMACUM PITCHES IN John D. Phillips of Chimacum announced that upon a vote from that community, $50 was donated to Port Townsend's big celebration. “Such co-operation and help as this has been the thing that is putting the celebration over,” The Leader reported, adding later that according to Bob Beatty and Roy Dale, there are 15 floats already promised. “Not so many decorated cars have been promised and many more are wanted,” the paper said. “Another feature of the parade which has been kept dark until now is the fact that Mayor (“Doe”) Bangerter will ride in official splendor on a white horse.” And down from that was mention that three bands would be playing.
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on the occasion of the queen's jubilee celebration,” according to The Leader’s account. And on the queen's jubilee, apparently, the American vessels were not decorated and “American residents on shore felt heartily ashamed of the fact.” Imagine that. Politics on Page 1 of The Leader more then 100 years ago.
‘BIGGEST IN HISTORY' By 1929 Port Townsend was ready to party hard for the Fourth of July. A headline promised, “July Fourth Program is now complete with many new features scheduled,” with a follow-up headline, “Plans ready for biggest July Fourth celebration in the history of this city.” By then, the city was celebrating with a band concert at Fort Worden, a parade on Lawrence Street, “kiddies sports events” and tug-of-war, much like is now being planned for Fort Worden State Park. There were also water sports and prizes for swimming. The boy between the ages of 5 and under who won the 50-yard dash got 50 cents. There was a second-place prize of 25 cents. And there were the exact same prizes for girls who won their age-bracket races. “Action has been the watchword of the July Fourth celebration committee during the past week and its efforts are being brightly reflected in the many accomplishments toward a successful celebration,” The Leader reported. “As time for the big day has drawn closer, more and more help has been forthcoming from all parts of the city as well as from the rural districts.”
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