Plans for the 4th, a proclamation and a recap can be seen by clicking on the links below.

Wenonah's 1909 Independence Day celebration was noted in the local newspaper twice leading up to the big day. First on June 18, 1909, and it appears reenactment of a Civil War battle will be July 4th's headline activity --- with the Monitor and Merrimac facing off on Farr's pond, with a wave-making device to boot. The June 24, 1909 paper talks a bit more about the pending naval excursion on Farr's pond, but also lists the track and field events that will be part of Wenonah's celebration. Pole vaulting! Have times changed or what? - Larry Smith

Decorated automoblies on the 4th of July as they turn onto Mantua Ave.

Wenonah's 1908 Independence Day celebration is documented in this article from a newspaper dated July 2, 1908. Some interesting restrictions were issued by Mayor Lorence.

Here's the entire program for Wenonah's 1907 Fourth of July celebration --- 35 years after the first celebration was held in 1872. My next post, which will be clippings from the 1907 newspapers, will conclude the documentation that I have found in the WHS Museum for the first 35 years of celebrations.

The 1906 Independence Day celebration, or at least the planning prior to the celebration, wasn't without controversy when the band committee procured one of the best bands Philadelphia had to offer. (The June 24 article should be interesting reading to all music lovers.) Mayor Lorence laid out the rules he deemed necessary for safety in the July 4 newspaper, and the event winners were summarized on July 5. No fireworks, but the tub race returned!

Clippings from newspapers for the 1905 Independence Day celebration. Anyone else wondering and trying to visualize the "illumination of the park," which has been a highlight of the celebration since the fireworks were discontinued?

The ballgame seems to be a regular event in Wenonah's Independence Day celebration. Early contests saw Wenonah play a visiting team, "summer girls" play "summer boys," and single men play married men. In 1904, it was Wenonahites vs ex-Wenonahites. From the newspaper article on July 6, that match-up may not have been such a good idea.

In 1903, the press again highlighted the athletic events of Wenonah's Independence Day celebration. The July 6 article proclaimed the celebration "the greatest we ever had."

Before and after clippings from the newspaper tell us about Wenonah's 1898 Independence Day celebration. There are no details to let us know if the tub race continues, but "the fireworks were the finest that we ever had."

Larry Smith wrote, "The above update on Wenonah happenings was published on June 12, 1900. I'm guessing that $300 provided quite the fireworks display 118 years ago!"

Here's a photo of Wenonah's baseball team from the east side of town --- "dressed" for the big game on July 4, 1899. (courtesy of the Wenonah Historical Society museum)

Looking through the 1900 US Census for Wenonah you can see Andrew W. Carey, Jr, age 28, and Samuel Carey, age 23 were living with their parents Andrew and Ester Carey. All three men were involved in a dental supplies business. Were the Carey's helping the fight against dental caries? A page of the census can be seen by clicking the link below. The Carey family is right at the top.

Independence Day

The Wenonah Historical Society recently purchased this medal --- thanks to Scott Conway. The medal was awarded to the winner of the slow bicycle race during the July 4th festivities in 1897!

http://wenonahhistoricalsociety.org/1897-4th-program

Some people wonder what a slow bicycle race might be.

The 1897 program is the last one we have in the 19th century. The tub race again leads off the afternoon activities and the celebration includes two displays of fireworks --- the first a daytime display of Japanese fireworks during the races, and the second ending the celebration at 8:30 PM.