Fourth of July

These stereographic cards are in poor shape even after some touch-up, but they're intriguing--and almost macabre--for their depiction of the perils of fireworks. Captions: "The Glorious 4th of July. No. 1." "The Fifth of July. No. 2." Printed on the front: "American and Foreign Views. Sold only by canvassers. New Educational Series. Stereoscopic views."

A people playing musical instruments photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A cornet band marching in a Fourth of July parade or for some other patriotic occasion. A horse-drawn float is following the band. Note the church, partially obscured by trees, in the background and the flag-bedecked house on the left. Baby carriages are parked in front of the house, and a woman holding a closed parasol and wearing a white dress and hat is standing on the porch. The only clues to the origin of this real photo postcard are the "M.P. Church" (" Methodist Protestant Church "?) sign visible on the horse-drawn float, part of the band's name ("---ld Cornet") that's barely visible under magnification on the bass drum, and the letters "C.R.P." on a shirt worn by one of the marchers.

A real photo postcard view of a parade, possibly part of an Independence Day celebration, somewhere in the United States. Uncle Sam is marching along with a group of musicians dressed in what look like World War I-era military uniforms, while men in civilian clothes, many carrying flags, follow behind.

License plate: "Penna. 1907 8267." Salvaged from a grimy real photo postcard.

Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park for the theme of Fourth of July (flags, fireworks, patriotic, freedom, red-white-blue, barbeques, etc.) . Judging by the American flag and other decorations that the boy has on his bike in this somewhat battered photo, I suspect that he rode it in a Fourth of July bike parade. If that's the case, he probably received the book he's holding in his hand as a prize for participating in the parade. (By the way, after searching for images on Google, I was surprised to see how popular Fourth of July bike parades seem to be.) Although the book cover is difficult to make out (mouse over the image above for an enlarged but still blurry view), it looks like the title begins with the words "Tom Swift," and the shadowy images seem to correspond to the submarine and octopus that appear on the covers of early editions of Tom Swift and His Jetmarine . Since this Tom Swift title was first published in 1954, it's likely that this boy rode his bike in a Fourth of July parade that year or sometime later in the 1950s.

See the full version of this photo for more information:

Young girls carrying flags during a parade for the Fourth of July or some other patriotic occasion. Date and place unknown.

"The Lititz Express." Printed on the back of this postcard: "Souvenir, July 4, 1907. Power demonstration on Express Printing Company's float." Evidently, the Lititz Express , a newspaper published until the 1930s in Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, printed this punning illustration with a press on board its Fourth of July parade float in 1907. I've heard of souvenir printings "on the ice" for frost fairs when the River Thames in London froze over in past centuries, and I have some menus and other items that were printed aboard ships during cruises, but I can't recall seeing anything else printed during a parade. Has anyone else encountered any other examples of printing on ice, parade float, ship, train, plane, automobile, or in any other unique circumstances?

"Independence Day. 101. Easter compliments of T. G. Daub, grocer." One advertising trade card, two holidays! Theodore Gustav Daub, a grocer from Easton, Pennsylvania, printed an Easter greeting on this Independence Day trade card.

"Pain's Last Days of Pompeii, Island Park, Harrisburg, Pa. Commencing July 4th, and every Tuesday and Saturday following, except July 5th. Last performance, August 5th." This trade card advertised a "pyrodrama," an elaborate outdoor theatrical spectacle with fireworks, that was based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton's historical novel, The Last Days of Pompeii (1834), and depicted the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in AD 79. James Pain brought Last Days to Harrisburg, Pa., in 1890, and also produced it at Coney Island and Atlantic City in other years. For more information about Pain's pyrodrama, see the Pompeian Entertainments page of the J. Paul Getty's Museum's The Last Days of Pompeii exhibition.

"Good for one chair at Y.M.C.A. Field Sports, West End Park, Monday, July 4, 1892. 2:30 p.m. Price, 10 cts. Pluck Art Print."

A menu from an elaborate meal at the Irvington Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Independence Day, 1893. -------- "The Irvington, July 4, 1893, Dinner. Oysters on shell, snapper, consommé royal, Kennebec salmon, Hollandaise sauce, pommes à la Russe, cucumbers, capon, oyster sauce, prime ribs of beef, young duck, apple sauce, lamb, mint sauce, sweet bread patties, à la reine, braised tenderloin, with mushrooms, queen fritters, glace au rum, mashed potatoes, Bermuda potatoes, peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, cream sauce, rice queen olives, Worcestershire sauce, chow chow, cole slaw, lettuce mayonnaise, gherkins, lemon meringue pie, English plum pudding, brandy sauce, queen of puddings, vanilla ice cream, raspberry water ice, assorted cake, apricots, plums, bananas, figs, almonds, English walnuts, raisins, crackers, cheese, black coffee, milk. Wine list may be obtained from head waiter."

The borough of Lititz, located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has hosted a Fourth of July celebration--including a "Fairyland of Candles," as mentioned in this notice from 1940--for well over 100 years. The Lititz Web site provides additional details: "One of America's oldest continuing observance of Independence Day also takes place in Lititz. Since 1818 the community-wide Fourth of July celebration in Lititz Springs Park has been a mainstay. The festivities include the 'Fairyland of Candles' along the Lititz Run within the Park, which is a grand illumination of over 7,000 candles, started in 1843 when only 400 were lighted." -------- "Lititz Springs Park, Thursday, July 4, 1940, afternoon and evening. 98th annual Fairyland of Candles. 7,000 candles, only display of its kind in America. Hon William S. Livengood, Jr., secretary of internal affairs, guest speaker, 7:30 p.m. Streaker's Band of Lancaster, concerts from 2 to 10:30 p.m. (D.S.T.). Punch and Judy, three shows, 3:00, 4:45, 6:00 p.m. 3rd annual Photographic Salon, more prints than ever from U.S. and foreign lands. Baby Parade, 4:30 p.m. Gigantic fireworks display. Admission, 35c, children under 12 free, free parking. Largest program ever offered for the money; continuous from 2 to 11 p.m. Bring your supper and spend the day."

"I'll make some noise on the 4th."