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In light of America’s 250th birthday, it’s been fun to look back at how things used to be. The Fourth of July has always been one of America’s most important holidays, but the country celebrating our brand new independence in 1776 looked very different from the nation we know today. While crowds gathered in Philadelphia for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776, it took weeks for news to spread throughout the rest of the colonies. Public readings took place over the next few months, but celebrations were varied as much of the colonies were deeply divided. Only about one-third of colonists supported independence, and one-third (the Loyalists) opposed it. That left about one-third that fell somewhere in the middle.
Throughout the Revolutionary War, Independence Day was celebrated in small ways. Communities gathered for small celebrations with speeches, bonfires and church bells, but by the time America reached its 100th birthday, celebrations had become large community events. The centennial was marked with parades, speeches, patriotic music, picnics and fireworks. Independence Day was more than a holiday. With both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War behind them, Americans gathered in 1876 to celebrate not just their independence, but also how much the country had grown over the last century.
While the details of Independence Day celebrations have changed over the past 250 years, many of the traditions Americans enjoy today would feel surprisingly familiar to those who celebrated a century ago. From community gatherings and patriotic music to picnic tables loaded with food and fireworks after dark, the spirit of the holiday has remained remarkably consistent. In Arkansas, many of those traditions that began during the centennial are still alive and well during this semiquincentennial celebration year.
The Celebration
Then
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Arkansas communities held Independence Day celebrations in town squares, with brass bands playing and picnic spreads lining tables like a giant buffet. For many rural Arkansans, it was one of the biggest social events of the year, featuring patriotic speeches and readings of the Declaration of Independence.
Now
Today, formal speeches have mostly disappeared, and instead we listen to live bands, country music, and patriotic tunes blared through a Bluetooth speaker. People still use the Fourth as an excuse to gather and watch the fireworks. Many communities still host festivals and parades, while picnics and barbecues have mostly become more intimate gatherings amongst friends.
The Food
Then
150 years ago, picnics were the centerpiece of most community gatherings. Church groups, civic clubs and families brought dishes that highlighted what they grew and raised on their farms. They served ham, biscuits, roasted corn, watermelon and ice cream. Homemade cakes and pies spread across tables. Pie auctions were held, and the winners (usually a single man) got to enjoy the pie with its female maker. It wasn’t just about food; it was often the social event of the year.
Now
The menu may have evolved slightly, but it’s not all that different than it was 150 years ago. Community events often focus on food trucks, but backyard gatherings still have watermelon and ice cream as a centerpiece. Families will fire up the grill or smoker and pulled pork, hamburgers and hot dogs are always a must.
Fireworks
Then
Fireworks displays were often smaller in the 1800s and early 1900s. Individuals would bring firecrackers, Roman candles and sparklers for everyone to share rather than using aerial fireworks. Safety standards were basically nonexistent, and burns and injuries were fairly common.
Now
Nowadays, professional fireworks displays dominate, and many have grown to also include spectacular drone shows. Yet Arkansans still love a fireworks stand, and you’ll find tents popping up across the state from mid-June through the first week of July.
As America celebrates its 250th birthday, there is plenty to be excited about. Like every generation before us, we are living through a time of change. Wars and conflicts continue around the world, political disagreements dominate the headlines, and advances in technology are reshaping daily life at a pace unimaginable just a few decades ago. Yet despite our differences, most Americans can agree that there is much to be proud of as we reflect on the nation’s journey and look ahead to its future. Our clothes are different. The fireworks are often accompanied by drones. Nobody gathers to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud anymore. But if you dropped an Arkansan from a century ago into a Fourth of July celebration today, they would probably recognize more than they expected. Families still gather. Kids still stay up too late. Watermelon still disappears by the slice. And when darkness falls, everyone still turns their eyes toward the sky.
Julie Kohl works from home as a writer and teaches art part-time at a local private school. A former Yankee who was "converted" to the south by her husband, Julie has grasped on to rural life in a sleepy, blink-your-eyes-and-you'll-miss-it town in central Arkansas where they raise chickens, farm hay and bake bread. Julie loves adventure and sharing it with her husband and son. They frequent the trails, campgrounds and parks of Arkansas, always on the hunt for new adventures and new stories to share. Learn more on her blog
Seek Adventures Media.
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