An Old Fashioned Fourth

My fourth of July was spent in 1889.  That's the year the celebration was placed at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, Wisconsin.

July 4th, 1889 in Harmony Township featured the community band and marchers from the Temperance Society and a group promoting votes for Women.  Those are interesting ideas... I wonder how they turn out?

It felt like I was very underdressed for the town party, but no one really seemed to mind.

 Like other parties, there was music, a new song by an up and coming John P. Sousa was introduced by the Harmony Brass Band. Speeches and games in the town grove lasted into the afternoon.

Yesteryear felt like home.  Sunny skies with temperatures in the 70s made me thankful for the fresh-squeezed lemonade provided by the ladies of the Temperance Union.  It was almost as refreshing as a cold beverage Wisconsin's German residents might have brought to the town's shindig.

Everyone was there.  Farm families worked quickly in the morning to get animals fed and cared for before preparing to march or simply line the streets.  Norweigen women made wreaths from wild flowers to wear in their hair - it was finer than any of the latest haberdashery.

A new-fangled bicycle was ridden down the street.  Small wheel in front with two larger ones either side of the seat made it easier to maintain one's balance than standard bicycles.  I don't think I can handle another fall on those high wheeled contraptions.

Folks from the town told us as we walked in for the festival this would be unlike any parade we've seen.  They were right.

The final features of the parade were Pete and Charlie.  The paired oxen were last for "sanitary" reasons according to organizers.  I don't know about that, but they seemed ready to return to pasture by the time their marching music ame to a stop.

When the festivities came to a close, I noticed farm families gathering to get back home.  Chores were waiting - their "holiday" came between 11 and 4 and it was time to get back to work.

In addition to the period piece parade, there was much else to see at Old World Wisconsin.  More on my journey back in time coming up this week.