Seattle's 1876 Fourth of July Invitation to the Whole Territory
As the United States turned 100, local leaders issued a rallying cry to the whole Washington Territory to descend upon Seattle for a historic 4th of July celebration.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The citizens of Seattle have determined to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of American independence on the coming 4th of July, and in order to observe the day in a manner worthy of the occasion, hereby extend a cordial invitation to every body throughout our Territory to join us, and make it worthy of the great event. By order of the committee, March 11, 1876.
“The citizens of Seattle have determined to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of American independence... and make it worthy of the great event.”
In 1876, Seattle was a frontier outpost desperate to prove its civic maturity by hosting a territory-wide bash. Today, that same impulse to host world-class events defines Seattle’s identity as a city that constantly seeks to project its status on the global stage.
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