Seattle’s First 'Big' Fourth of July
As the nation prepared to mark its Centennial in 1876, the citizens of Seattle mobilized every merchant, captain, and dignitary to prove the young town was ready for the spotlight.
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 to observe the day in a manner befitting the occasion. They hereby extend a cordial invitation to everyone in our Territory to join with us and make it worthy of the great event. By order of the committee, March 11, 1876. Committees include: On Reception, Chairman B. Gatzert; On Finance and Arrangements, Chairman B. Gatzert; On Music, Chairman W. Meydenbauer; On Amusements, Chairman J. S. Anderson; On Regatta, Chairman Dr. Sparling; On Military and Procession, Chairman Capt. G. D. Hill; On Decoration, Chairman A. W. Piper; On Fireworks, Chairman A. W. Piper.
“They hereby extend a cordial invitation to everyone in our Territory to join with us and make it worthy of the great event.”
In 1876, Seattle was a frontier town of a few thousand souls organizing a grand celebration to assert its legitimacy on the map. Today, the scale of our civic events has shifted from simple firework committees to managing international tech festivals, yet the fundamental drive—to prove Seattle is a city of consequence—remains unchanged.
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