Wednesday, July 4, 2018

4th of July 1874




SPOTLIGHT ON THE SPOKANE REGION


Hi Everybody!  I am Kris Krell, and I am preparing to entertain you with interesting stories about the Spokane Region through the EWGS Blog.

My goal is to do a weekly post (at a minimum), so please stay tuned and send any comments, kudos, or suggestions to me at krellkb1@gmail.com.

Kris


4th of July 1874

The first year that Spokane ever celebrated the 4th of July was in 1874.  People traveled 50-60 miles from home to participate; they camped by the river for several days during the festivities.

The first 4th of July was planned by James Glover, a founding father of Spokane and his partner; they built a stage and a dance floor.

The celebration on that first 4th included food, speechmaking, and dancing.  Also attending the celebration were many Native Americans.

Back in 1874, there were no fireworks or guns at the gathering.  4th of July celebrations became more prominent after the centennial of 1876, when nearly 400 settlers arrived for the festivities.  

Source:  The Spokesman Review article July 4, 2017






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