website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Fourth of July
1847
06 23 &
07 07 First
in village Watertown Chronicle
1853
07 09 Celebration featuring Watertown
Artillery Co and Watertown Rifle Co
Democratic State Reg.
1858
1859
06
02 Plans
for celebration, Young Men’s Association WD
1860
06
28 Plans
for celebration WD
1861 Our National Anniversary
06 06 We are requested to state that a public
meeting will be held in Cole’s Hall next Monday evening, the 9th inst. at 7 1/2
o’clock for the purpose of making arrangements for the appropriate celebration
of the approaching anniversary of our National Independence.
There
are many reasons why the people of America should cherish the memory and
associations connected with the Fourth of July with renewed enthusiasm and
sincerity. All that they hold dear — their
free institutions and prosperity as a nation — had their origin in the great
event of that day, and the heroic deeds that followed the Declaration of
Independence.
Let us
then, one and all, kindle anew and brightly the fires of freedom in our bosoms
and as we pass in review the achievements of the statesmen and soldiers of
revolution, revive our devotion to the government, which their wisdom framed
and established, and resolve again that it shall descend unimpaired, a glorious
heritage to those who come after us.
We
hope this call will meet with a universal response, and we have the pleasure of
witnessing a demonstration of patriotism and zeal never surpassed by our
citizens. WD
06 20 The Fourth at
Alderly—The citizens of Alderly, Dodge County, are making arrangements for a
general and enthusiastic celebration of the coming Fourth of July. Mr. D. S. Curtiss, editor of the Oconomowoc Free Press, will deliver the
oration. We wish we could be there to
hear it, for we know it will be eloquent, appropriate and well written, and
just the thing for the time and place. WD
1876
01 19 Shall We Celebrate
The
central location of Watertown makes her favorable as a point to hold a grand
Fourth of July celebration of the Centennial fashion. It is not any too soon to take the matter in
hand if we design celebrating this year, and all approving the project of a
grand old time next Fourth of July, should come together and talk the matter up
ere it is too late, and we are headed off by
celebrations at other points. What say
our business men to this idea? WR
06 26 The Turner Society is busy making preparations for
celebrating the glorious Fourth. A
series of amusements, consisting of athletic, gymnastics and acrobatic performances,
will be presented in Turner Park, where a good time generally is
anticipated. Charles Cech
is announced to deliver an oration in German, and it is the intention of the
Society to secure also someone to address the people in English . . . In the
evening Prof. Richert will make a grand display of
fireworks, something entirely different from anything that has ever been
exhibited in this city. The chief
attraction in this display will be a cannonading balloon, one of the finest articles
ever got up in the line of fireworks. It
will be made to discharge at various elevations a continuous stream of meteors,
bombs variegated showers, gold rain, etc. etc. WR or WD
1896
Parade
in front of #10 block of Main St
1901
1903
07 09 July 4th, 1903, was an unusually quiet
day. No general celebration was held, and we would scarcely know here that it
was a great national holiday were it not for the small boy and his
firecrackers. In the afternoon and
evening the Plattdeutscher
Verein held a picnic on Tivoli Island, which was
well attended.
The
usual number of small accidents occurred. Friday night a carelessly fired
skyrocket struck the curb in Main Street, then flew upwards and struck Miss Jaedecke, setting her dress on fire. Men nearby went to her rescue and put the
fire out before any serious damage was done.
Francis Darcey had his face burned with a
canon cracker; Edward Conrad had his left hand injured with a toy, pistol;
Herbert Kusel’s face and eyes were slightly burned with a toy cannon; Miss Julia Pfaffenbach
had her hand injured with a skyrocket, and Henry Behrens, town of Watertown,
had a finger torn off with a cannon cracker.
1908
07 03 Fourth celebration
1909
07 09 Fourth celebration, July 5th declared the legal holiday WG
1959
10 13 Riverside Park
popcorn hassle; sales on midway restricted to carnival company WDT
1982
07 06 Dr. Walter W. Arzberger,
honorary marshal. WDT
1984
06 27 William Kwapil Sr.,
honorary marshal. WDT
1985
06 28 Jack Nass,
honorary marshal. WDT
1998
06 23 Gerald Hepp honorary
marshal WDT
1999
06 24 John “Jack” C. Lemke honorary marshal WDT
2011
Fourth of July 2011, Watertown Parade
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Cross-References:
Library of Congress photos,
undated: No 1, No 2, No 3, No 4, Waiting for parade,
No 5, Watching the parade, No 6, Watching the parade
Ray Dobbratz and wife
Marie annually sponsored a unit in the Fourth of July parade to promote
patriotism
