Independence Day; Conshohocken Style by Jack Coll

Independence Day

Conshohocken Style

No Discounts

By Jack Coll

7-1-14

So here we are, Independence Day 2014, it’s a great time to visit the shore, after all they have an ocean and that pretty much makes them top dog on hot summer days.  Everyone has their favorite spot at the Jersey coast, mine has always been Wildwood, I think it has something to do with where you stayed as a kid, and the memories have a way of keeping you there.  Some folks want that cool, calm quiet of the avenues and streets that Ocean City or Sea Isle has to offer while others like the constant commotion of a boardwalk like Wildwood, as a teenager I liked that rock around the clock type of action.  I often wonder if local families really take their families to Atlantic City for a week’s vacation just to enjoy the beach.

It’s hard to compete with the Jersey shore on the Fourth of July but if you live in or around Conshohocken and West Conshohocken well we’ve had our own celebrations honoring independence for more than a century.  This year we’ll have an awesome fireworks display on July 3, at Sutcliffe Park starting at dusk, a celebration you don’t want to miss.  Why on the evening of July 3^rd, and not the fourth you might ask, and why at Sutcliffe Park?  Good questions!

For at least half a century fireworks had been held at the Conshohocken Albert A. Garthwaite Field, (The “A” Field) located at Eleventh Avenue and Harry Street.  Fourth of July celebrations throughout the 1950’s included the early morning Soap Box Derby Parade typically departing the Washington Fire Company with participants marching up Fayette Street led by television personality and longtime Conshohocken resident “Chuck Wagon Pete,” (Pete Boyle) the parade would start at Hector Street, and the participants would march to the starting line at Eighth Avenue.  Opening ceremonies for the Soap Box racers and participants of events throughout the day, followed by the race, then a community picnic would be held at Sutcliffe Park with sporting events highlighted by the annual potato sack races featuring the single men verses the married men, the Conshohocken famous two person sack race, typically husband and wives teams, and more.

Then everyone would head to the “A” Field, (you needed to get there early as anywhere from six to eight thousand residents would pack the stands) the Chamber of Commerce would host festivities starting with a play or some other type of activity like in 1955 when they booked a professional show that included a famous midget clown, one of the nation’s most skilled magicians, a novelty juggler and a really unique trained cat-and-dog show.  The shows would be followed by the presentation of the soap box derby awards ceremony, followed by fireworks, in 1955 the $500.00 fireworks show included some of the newest models in fireworks.

The fireworks continued on and off at the “A” Field throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s under the management of the Conshohocken Chamber.  In the early 1980’s the Conshohocken Ambucs, a group of young ambitious businessmen in the Conshohocken area took over the Fourth of July Program that included both the Soap Box Derby and the annual fireworks.

In the year 2000, the borough celebrated their Sesquicentennial Anniversary, (150 years) and the Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee took over the fireworks for that one year.  The decision was made to move the fireworks from the “A” Field where they had been for more than half a century and move the celebration to Sutcliffe Park, (not a popular decision at the time) East side residents weren’t happy with not being able to view the fireworks display from the comfort of their own front porch while residents of the West side didn’t like the thoughts of traffic jamming their side of town.  Conshohocken’s borough council weighed in at the time with a mighty thumbs down to the move.

The 2000 fireworks, the largest ever in the borough was a huge success at Sutcliffe Park, the nearly one hour display with a never ending beginning and ending finally left the entire community in awl.  In 2001 the borough was left without a fireworks display, the Ambucs had stated they had no interest in funding the fireworks as a number of sources of income had dried up for the organization, and the borough couldn’t afford it at that time.

The Mayor’s Special Events Committee stepped up to the plate to take a swing at funding the fireworks.  Mayor Robert Frost signed a contract making it the largest fireworks display ever produced in the borough of Conshohocken.  In 2000, the Sesquicentennial Committee signed a contract for $20,000, in 2001 Mayor Frost, intent on making it the largest ever signed a contract for $20,000.01.  The display came with ten percent more fireworks for our money because we were having the event on July 3^rd.  The decision to have the fireworks on the 3^rd, was made by Mayor Frost reasoning that if the Fourth fell during the week or on a Sunday, that most residents had to go to work the next day, staying up, and staying out late made that work day somewhat difficult especially when you add in the refreshment factor.  With the fireworks display being held on the third, we got ten percent more fireworks and most residents were off on the fourth of July giving them time to recover from the friendly firework night.

The first two years the fireworks were held at Sutcliffe Park it was estimated that an overflow crowd of more than 10,000 people witnessed the display, and sealed the future fate of the fireworks display location.

Conshohocken has been celebrating Independence Day going back to the 1880’s, in 1894 Conshohocken set up a permanent organization with representatives from all the borough’s organizations that became known as the Independence Day Association of Conshohocken.  The purpose of the organization was to raise money throughout the year securing enough funds to see that the Fourth of July was observed in a proper and patriotic manner.

On July 4, 1907, the borough staged the largest parade ever witnessed in the borough’s 57 year history.   More than 500 participants with floats, wagons and buggies paraded throughout both boroughs. The parade route in 1907 was as follow:  Division One lined up on East Elm Street, Division Two lined up on West Elm Street. The parade moved up Fayette Street to Ninth Avenue, to Harry, to Eighth Avenue, to Hallowell, to Fifth Avenue, to Spring Mill Avenue, to Apple Street, to Hector Street, to Fayette Street, to West Conshohocken, (Front Street) to Williams Street, to Ford Street, to I. Newton DeHaven’s, countermarch to East Conshohocken (Fayette Street), to Elm Street to Oak Street, to Hector Street, to Fayette Street and dismiss.

Every house and building along the parade route was encouraged to decorate their houses and buildings in a patriotic theme.  The Zobo Band from Camden created much merriment along the parade route.  Other musical bands participating included the Phoenix Military Band of Phoenixville, Germania Band of Norristown, Conshohocken Band and the local drum corps.  Thousands of residents from both Boroughs lined the parade route cheering the parade participants.  Nearly two hours of speeches followed the parade (sorry I missed that.)

In 1908 the nation’s birthday was celebrated in Conshohocken by the firing of guns and the discharge of pyrotechnics large and small.  Burgess Bloomhall pointed out that according to borough ordinance no fireworks can be sold in the borough before July 2nd, and setting off fireworks before July 3^rd would be prohibited.  The Burgess also warned that the discharge of firecrackers along the parade route would not be tolerated.  In the previous year, (in 1907) residents thought they would liven up the parade by throwing firecrackers out onto the parade route as the parade passed but the firecrackers spooked a number of horses in the parade causing them to take off from the parade route.  It should be noted in the history books that elected officials in the borough of Conshohocken voted in favor of giving $50.00 to the Fourth of July Committee.

My research tells me that 1913, was the start of official borough fireworks, when Civil War veteran John Pugh was the Chief Marshall of the parade.  In 1915 the head line from the Conshohocken Recorder Newspaper stated that “Town To Get Free Fire Works Display.”  This was kinda interesting, the General Committee in charge of the Fourth of July Celebration witnessed a verbal war, at a committee meeting.  The fireworks committee had specifications and bids from two Italian firework contractors and the head of each firm was present at the meeting.  Each contractor contended that their specifications and bid was the better and each wanted the contract.

The committee was limited to a $300.00 expenditure and for a time it looked very favorable for one of the bidders when the other bidder had objections.  According to the Recorder article the Italians held a wordy war which the committee could not understand (because they were speaking Italian) and when the conversation got to a “fever heat,” one of the contractors had such faith that his display would be so far superior to his competitors’ that he made the proposition that each give a display and the one who gives the better one is to be paid and the other gets nothing.  Both competitors accepted and rules were made, a $300.00 deposit was left behind by each company, the winner would get the $300.00 deposit back plus another $300.  The loser would get his $300.00 deposit back and leave town in disgust.

The winner of the 1915 fireworks display was the residents, who got a two for one fireworks show.

The largest Conshohocken Independence Day celebration that I could track down, (in a short amount of time) goes back nearly one hundred years to 1919.  World War One was in the rear view mirror and all surviving serviceman who had served our country had returned home.  Remember, we had a lot of residents serve our country in World War One, Conshohocken sent more men and women off to war in World War One than any other town in America per capita.  The Federal Government honored our town by building a merchant marine ship out of the Chester Ship Yard in 1920, calling it “The Conshohocken.”

In 1919 Conshohocken was a boom town, we had jobs for every serviceman and service woman returning from the war.  Retail Businesses lined Fayette Street, Elm Street, Hector Street and First Avenue.  We had more factory jobs along the river than we had residents, life was more than good in Conshohocken, life was great. A Fourth of July Program was issued to borough residents stating it would be a celebration and reception for all our United States servicemen.  John Pugh was the Chairman of the Fourth of July Committee and the program for the day started at 8 a.m. and didn’t end until the fireworks were over.

In the 1919 Fourth of July Program an ad for Conshohocken Candy Land was featured, “The only place in town for your Home-Made Candy & Pure Ice Cream, Delicious Fruit Sundaes and sodas and all kinds of plain drinks, they were located at 59 Fayette Street.  M. F. Moore’s Garage was an Agency for Ford and Dodge Cars.  Keys’ Grocery Store was located at 321 E. Hector Street, Louis McCall was pushing cigars, Rakosky’s was selling Victrola’s, (easy payment plan) Zeber was selling ice, and Sam Meredith was the man about town for all your paper hanging and decorating needs.

A few of the other ads in the book included F. C. Maag Jewelers once located at 111 Fayette Street, Maag was also an agency for Eastman Kodak cameras.  Hart’s Cigar Store, Michael Daley’s Marble and Granite Works once located on Spring Mill Avenue, James Courduff Upholstering, (a former West Conshohocken Police Officer) and Bill Neville’s Drug Store.  Back in 1919 you could visit Frank Ruggerio’s Shaving Parlor at 13 West Elm Street, buy groceries and fruits, oysters and clams from Tony Balsama once located at 17 West Elm Street, or get your selected meats from William Renninger at 121 Fayette Street.

I find the ads fascinating so I hope you don’t mind if I indulge myself with a few more.  Let’s see we had Leary’s Grocery Store, one of the leading grocery stores in the borough I might add, we had Moore’s Cigar Shop, Kosakaski and Piendowski Meat Market at 16 West Elm Street, Campbell’s Barber Shop, McCall & Donnelly Notions and Hosiery Store at 245 East Hector Street and J. A. Merkel Cigar and Tobacco Shop, with a pool parlor in the back once located on the corner of Hector and Poplar Streets.

The crowds in 1919 to witness the great parade were the largest ever, it was reported that thousands of people from out of town came by trolley, cars, horse and a non-stop stream of visitors came by train.  The marchers in the parade extended more than a mile and most of Conshohocken’s servicemen marched along the parade route and received applause the entire time they marched. Following the day long parade and speeches, fireworks filled the summer night sky, at that time the largest ever seen in this borough.

Some might think that with all the visitors in town on that Fourth of July back in 1919, and with all our servicemen back home, that the wild celebration would have gone on through the night.  Well if that’s what you thought you were wrong.  Just four days earlier President Wilson signed into law prohibition, effectively shutting down all public drinking establishments in the country as of midnight June 30, 1919.  So if you were celebrating the Fourth of July in Conshohocken or anywhere else, there was no booze to be found, of course unless you knew where to look, and that my friend is another story for another time!

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation.  This action eventually led to the formation of the United States.  It’s because of this action taken on this day back in 1776, that we here in Conshohocken get to celebrate, as we do with an annual All American Soap Box Derby Race, the greatest race in the world for both boys and girls.  And the same reason we got to enjoy a fireworks display held at Sutcliffe Park, located in the greatest borough in the world, Conshohocken!

Just a few Fourth of July Fun Facts:

$190.7 million—The value of fireworks imported from China in 2010 representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($197.3 million).  U. S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37.0 million in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million)

2.5 Million –In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.

311.7 million—The nation’s estimated population on this July fourth

In 2010, the dollar value of U. S. imports of American Flags, the vast majority of this amount ($2.8 million) was for U. S. flags made in China.

$486,026—Dollar value of U. S. flags in 2010, Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $256,407worth.

Having a cookout this 4^th, consider this:

Over 1 in 3—The odds that your side dish of baked beans originated from North Dakota, which produced 36 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2010.

Having a little corn on the cob, well Florida, California, Georgia, Washington, and New York together accounted for 68 percent of the fresh market sweet corn produced nationally in 2010.

Over 7 in 10—Of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2010 that came from California, this lettuce may end up in our salad or on your burger.

7 in 10—that the chances of your fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California which combined accounted for 71 percent of U. S. fresh market tomato production last year.

2.5 Billion Pounds—Florida led the nation in watermelon production last year (750 million pounds).  Other leading producers of this popular fruit included California, Georgia and Texas each had an estimate of more than 600 million pounds.

More than 1 in 4—The chance that the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa.  The Hawkeye State was home to 19.0 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2011.  This estimate represents more than one-fourth of the nations estimated total.

81 Million—Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year.  It’s probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day.

SOURCE: Mediamark Research & Intelligence, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States 2011.

     This year our tax dollars are at work as we sit and watch a firework display worth more than $9,000, be sure to join the celebration at Sutcliffe Park, look for games and rides, and please help out the Washington Fire Company and Mayor’s Special Events Committee effort to build a memorial honoring the 9/11 victims, construction is set to start in the coming weeks, if you’re interested in purchasing an inscribed paver, to honor a family member or honor your own family by donating to the project you can stop in at Coll’s Custom Framing located at 324 Fayette Street.

And be sure to take a few minutes out of your day on the 4th and check out the soap box derby race on Fayette Street, the race starts at 9:00 a.m. and usually runs until 2:00 p.m.

Everyone else, enjoy the Jersey shore or wherever your travels take you on this Independence Day.

Most important, we here at Conshystuff.com wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, the key word is safe, we live in a nation with far too many tragedies, let’s not bring any home to Conshohocken!

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