My Edmonds News is proud to present a monthly look at Edmonds history, straight from the archives of the Edmonds Historical Museum. For the month of July, we’ll revisit 1908.

From parades to fireworks, the Fourth of July has always drawn crowds in Edmonds — even in the early 1900s. In 1908, the Edmonds Tribune published a special holiday insert, inviting readers to celebrate Independence Day with a “wholesome, clean and inspiring celebration.”

Much like today, the day’s festivities in 1908 included a parade in the public square, followed by speaking, a barbecue and sports at the park.  The Declaration of Independence was central to the day’s celebrations, and Prof. W.H. Dorgan—with his “powerful voice and pleasing manner”—read the document aloud at noon. All of the usual sports followed the patriotic address, including baseball, tug-of-war and horse races. Dancing and fireworks took place at the city’s pavilion later in the evening. Additionally, the town held a voting contest for the Goddess of Liberty each year.

In the 1908 article, an invitation was extended to “enjoy a day that will be spent patriotically, to see in this city the nucleus for a great community, to loaf for a few hours among the trees and ferns of our city park and to return home at the end of the day with an appreciation of beautiful things that is keener because of its exercise during the day.”