Show r n r J Firs s u Glorious GI e F Fourth h I L oL w o op L' L LI I I is ista i p pi c dr How I It Was Celebrated in the City m of Brotherly Love tb ta tai v so sor r rich i chin in historic buildings has the PENNSYLVANIA honor of being the birthplace of the first st Fourth of or July E celebration Not N o t tg g many miles from the 0 heart of the Quaker City there stood Until unU until un Un- U til recently the beautiful colonial house where the signers of the Declaration Declara Declaration Dec- Dec lara tion of or Independence ence vent bent to 10 celebrate Unfortunately Unfortunate Unfortunate- ly the hand of commercialism grabbed beautiful Elm Hill mansion at No 1215 Frankford avenue and It t- t raising on- on the site of a modern apartment house In the once beautiful garden sur- sur 4 SMA r 1 4 ti 1 J i f I. I f ft I w f ft f y yu t I 9 u h J t Where the First Fourth of July Was Celebrated rounding this property which during the revolution was owned by Dr Enoch Edwards a noted patriot the first public celebration of the Declaration Declaration Declaration Declara Declara- tion of Independence took place on the evening of July 8 S 1776 If musty records of ye olden times are to be believed several of or the party wended their way through the shady avenues and across the smooth lawn to o the ivy covered summer-house summer with strangely-shaped strangely mysterious-looking mysterious bundles tucked under their arms which they placed carefully upon the ground as they sat contentedly down to do justice to the bountiful spread which their hospitable host had bad provided pro pro- vided Rare old wines and choice viands of every description were brought forth As the delicate morsels morsels mor mor- sels eels disappeared and course after course was brought on the party warmed up to the occasion When the stars commenced to an twinkle forth their right to rules rule I Ithe fo the moon sailed high above the t I ab tops it is said that mild sober Fa ls yakin va ya valIn valin lin kin actually sent a knowing Rid mil sh Jefferson who e ev stately responded reaching under the table and M 1st nb T Tout out one of those mysterious bud tj tia which had earlier in the eVe eta LJ aroused the curiosity of ot the Jan an Amid a silence of breathless eI lon tion the string was untied and a II age of or huge Roman candles c caul tf S view Cheer after cheer drowned the a of the crickets and katydids I C j startled the feathered feather d songsters had long Jong ago hushed their songs were pea peacefully sleeping in the thet t tops Skyrockets firecrackers I i wheels red yellow and purple lJ H lit Hin in short every then known ra n. of ot fireworks followed the Rc candles and each fresh P Su ur uror brought forth another three for or three insi ray rain When all was in readiness the fit T Tand glorious Fourth ever held in iB thelea the tho and ica lea in the now regulation rt wei welt fashion was commenced Ho HolI Hod l rockets etc were secured or orthey or r Port they came from Is unknown M AS rocket shot skyward as each b b Bede ex exploding P lodin g powder rent the I Soak say these makers of history laughs and shouted with del deli deliThe The celebration was continue n C Cinto into the wee small hours of ot tb j jing ing lug and although ll bon Fourths have followed this 1 flee Hee which was held on the July 1776 never never- has there i tt BESCI greater display of patriotism l Pura t thas AI Ap has there been more true N N. ism expressed than there was birthday |