July 4th Memories that last forever

Year after year people like me, write about the celebrations of the good old days for July 4th and many other holidays.  Around Littleton and Lake Gaston, the good old days for our kids and grandkids are now.  That’s right, we are helping to make the memories for our kids and grandkids by fulfilling their dreams today.  If we do our job, years from now they will probably be writing about the good old days when people knew how to celebrate Independence Day. 

Part of our job is to expose them to all these events and activities. The one problem we have around this area is that there is so much to do, it is hard to decide and sometimes, due to scheduling, impossible to attend all the events.  There are many events scheduled this year, but three of them draw the most attention of Littleton and Lake Gaston residents and visitors year after year.   

They are the annual Littleton 4th of July Parade, the annual Lake Gaston Boat Parade, and the world renowned Longbridge Volunteer Fire Department Fireworks over Lake Gaston. 

This is one holiday that generally lights up everyone’s heart. It meant so much to Thomas Jefferson and John Adams that they kept themselves alive until this day, both dying on July 4th.  It is the day that says we are a United States with a constitution that protects everyone and lays the ground work to best insure our life, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness. 

It has been celebrated from the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.  Early celebrations varied just as they do today.  According to the American Education web site, on July 4th in “1778 - From his headquarters in New Brunswick, N.J., General George Washington directs his army to put “green boughs” in their hats, issues them a double allowance of rum, and orders a Fourth of July artillery salute; at Princeton, N.J., an artillery salute is fired from a cannon taken from Burgoyne’s army; in Philadelphia, guns and “sky rockets” are fired…”

Fireworks and celebrations have been part of the recognition of the day every year  during good times and bad.  It is a day we are all one nation and nothing can take that away.

In all my years in service July 4th was always celebrated with a special meal and other celebrations.  To me there is nothing more prefect than to watch a Marine Drill Team in full dress blues performing on July 4.  Those were special events for me.  

During my many years around Washington, DC if you didn’t have a calendar you would know the fourth was coming with all the display of flags and bunting on buildings and monuments all over the area. How lucky I have been to see them year after year.    

I can remember as a little boy having backyard cookouts.  This was a big event and we had great times. We had cookouts a lot when I was a kid, but 4th of July was special.  We not only had the cookout, we got to bug our mom about when we could light the sparklers.

Later in the day as night began to take over, we would all sit on the small front porch on Euclid Avenue in Allen Park, MI.  My brothers, sisters, and I would be waiting so we could each have our own sparkler.  Then the sparklers would come out and we start making figure eights in the air with them or just try to make a dancing motion.

My dad would throw a few fire crackers; making sure we were all safely away from where they would land. 

Year after year, towns and cities all over the country have stopped having Independence Day Parades.  Littleton is one place where they keep up the tradition.  Adults dress up to depict Uncle Sam or Lady Liberty.  One and two generations of families walk down the street together to show their American spirit.

Churches decorate floats and kids and adults ride on them.  Classic cars, fire trucks, and horses are all part of the parade.  Kids decorate their bikes and one year a dog wore the red, white and blue.  It is a good old fashion neighborhood parade that brings back memories of my childhood and will make memories for today’s kids. 

Another unique local event is the annual Lake Gaston Boat Parade. It is something that you cannot find in many areas.  Boats of all sizes and personal water craft are all decked out with flags, American and State.  The boats make a trip from Holly Grove Creek on the north side of the lake to Little Ponderosa on the south side of the lake, working their way around the west end of the lake.

The boaters also enjoy the view when they see the docks and houses decorated with bunting and flags showing the love for our Independence.  They travel fast enough to stay moving and slow enough so everyone along the shore can get a good look. 

At the end of it all the boaters head out to the main lake and sing, “God Bless America”. Whether you decorate your boat and show up at Holly Grove Creek or line the shore, this is another memory maker for all of us - but especially the kids.

The third event is what we used to call a happening.  Thousands of people from hundreds of miles away gather at Eaton Ferry Bridge for the annual fire works sponsored by the Longbridge Volunteer Fire Department.  The show starts at dark, but the attendees start arriving by boat and car as early as noon to make sure they get a good seat. 

You can tell the early arrivals, they generally have a grill set up and food cooking.  The kids are enjoying themselves and the parents are relaxing waiting for the big show along the shores of the lake. As the day moves on the crowd gets larger and larger.  It is not uncommon for people to park a mile away just to see the greatest show on the lake. 

There are plenty of police and fireman around to handle the crowd, which always seems to be more concerned about having a good time than getting in trouble.  This is a perfect way to end Independence Day and just as importantly it will help create a memory that will last forever.