There’s many different words used to describe a 250th anniversary. The one we’ve been seeing the most is semiquincentennial. There’s also sestercentennial, bisesquicentennial or quarter millennium. No matter what you prefer to call it, this weekend these United States celebrate our 250th birthday. Independence Day began with high minded ideas, executed imperfectly for two and a half centuries, celebrated with barbecue, hot dogs and fireworks.
This time a century ago, the county was preparing for its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary), and, like this year, the Fourth of July fell on a weekend. In 1926, since the fourth was on a Sunday, most festivities were delayed until Monday, July 5. It’s so uncommon now, but back then about the only things opened on a Sunday were churches, hotels and train stations.
In Knoxvile proper, it was a city-wide holiday. Courthouses and City Hall were closed, as well as most banks and stores. The Post Office was running on extremely shortened hours, and with one delivery to downtown addresses only. The long weekend had some folks heading out of the city for dances and other festivities in the mountains at resorts like Kinzel Springs in Townsend and the Wonderland Hotel at Elkmont.
The Wonderland had a three-day slate of events, featuring the Independence Day Ball on Saturday night, as well as a more sedate concert experience “on the veranda” for Sunday afternoon. The Wonderland also had a new swimming pool to show off that weekend. The Monday activities featured races and contests and fireworks, the most hilarious of which was a greased pig chase. Apparently all the local domestic options were too stout and slow to make much spectacle, so a wild boar was rounded up somewhere near the North Carolina line and was packed back in by mule.
Down here in the valley, many pastors had patriotic sermons lined up for Sunday services. The swimming pool at the Whittle Springs Hotel near Fountain City was open for the fourth, while the biggest celebration in town was happening at Chilhowee Park. Except that in 1926 it was known as Sterchi Park, since entrepreneur Jim Sterchi had purchased it in 1920. Later in 1926 he sold the property to the city, and it eventually went back to being Chilhowee Park.
Fourth of July ad, 1926 (Knoxville Journal digital archives)
Anyway, it looked like a whale of a party was on tap – “more resplendent that ever” – parking was free, admission was free and so were the picnic tables. Advertisements promised the most spectacular fireworks to ever light up the skies over Knoxville, with massive set pieces and “plenty of holiday noise.” The boom-booms were scheduled to start at 9:30 PM.
Speaking of, I know plenty of people reading this will be disregarding the law in both the city and Knox County prohibiting the use of fireworks without a permit. Meaning its illegal, and, of course, there will be too much of it going on for the Knox County Sheriff’s Department or the Knoxville Police Department to do anything about it. That’s reality. What I will ask of those lighting up the skies on Saturday is this: keep it the fourth. Blow it all up and be done. And be done at a reasonable hour. Be mindful of the fact that not everyone enjoys the noise, especially small children and pets. Fireworks will absolutely run livestock through a fence. And mind where your fireworks fall. The reason they’re illegal is housing density.
On a more cerebral note, take a moment to read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. All of it.
Happy Fourth of July!
Beth Kinnane writes a history feature for KnoxTNToday.com. It’s published each Tuesday and is one of our best-read features.
Source: Knoxville Journal digital archives
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