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Celebrating Independence Day in 1914: A Look Back at Rock Creek Park

Take a look back at how Washingtonians celebrated Independence Day in 1914. We've dug up photos, a program, and more from the Library of Congress to show what a Fourth of July celebration in Rock Creek Park looked like!
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Fourth of July celebration in Rock Creek
Fourth of July celebration in Rock Creek

We dug up this great photo on the Library of Congress’ site. This shows a group of people in Rock Creek Park on July 4th, 1914, celebrating Independence Day. There were grand festivities across the city, including a community picnic in Rock Creek Park and an afternoon concert at the National Zoo by the U.S. Marine Band.  Around noon, there was to be held a concert near Peirce Mill with a national fun salute and “patriotic exercises.” I suspect some of these activities are depicted in the above photo.

Here’s another from the same day. This is one of the four ladies in the above photo, but from a different angle.

four women celebrating the Fourth of July in Rock Creek Park
four women celebrating the Fourth of July in Rock Creek Park

Below is the Independence Day program we found in the Washington Post.

Independence Day program - July 4th, 1914
Independence Day program – July 4th, 1914

 

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