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17. From My Hometown in SE PA

Reply to senseandsensibility (Original post)

Sat May 30, 2026, 08:32 PM

17 hrs ago

Bicentennial pictures from the Downingtown Historical Society:

https://www.downingtownhistory.org/bicentennial

I remember the parade and the wagon train that apparently was going to Valley Forge that year. They stopped and camped out in Kerr Park before heading out. You can see some of the horses watering in the Brandywine. Was 9 years old at the time. And I don't think it was as overly oppressive temperature time back in '76 as it is here today. (I see lots of folks walking around in jeans, which maybe was the norm back then). Man, those cars were huge back in the day...

I don't think I'll be that into this July 4th though.

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Highlight:

What the 250th anniversary of our country could be for those too young to remember 1976 [View all] senseandsensibility 18 hrs ago OP

We were all united in pride and love of our country. Irish_Dem 18 hrs ago #1

We knew back then that the Country had its problems and flaws... COL Mustard 17 hrs ago #9

Time will tell. Irish_Dem 17 hrs ago #10

This was before Ronald Reagan LiberalArkie 17 hrs ago #12

Ronald Reagan was the beginning the ugly America we know today. Irish_Dem 17 hrs ago #13

Many companies and products issued special Bicentennial Editions bucolic_frolic 18 hrs ago #2

Dad bought all three of us kids the bicentennial coin collection slightlv 16 hrs ago #22

I remember the Bicentennial Train Inkey 18 hrs ago #3

I lived outside of Philly and the celebrations went on for 12 months BigmanPigman 18 hrs ago #4

IIRC, it was an 18-24 month ramp up to the big celebration Fiendish Thingy 18 hrs ago #5

I miss the emphasis on education senseandsensibility 17 hrs ago #8

I do remember the historical moments. slightlv 16 hrs ago #23

I remember the "Tall Ships" coming to Boston on July 4th bottomofthehill 18 hrs ago #6

Yes! My son and I were there at the Boston Harbor and we saw the Tall Ships FakeNoose 17 hrs ago #15

I was not much older than your son bottomofthehill 16 hrs ago #19

I worked in steel mill at the time, we painted all the rolling mills and railroad doc03 18 hrs ago #7

I think I still have a commemorative 7-up soda bottle Raven123 17 hrs ago #11

I remember the commemorative quarters wnylib 15 hrs ago #33

You know what sucked about the bicentennial? Teacher of the Year 17 hrs ago #14

Rit Dye was around back in those days FakeNoose 16 hrs ago #18

What happened in the last 50 years? BadgerMom 17 hrs ago #16

From My Hometown in SE PA modrepub 17 hrs ago #17

I came to America to live on July 4th, 1976. JMCKUSICK 16 hrs ago #20

Hard to believe it's been fifty years BeneteauBum 16 hrs ago #21

Was just saying this at breakfast lostnfound 16 hrs ago #24

The Bicentennial '76 concert I attended featured Aerosmith, Bob Seger, Black Oak Arkansas, Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer. RedWhiteBlueIsRacist 16 hrs ago #25

I remember the Bicentennial Trail GenThePerservering 16 hrs ago #26

Anybody remember owning the wonderful educational book put out by the USPS called "Stamps and Stories"? Efilroft Sul 16 hrs ago #27

I was in Moscow on July 4, 1976 catbyte 16 hrs ago #28

Pukes were on the ropes in 76, it was great. Then 50 years of puke sabotage and we are hanging on by a thread Blues Heron 16 hrs ago #29

You couldn't escape the celebration in 1976... Gore1FL 15 hrs ago #30

I marched in the huge bicentennial parade in Hey Joe 15 hrs ago #31

I was teaching in Seattle and took my class to tour the Freedom Train. There were other school groups there that day. KitFox 15 hrs ago #32

That was the year we were married. July 4th Emile 14 hrs ago #34

I don't remember any Bicentennial politics hunter 13 hrs ago #35

In 1975, I walked into my elementary classroom with a "Spirit of 76" t-shirt on. My teacher looked at and said, C Moon 13 hrs ago #36