Highlights Archives
Ring in the Fourth of July with a Historic Twist
Independence Day provides an occasion to think about why we celebrate the day. It's a good time to look back and ponder the events that gave rise to the freedoms we enjoy today. At Wisconsin's historic sites we honor the nation's birthday by revisiting Fourth of July celebrations from Wisconsin's past. Old World Wisconsin will roll back the clock to 1876 with a small-town celebration of the nation's centennial. Traditional revelry of that era will include a greased pole climb, an egg toss, a watermelon seed-spitting contest and the blacksmith's firing of the anvil — all topped off with a festive parade through the outdoor museum's crossroads village.
At Wade House it will be more than a decade earlier as the 1860s stagecoach inn marks the occasion with a Yankee Kids Independence Day Celebration. Youngsters can come take part in such traditional games and activities as lemon rolls, corn relays, hoop-and-stick races and sack races. Kids can also take a moment to write a letter to a Civil War soldier, then seal it with sealing wax. Of course, no proper observance of the Fourth would be complete without making and tasting some homemade ice cream and lemonade.
Up north, at Madeline Island Historical Museum in historic La Pointe, there's unique Independence Day merriment in store that's quite distinct from any observance of the Fourth you're likely to find anywhere else. The museum's Celebration on the Green coincides with a community festival that traditionally marks the beginning of the island's summer tourism season. From patriotic speeches and the singing of the National Anthem to a zany parade featuring homemade floats and a local marching band, Madeline Island's Fourth of July festivities spell fun with a capital 'F' for the whole family.
:: Posted June 23, 2005
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