A Victorian Fourth of July
- Kennedi Forsythe
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
By Kennedi Forsythe
Fourth of July celebrations varied across different American towns and states during the Victorian Era. In the nation's capital, traditions began to emerge in the first few decades of the 19th century, including White House processions, horse races, parades, and the performance of the Marine Band on the White House Lawn. The Marine Band often performed summer concerts for June all the way through to September for an extended Fourth of July celebration. Different presidents also held different events, such as Abraham Lincoln in 1864, who set an example of racial tolerance in the midst of the Civil War by attending a picnic for African American schools and other religious groups on the White House Grounds (1).
Outside of Washington D.C., states along the East Coast invented their own unique celebrations. In New York City, parades and outdoor festivities were common, as well as church services that held orations for the Declaration of Independence and Washington's Farewell Address. The city became notorious for Independence Day Booths, which would stretch for three miles from Broadway to City Park and sell foods such as oyster, lobster, pudding pies, cider, and even eggnog. The booths were eventually banned in the mid-1840s due to crowds complaining of their vulgarity and how they attracted dangerous and drunken individuals around families and children (2). Another notorious festivity took place in Reedsburg, Wisconsin in 1849, when townsfolk celebrated America's birthday with their own homemade firecrackers. Balls of candlewick were drizzled in turpentine and lit, and the goal for the local men and boys was to be able to throw the balls as far as they could without burning themselves. Victorians definitely had a proclivity for fire in their many holiday celebrations (3).
As the nation expanded westward, so did traditions. In fact, the first July 4th celebration in the American West was part of Lewis and Clark's expedition in 1804, camped in what is today Atchison, Kansas, Amelia Earhart's hometown (4). Another famous western Fourth of July celebration occurred in Half Moon Bay, California on the 114th anniversary of the Ratification of the Declaration of Independence in 1890. Over 300 people attended the event, firing off canons and firecrackers throughout the day. A grand parade made its way around town, which included floats of 13 girls wearing sashes to represent the original 13 Colonies. The day concluded with a grand dinner at Pacific Hall with beautiful fireworks lasting until midnight (5). July 4th was a day when Victorian families and friends could come together and celebrate the birth of a nation. Even immigrants brought their own cultural traditions to the table, including in the Chicago suburbs where German and Irish immigrants interwove their cultural food and dances, among other festivities, with their communities (6). The Victorian Fourth of July would pave the way for our own celebrations and festivities today, coming together to celebrate our nation's history and how we can grow together as a diverse community.
Endnotes
“Fourth of July Celebrations at the White House in the 19th Century.” www.whitehousehistory.org/fourth-of-july-celebrations-at-the-white-house-in-the-19th-century.
Margino, Megan. “Independence Day Booths: Fourth of July Feasting in 19th Century New York. ”www.nypl.org/blog/2015/07/01/independence-day-booths.
“Victorian July Fourth Parades Lit Small Towns.” racingnelliebly.com/secret-places/victorian-july-fourth-parades-lit-small-towns/.
“Our History.” cityofatchison.com/residents/our-history/.
“Victorian July Fourth Parades Lit Small Towns.”
Gershon, Livia. “Celebrating Immigration on the Fourth of July.” daily.jstor.org/celebrating-immigration-on-the-fourth-of-july/.
Bibliography
“Fourth of July Celebrations at the White House in the 19th Century.” The White House Historical Association, The White House, www.whitehousehistory.org/fourth-of-july-celebrations-at-the-white-house-in-the-19th- century. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Gershon, Livia. “Celebrating Immigration on the Fourth of July.” JSTOR Daily, JSTOR, 2 July 2018, daily.jstor.org/celebrating-immigration-on-the-fourth-of-july/.
Margino, Megan. “Independence Day Booths: Fourth of July Feasting in 19th Century New York.” New York Public Library, New York Public Library, 1 July 2015, www.nypl.org/blog/2015/07/01/independence-day-booths.
“Our History.” City of Atchison, Atchison Historical Society, cityofatchison.com/residents/our-history. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
“Victorian July Fourth Parades Lit Small Towns.” Racing Nellie Bly, Racing Nellie Bly, 4 July 2021, racingnelliebly.com/secret-places/victorian-july-fourth-parades-lit-small-towns/.
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