Exploding Anvils: Celebrating Fourth of July in Eureka

I’ve lived in Humboldt County for about 5 years and in that time, I’ve come to appreciate how many festivals happen throughout the summer- and how that festival season is growing longer and longer each year. Festivals run deep in Humboldt County’s history, and if there’s one that’s been a continual hit over that 150+ year history, it’s 4th of July. It’s been celebrated differently over the years depending on many factors including ease of transportation into the area, size of the population, and what was happening in the larger United States.

Boy Scouts marching in a 4th of July parade, 1925. Cat #: 2000.76.338

According to Ann Hunt from the Humboldt County Historical Society, early celebrations in the count around 4th of July typically focused on two goals: celebrating the Declaration of Independence and having a social event. Fourth of July festivities included reading the declaration of Independence to a gathered crowd, speeches, horse races, and dances. Balls were very popular for early 4th of July celebrations, oftentimes catered by local hotels. These events attracted the very dispersed settler population to socialize by attracting people into town to eat, dance, talk, and celebrate together. The first county-wide 4th of July parade in 1861 was led by Seth Kinman in his buckskin suit, who was followed by school children, fraternal groups including the Sons of Temperance and Oddfellows, local woman Nellie McGeorge dressed as the Goddess of Liberty, and military officers.  

A parade in Eureka. Cat #: 2005.78.140

Celebrations were scaled down in the depths of the Civil War, as residents wondered how there could be celebrations while so many people were dying in the war, and while the settlers were anxious about the local “Indian Wars”. Fireworks and bonfires were retained as important events to hold in celebration of the holiday and were noted to have a lightening effect on those that viewed them- some attendees also took up tossing flaming balls soaked in camphene (a type of lamp fuel) around the Arcata plaza while the bonfire burned in the center. Another popular form of fiery entertainment (that has its own fascinating history worth doing research on) was packing an anvil with black powder and lighting it, causing an explosion- a kind of improvised and very dangerous sounding firecracker.

Photo of a decorated car on the 4th of July- check out the eagle hood ornament! Cat #: 2005.78.53

In 1864, many locals felt helpless towards the skyrocketing death rate of soldiers fighting in the Civil War due to unsanitary hospitals and living conditions. An anonymous newspaper editorial encouraged townspeople to donate to the cause of improving conditions for the Union Army via supporting the US Sanitary Commission. Support for the Sanitary Commission was strong in Humboldt County, events typically held to celebrate the 4th were turned into fundraisers for the Sanitary Commission. These fundraisers raised the equivalent of $13,000 in 2018 dollars in a county with a settler population of about 2,000. Women were heavily involved in these events, and these 1864 Sanitary Commission events marked the earliest ones where women were taking more visible roles as community builders. The U.S. Grant Quilt, currently on display in our quilting exhibit, was made around this period and auctioned to raise funds for the Sanitary Commission.

After the Civil War ended, 4th of July celebrations became more festive again. Games like tug-o-war between teams of loggers took place at Sequoia and New Era parks. Firemen would race pull carts with hoses on them, concerts were held, and a variety of performances were held by local and traveling performers. One performance consisted of a man on a tightrope passing between the roof of the Humboldt County Bank at second and G (where the Black Faun gallery is now) to the Vance Hotel. Another popular performance was of a man who filled a balloon with hot air through a pipe over a fire, ascended into the sky, then parachuted down. In one performance, a dog parachuted down as well on its own parachute and survived the landing, but the performance was claimed to be inhumane to the poor dog, so it wasn’t repeated in Eureka.  

Preparing a hot air balloon on the Arcata Plaza Cat # 1965.11.1

Group photo of No 1 Fire Engine Company, July 4th - 1892 outside the old County Courthouse. Cat #: 2006.70.85A-B

Photo of Cal. Hose Co. #5 hose-pulling team which won the annual competition on many occasions. Cat #: 1997.061.039

Happy 4th of July everyone, have a safe and fun holiday! If you’re coming to Old Town for the 4th of July festival, be sure to stop by the museum- we’ll be open from 10 am to 6 pm.

Reference Articles:
Ann Hunt, 4th of July in Humboldt County, 1855-1865 Humboldt Historian, Summer 2012
Glen Nash, Entertainers, Hucksters, and Stunts Humboldt Historian, March-April 1986