A countdown for our nation’s 250th begins Friday
This Fourth of July we are in a countdown to July 4, 2026 – our nation’s 250th. Is it a semiquincentennial or a sestercentennial? Bicentennial, in 1976, was a lot easier to say.
In 1976, there was a wave of patriotism that came seemingly out of nowhere to bring the nation together after the divisions of Vietnam and Watergate, riots that completely destroyed large sections of American cities, and the depressing shutdown of the Apollo program.
At the time, there was yet more righteous cynicism than today; remember that the Church Committee issued its report in April 1976, after a year’s work revealing the abuses of the unelected staff at the CIA, FBI and NSA – including Sen. Church holding up a poison dart gun, unknown to any elected official.
After that cleansing, the country could at least wish for a group of Minutemen and Paul Revere to come in and set the house right.
Uniting the country in 1976 was a star-shaped logo from the design firm of Chermayeff & Geismar. The star was made with red, white and blue bands. It seemingly appeared on everything in that time, including the Viking lander. The design firm, known then for other American icons like the PBS “P,” Chase Manhattan and Mobil, also got it on stamps, which then everyone used. At the time, local historical societies, fraternal groups and parks all used the Bicentennial to create civic improvement.
The new logo is also designed by the Chermayeff firm. We may even see an America’s 250th quarter, with the logo on the back. The current vision seems to encourage full participation: “America 250 is the nonpartisan organization charged with orchestrating the 250th anniversary and aims to create the most inclusive commemoration in American history.”
Back in 1976, one did not have to declare oneself to be inclusive. One just involved everyone in something.One of the most curious aspects, forgotten by many, was the painting of fire hydrants into little Minutemen. This was an excellent idea for school groups, local historical societies, Boy and Girl Scouts and charitable clubs like Rotary and Kiwanis. The state of Florida was no exception; in the Florida Memory archives in Tallahassee, there are hundreds of photos of the Bicentennial, including a painted hydrant.
Back in 1976, there were still many volunteer departments, and those jobs naturally were being done by people in the community already. So it was not a giant leap for the dads who were working on the squad to bring the kids out, get some paints and go to it.
What it did was get people to pay attention to the infrastructure. And hydrants are easy to repaint; indeed, the regular repainting of hydrants is something that has to happen for them to work anyway. You can imagine that with the bureaucracy of our local governments and the layers of permissions, how far that project would go today.
Can America’s big cities even put on a celebration next year?
Many cities today cannot even figure out a decent fireworks display. The recent celebration of the Army’s 250th got politicized. No matter your opinion of the current president, we all need to step back and think of what unites us all. There is much more than we think.
Big anniversaries are often a time of useful nostalgia. The nation’s 1876 centennial was such a time. In both 1876 and 1976 a wave of colonial designs and unifying themes moved through our furniture, households and consciousness. That would be welcome today, and rescue the culture from our sterile, open-plan rooms with gray and white everywhere, and not a stick of old furniture history, or color, anywhere.
Can we hear it for a bit of tricorner kitsch?
Whether here in Florida or back home at a summer residence, let us celebrate this upcoming Fourth, and look forward to next year.
Party planning is one thing that can unite us all.
Garland Pollard is editor of the Boca Beacon. Email letters and comments to editor@bocabeacon.com.
