This year America is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I feel very fortunate to live here in Virginia, which contributed so much to those formative years of a young sovereign nation. A few months ago I vowed to myself that, in celebration of the semiquincentennial, I would try to partake in as many historical opportunities as I could.

And I promise to share my exploits with you!

But first, let’s take a look back at 1976, the year of America’s Bicentennial. I was 12 years old. I remember the commemorative quarters, loved those! And that summer every picnic, barbecue, and outdoor gathering had a cake decorated in red, white, and blue. Lots of strawberries, blueberries, and Cool Whip were consumed that year (I probably ate more than my fair share). And in my home state of Illinois, license plates had a cool bicentennial/USA flag theme. My Dad kept his and they hung in the old barn for years. I wish I still had them. And the logo designed to commemorate America’s 200th anniversary was absolutely everywhere.

Even given my relatively tender age, I could feel the air of patriotism that was everywhere that year. Since the Vietnam war had just ended, the Bicentennial celebration was viewed as a time of national healing and togetherness. It helped the nation move past political divides and move toward renewal of unity as a country. Of course, much of that was over my young head, but still…the adults around me just seemed happier and less worried in general.

The American Freedom Train did a 21-month tour of the 48 contiguous states. During stops across the country, artifacts (both historic and Americana) were displayed. Sadly, my family did not see it. I do, however, remember the July 4th fireworks. Our small town set off the most fabulous display that year. I’m sure most other towns and cities followed suit. And harbors on the East Coast were filled with numerous tall-masted sailing ships and warships too. Everyone just wanted to celebrate!

Even Queen Elizabeth II visited with her husband, Prince Phillip, during America’s Bicentennial. I find this amazing, considering we were celebrating our Declaration of Independence from Her Majesty’s United Kingdom. The Late Queen was a class act, for sure. And in September 1976, NASA rolled out the first orbiter Space Shuttle and named it “Enterprise”. NASA had originally planned to name it “Constitution” (a fine name), but fans of Star Trek mounted a write-in campaign, and President Gerald Ford voiced his opinion for “Enterprise” as well. NASA finally saw the light. So many amazing things happened in 1976!

Back to my family – Dad took us to Disneyland that year. Back then people didn’t take so many photos, although my Dad took more than probably most people did. I inherited some color slides (remember those?) that he took, depicting Disney’s afternoon “America on Parade” in all of its red, white, and blue glory. Mickey Mouse and his whole gang participated to celebrate the “Spirit of 76”. There were lots of fun floats, like Ben Franklin flying a kite to discover electricity, Betsy Ross sewing the American flag, and Columbus discovering America. But I found a couple of photos of a float that I couldn’t figure out.

I asked the all-knowing Google, and according to it, the weird float represented the infamous Salem Witch Trials in 1692 Massachusetts. Two costumed characters were about to be executed, with a third overseeing the execution. Hmmm. Disney probably won’t be bringing that float back any time soon! What do you remember from the Bicentennial? How did you celebrate that special year? I’d love to hear about your memories, if you’d care to share them with me.

Laura lives in Zion Crossroads with her husband and two cats. She can be reached at hallielaura@gmail.com.