Take a look at 100 years of Fourth of July celebrations in Bradenton
We won’t just be celebrating the birth of the nation this July 4th.
As the Bradenton Herald celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, on Sept. 15, we wanted to take a look back at the stories we’ve covered and photos we’ve taken over the years.
The Fourth of July has always been a festive local holiday here, and we can prove it. Here are some of the best memories that we found in our archives.
1924
The Bradenton Herald, formerly known as The Evening Herald, published a Fourth of July graphic along with candle borders on the front page of its 1924 Fourth of July issue.
1932
About 245 people were killed nationwide on July 4th as shown on the Bradenton Herald’s 1932 front page. Ninety of the deaths were caused by drowning, 119 were killed in auto accidents and 10 were killed by fireworks.
1945
National pride was at a high when the Bradenton Herald published its Fourth of July paper in 1945.
1950
The newspaper published this graphic in its Fourth of July paper in 1950. “We’ll march and shout hurrah! With flags and banners gay! For is it not the glorious Fourth we celebrate today?” the image reads.
1979
The Bradenton Herald captures a Fourth of July tradition that never gets old. Danny Carl, 11, smiles while holding a sparkler.
1981
Published in the local section in 1981, this article captures the beloved Bradenton area tradition of chasing a greased pig on the Fourth of July. “The Fourth of July festivities here were a Tide salesman’s dream and a mother’s nightmare,” the article reads.
1994
Amid political chaos and and a collapsing economic state, the Bradenton Herald asked local residents to share the positive things about the nation. They stated rights to freedom and high quality of life.
2000
Kouy Lay and Ed Dick embrace on the Fourth of July in 2000. Dick and his wife helped more than 700 refugees leave Southeast Asia and find their way to America.
2008
The newspaper published this photo on the front page on July 5, 2008. Titled Rocket’s Red Glare, this photo and accompanying article captured the festivities held at the Manatee River on the Fourth of July.
