Stories of the Fourth of July: Celebrating American Independence

While Fourth of July traditions include picnics, parades, and fireworks, if you need a bit of quiet amidst the revelry we have rounded up a few stories related to the celebratory day. From the history of Uncle Sam to the tale of a Brooklyn replica of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, they provide a bit of an escape into celebrations of the past.

The Story of Uncle Sam, the Embodiment of the Fourth of July

On this July Fourth, with flags flying, fireworks bursting in air, and backyard picnics, let’s look at one of the most popular avatars of our country. Symbols of our identity as a nation have been with us since the beginning. Occasionally, as the centuries pass, another one is added. Some are more powerful than others, but most are easily identifiable as belonging to the United States of America: the bald eagle, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty and, of course, Uncle Sam.

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The Brief Moment When George Washington’s Mount Vernon Graced Prospect Park

If you were wandering along the lake in Prospect Park in 1932 and enjoying the scenic vista unfolding around you, your eyes may have alighted on an incongruous sight: the iconic silhouette of George Washington’s Virginia home. A full-scale replica of Mount Vernon, it was built on the Peninsula and is perhaps one of the more unusual and rarely remembered park features to have come and gone over the years.

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All on the Fourth of July: Fond Memories of an Upstate New York Independence Day

As all American kids learn in school, Independence Day celebrates July 4, 1776, when the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. That announcement was made through the Declaration of Independence, one of this country’s greatest and most powerful documents.

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