A fine time in ’09 on the Fourth

JERRY PERSON

Peace and quiet has again returned to our beach town after an

exciting array of floats, bands and fireworks at this year’s Fourth

of July celebration.

This week, we will look back at another Independence Day

celebration held in our town in 1909 to see how they compare. I can

safely say we had more visitors at this year’s event than the 12,000

who attended that early celebration.

This early parade was important in that on Feb. 17, 1909, we were

incorporated as a city, and it was our first Fourth as an

incorporated city.

It was estimated that most of the population of Santa Ana came to

watch and enjoy a full day of activities as well as residents from

many outlying farming communities throughout Orange County. Many

cities and towns from all over Southern California sent delegations

to attend our glorious event.

Since this early Fourth of July fell on a Sunday, this celebration

was moved to Monday in respect for the Sunday Sabbath.

The themes for that early celebration encompassed the four primal

elements -- Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

The big day began promptly at 10 a.m. with a water element that

consisted of a swimming contest held at the foot of Main Street. The

winner of that event would receive a bathing suit donated by the

Dyas-Cline Company of Los Angeles.

Our next element to be featured was balloon ascension by Professor

Savage of Long Beach, and this took place in the second block of Main

Street during which Savage jumped out of the balloon and floated to

Earth on his parachute. The crowd watched the descent of the great

gasbag.

What would a Fourth of July celebration be without its long-winded

oration, and over at the pavilion, San Bernardino Superior Court

Judge Benjamin F. Bledsoe supplied this at 11 a.m. Music by the

Fullerton Concert Band followed Bledsoe’s speech.

As dinnertime approached -- that’s lunch to us today -- all of our

local hotels and restaurants were kept very busy serving our hungry,

out-of-town visitors. In addition, there were many food concession

stands set up along Main Street for those who didn’t want to eat at a

fancy restaurant.

At 1 p.m., there was an exhibit of marching skills by the members

of the Santa Ana Odd Fellows lodge dressed in their natty uniforms.

The Earth element came next, with the footraces held along Ocean

Avenue (Pacific Coast Highway) and the winner of the adult races

received a bathing suit donated by Reinhaus Department Store of Santa

Ana. The prize for the winner of the girls’ race was a new pair of

shoes donated by Turner Shoe Co. of Santa Ana, and the prize for the

boys’ winner was a new suit donated by W.A. Huff of Santa Ana.

One of the high points of this celebration were the automobile

races run on Ocean Avenue between Main Street and 23rd (Goldenwest)

Street. The winner of this race was G.L. Thompson of Brea Canyon

driving his Reo car. In a Duro motorcar, H.S. Hazeltine of Smeltzer

came in second, followed in third place by Tom Talbert, also driving

a Duro.

A tug-of-war for a box of cigars was held between teams from our

town and Westminster beginning at 3 p.m.

The beach was also the scene of a saddle-horse race for a prize of

a new lap robe donated by the W.F. Lutz Co. of Santa Ana. This was

followed by a slow mule race on the beach for the prize of a whip.

But the best part of this day’s celebration was the chariot races

held on Orange Avenue. The road had been leveled and graded for this

event, and at this time, Orange Avenue was still a dirt road.

Four horses each pulled the two chariots along the avenue, and the

first race resulted in a tie so a second race had to be run. E.J.

Levengood won the second race.

A boat race was next up on the day’s program, which featured a

race at 4 p.m. between the Jigger and the Peanut. The Columbia Band

of Santa Ana at the pavilion supplied the music that followed the

boat race.

In the early evening, a dance was held at the pavilion in which

couples could dance to the music of Bannse’s orchestra. By then, the

dark sky provided enough backdrop for the magnificent display of

fireworks off the pier, and you didn’t have to cough up $50 to watch

the show from the pier.

Then, as today, the city spared no expense in bringing on such a

grand show of light.

There you have it. You be the judge on how that early celebration

compares with the one you just witnessed a few days ago. Even if this

year’s celebration was bigger, the spirit between those two

celebrations was just the same.

So, if you really enjoyed this year’s event, drop a note to the

Fourth of July board at the city thanking them for all the hard work

they put into bringing you the best Independence Day celebration

ever.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.