What Independence Day Looked Like the Year You Were Born
Some holiday traditions are as timeless as the red, white, and blue.
Independence Day in the good old U.S.A. is all about beaches, barbecue, and any red-white-and-blue gear you can get your hands on. But have you ever wondered about what the patriotic holiday looked like in past years? Though today's 4th of July usually means lots of delicious grilled recipes and cool firework displays, celebrations of America's birthday hasn't always looked the same throughout history. After watching some patriotic 4th of July movies and baking a great-looking 4th of July cake this year, celebrate America in it all of its star-spangled glory with a trip down memory lane — a.k.a. with a look back at what Independence Day has looked like through the years, starting all the way back in 1950! And afterwards, if you're still curious about the history behind America's most patriotic holiday, be sure to check out our best 4th of July facts to learn more.
1950
A couple in Santa Monica, CA found a cozy spot in the sand to escape the holiday beach crowd.
1952
Curtis Turner was the winner of Darlington Raceway's Fourth of July NASCAR modified race.
1953
Families enjoyed some time in the great outdoors in Lolo National Forest, Montana.
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1954
People gazed out from the crown of Lady Liberty on her 70th birthday.
1955
Visitors went for a swim in Cranberry River in Monogahola National Forest, West Virginia.
1956
Jockey Eddie Arcaro rode Nashua to victory at Belmont Park.
1957
Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher rode the merry-go-round at the Charing Cross River Pier Amusement Park following the London premiere of Around the World in 80 Days.
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1958
Sisters watched the National Guardsman make their way through Monument Square in Portland, ME.
1959
Musicians Buck Clayton, PeeWee Russell, Buzzy Drootin, and Ruby Braff play their music for the crowd at the annual Newport Jazz Festival.
1960
Miss Universe pageant contestants traveled on boats down the Indian River as spectators watched from the shore of Miami Beach's Collins Avenue.
1961
Families in the west side of Chicago gathered for a block party.
1962
A troop of Brownies waited for their turn to march in their local parade.
1963
Protesters held a sit-in at Gwynn Oak Park in Baltimore calling for an end to segregation.
1964
The Sauk County circus band performed during the Schlitz Circus Parade in Milwaukee, WI.
1965
Rep. John V. Lindsay dressed down to meet his constituents at New York's Rockaway Beach.
1967
Tony Curtis and his wife watched Bobby Darin open at Melodyland in Anaheim, CA.
1968
It was all fun and carnival games on the Coney Island boardwalk.
1969
The crowd in Berkeley, CA got some relief from the heat thanks to an open fire hydrant.
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