The Fourth in Catasauqua-Huzzah!

Declaring our Independence!

It seems that every year I write a post about the 4th of July in Catasauqua, and that is because BFF, Cathy and I always go to the George Taylor home for the festivities and the reading of the Declaration of Independence.  

Cathy and I were pleased to see that more and more people are attending the presentation.  This year it was an “interactive” reading of America’s Declaration of Independence – complete with patriots, loyalists, and muskets.  Huzzah!  

Original desk of David Thomas

The first couple of years Cathy and I went it was lightly attended, now you better get there early to get a good spot to watch;   oh, and listen to Gettysburg’s Antebellum Marine Band!

Jean in the Garden

Got to love the strains of the Patriotic music along with people strolling about in costume.  If you visit the George Taylor home at some later date, check out the garden that is taken care of by another BFF, Jean.  It is beautiful.


Cathy and I did something also different this year and so did the Historic Catasauqua Preservation Association, they celebrated the Froth of July with a exhibition of breweries, bottles and beer at the Beiry House Museum located at 8 Race Street in Catasauqua.  (Thanks Ben for showing off your collection)

Heads up (that was a beer pun) if you ever get the opportunity to tour through the Beiry house do it, it is beautiful! The house is decorated with original pieces.  Along with the art work  of local artist,  Bob LeFevre of the homes and businesses of Catasauqua. He collection is  breath taking, along with other artists,  the whole museum is a great experience.

 A visit to the upstairs is a must, but do not be alarmed by the headless women they are only mannequins (yes Cathy!)

Oh - and get this - The Biery House is available for special occasions.  Affordable elegance for small gatherings - such as - Birthday - Showers and special occasions. And here is what I want to do - but I might be too old, Fancy Dress-Up Tea Parties for the birthday girl!!!  Call 610-264-9716 for information.

I would like to end with this from the Declaration of Independence - 

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

...

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

...

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

....

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever."

("He"-is King George, just in case you didn't know there for a moment)

and that's Another day in Catasauqua ........

Sunday in the Park - Old Home Week - Part 2

Well, I got back down to the park this evening to listen to Common Bond.  I am so bummed that I missed Tavern Tan - I wanted to hear Andy B.  I wrote my earlier blog in a hurry so I could get to my Pampered Chef Party - I was a little late - but that's okay.  I wanted to make sure that if you didn't know what to do today and saw the blog that you would trek on down to the playground.

Catasauqua - what a beautiful weather weekend - and tonight was no different.  I heard there were good crowds today.  There were a lot of people both of the times I was there.  I heard lots of good things to.  Many people enjoyed the fact that the stands were step up on the pool side of the playground instead of St. John's Street.  It made it more shady - I know I enjoyed it.  

Parke again got a sandwich at Evonne's - I am afraid he is going to start hanging her her sandwich shop. 

I want to say what a Great Job you are all doing  to the people who are running these events.  KUDOS & THANK YOU!!!

The festivities continue next weekend starting with the Pub Crawl, Thursday Evening starting at 5:00 PM.  I am sorry to say that my pub crawling days are over.  I would make it to one bar and be crawling home.  Maybe as some of you crawl by my house I'll take pictures and blog about it.  Let me know when you do the Pepsi Crawl, I'll be there.

And an event that I have been attending for the last two years and will be there again this year - it has become a tradition on July 4th to assemble on the lawn of the George Taylor House for a Reading of the Declaration of Independence at 10AM with an Honor Guard salute. There will be patriotic music by the Antebellum Marine Band and tours of the house from 9AM to noon.

Don't ever say there's nothing to do in Catty - this weekend has been great fun.  All you have to do is get out there and enjoy.  And that's Another day in Catasauqua

Happy Birthday America

This July 4th morning I picked up the bff, Cathy and we headed out to Catty's Historical hot spot, The George Taylor Mansion for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.  This year we were quite excited since it was going to be read by Pastor Bob Stevens of Zion's Reformed United Church of Christ, the church in Allentown that is famous for hiding the Liberty Bell during the American Revolution.   Pastor Stevens was Salem UCC of Catasauqua's  Interim Pastor many years ago. 

The program was opened by Jessica Kroope, a councilwoman in Catasauqua, and real history buff. On to the Star Spangled Banner and raising of the flag.  Then  I was in awe of Pastor Stevens, not only was he dressed in appropriate historical garb,  but he had the beginning of the Declaration of Independence memorized.  Not only did he speak and read it - he meant it and you could hear it as he spoke.

Another great event today at the Taylor Mansion was the Antebellum Marine Band conducted by Bandmaster GySgt Kenneth J. Serfass USMC (ret) a former Catasauqua High School graduate.  The music was truly patriotic and Cathy and I stayed to hear it all.  The Battle Hymn of the Republic was the last song and that has been always one of my favorites.  In between the songs a gentleman portraying David Thomas (no not the Wendy's guy, but the industrialist who found the Crane Iron Works in Catasauqua) read the history of the different patriotic songs.

Truly a great way to start the 4th of July.

I took some nice pictures with my iphone - but for some reason I cannot get them off the iphone .  Darn technology.  Anyway, have a Happy Fourth of July - be safe - enjoy and that's Another Day in Catasauqua.

Happy July 4th!!!!

It's been a great July 4th so far.  It started for me last night at the Iron Pigs game where I got to see Ryan Howard hit a home run, some strongmen and then  fire works.  Since the Pigs hit over 5 runs it also meant that we received coupons for free 6 inch subs at Subway which are our lunch today.

This morning my bff,  Cathy,  and I headed to the George Taylor home for the reading of the Declaration of Independence.   The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American Colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire.  It was read by Daniel K. McCarthy, an Attorney at Davison & McCarthy.  Mr. McCarthy has practiced law in the Lehigh Valley for over 35 years and he is a member of the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners.

The Declaration of Independence is interesting reading - after hearing parts of it this morning (3 yup 3 airplanes went over during the reading) I decided to read it on line.

We know the most famous part of it - the 2nd sentence -

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."  which has become a major statement of human rights.  But it then goes on to a list of grievances against King George III.  It calls him, "A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

The Declaration ends as follows:

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Here is some July 4th Trivia -

• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
• Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
• The word patriotism comes from the Latin patria which means homeland or fatherland.
• Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
• The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign at the same time, nor did they sign on July 4, 1776. The official event occurred on August 2, 1776, when 50 men signed it.
• The names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If independence had not been achieved, the treasonable act of the signers would have, by law, resulted in

 And, of course, one of those signers was George Taylor.

Happy 4th of July Catasauqua, be proud to be an American and show that pride today and every day, and that's another day in Catasauqua