I doubt that many of us remember how it
was during the days before air conditioning when heat waves would come
rolling through the countryside, but I can just imagine what the
public warnings could have sounded like. Since there was no such
thing as radio or TV in the 1800's, and the newspapers of the day
were reporting the weather not predicting it, many folks simply
relied on common sense and practical measures
For instance, residential housing was
built in such a way as to take advantage of the natural breezes and
air currents with strategic placement of windows and doors. It even
extended so far as to include landscaping and trees. It was the city
densities and commercial buildings which began to plague the
occupants during the hot spells and made city life nearly unbearable.
Today, the public announcements call
for those with ailments and allergies to stay inside and for others
to keep a check on the elderly or disabled. Places which were
recommended for relief (Woodland Park or country outings) are now to
be avoided since they are equated more with physical activity than
with passive recreation. Those who wished to find a swimming hole
could locate a shaded body of water, whereas now there are just
expanses of sun-baked concrete and rules.
Lexington, like most urban areas, is
not the small, ecologically designed community that it once was. We,
and they, have sprawled out and built fanciful imitations of homes
which remind us of what was, but cannot function without mechanical,
environmental aids. This we call progress.
While ruminating on these processes of
the past, I am also brought to consider the upcoming 4th
of July activities and the events surrounding a fireworks display.
The events of these days seem so different from those of my youth.
Time may have moved much slower back them but, then again, it may be
a matter of perspective.
I have read where this year's
celebration will be capped off by a 17 minute aerial display
(providing the fireworks are allowed at all due to weather) and it
hardly seems worth it. I can remember when the 4th just
seemed to never get here. Also, there was not a downtown based,
community event.
Lexington's involvement was limited to
the individual parks preparing decorated floats (flatbed trailers
generally provided by a local transfer company) for a parade through
downtown to the football stadium at UK. Most floats were designed
and decorated by the older park regulars and directed by a team of
parks staffers. The inter-park competition caused some floats to
become quite elaborate. Probably the best part was the total lack of
overtly political interjection.
Drivers would haul their park's float
to Woodland Park and line up on Kentucky Ave. Then, at around 7 or
7:30, the parade would begin. From the park to Main St. and right
down through the middle of town. A turn on Broadway and up the hill
to Maxwell and back to Rose St. Out Rose to the Avenue of Champions
and ending between McLean Stadium and Memorial Coliseum.
Many of the participating parks had had
their cook-outs and neighborhood celebrations or parades earlier in
the day, but the kids still had their sparklers and flags for the
evening. There was enough light left in the evening to get to the
seating and maybe get a drink. Climbing to the top of the stadium
and looking over onto the street below was a thrill to many a kid as
was watching the sun dip below the treetops in anticipation of the
“real” show. (Sunset would have come about 9 p.m. since this was
before the Uniform Time Act of 1966
and there was no Daylight
Savings Time.)
The
fireworks were set off from the field where the marching band now
conducts practice and the western end zone seats held the constructs
of the so called “ground displays”. At dark the stadium lights
would go out and a “test” shot would go up, I believe, to
determine the wind conditions. Then the show would start.
There
was an intermission during which music was played and the parade
float winners were announced. More drinks and hot dogs and then back
to the seats for some more show. An interspersing of aerial and
animated ground displays later and the grand finale of bombardments
over, it was time to go home. The parks staff rounded up their
charges, got back on the floats and went to their respective
neighborhoods. Even though I lived close to the stadium, I got home
around 11 p.m. and sent to bed, one tired puppy.
Daylight
Savings Time, a much larger parks network and insurance/litigation
issues have surely put an end to such happenings but simple memories
of simpler times make it rough to not long for those days again. I am
sure that many of you have your own memories and will be making more
this coming week, so I hope that the weather is kind to you and that
we all play it safe this year.
2 comments:
Enjoyed your report on earlier celebrations in Lexington, sounds like it was fun.
Enjoyed your post on earlier celebrations in Lexington.
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