TOP O' THE MORN: Fourth of July has been a city celebration for more than 100 years

Now that the year 2002 is here and the world is a wild place and getting wilder, we wonder what another 100 years will bring. Looking back, we remember the “Seattle Star” newspaper, complete with a page of comics including “Mutt and Jeff” and the “Katzenjammer Kids.” Perhaps there aren’t many who remember these specialties.

And black and white movies starred Fatty Arbuckle and Charlie Chaplin. Oh what it was to look forward to Fatty Arbuckle coming to town, and the whole family traipsed down the hill in Mount Vernon to the theater. We had no car, few people did in those days, but Dad and Mother plus four of us kids didn’t mind the walk. And coming home, Dad carried the baby up the hill.

Dad loved funny movies and Arbuckle and Chaplin movies were just what he needed after several long weeks at work and home. The only other time we remember going together as a family was to church, and to family picnics down by the riverside where Grandpa’s smokehouse was built out by the Skagit River.

Coming to Whidbey Island in 1925, we found there was no moviehouse in Oak Harbor. The closest was in Coupeville and at the then-active Fort Casey and it was a real treat to find a boyfriend who had a car.

Within a couple of years, Oak Harbor presented its first movie house, the Oddfellows Hall, where pictures were run off the axle of a Model T Ford. The seats were folding chairs, and during intermission we could go upstairs for a sandwich and a Coke. The old hall was a meeting place for many groups and was sorely missed when it burned down some years ago.

The Fourth of July has always been a highlight of summer in Oak Harbor.

In the early days, there were horse races, picnics in the park, parades and band concerts. In 1912, Barney Nienhuis was the leader of Oak Harbor’s band which was made up almost exclusively of Hollanders. The Fourth of July was a real one-day outing for a family to pile into a wagon and head for town to see the hometown parade of floats and marchers.

In 1896, a newspaper noted “the Holland colony in Oak Harbor numbers close to 100 souls. They all have good old fashioned families of six or more children which will help out the school fund for the district.”

On July 4, 1896, the Hollanders settling on North Whidbey held their first patriotic celebration since the had become Americans.

The account of this event was recorded in Island County Times. About 100 were present in the picnic space cleared in the woods at the edge of West Beach.

A platform and swings had been made for the kids. J.D. Helder brought an organ. Douwe Zylstra had the principal address followed by the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Many hymns were sung, recitations were given and the Groningers, as the singers called themselves, sang the “Star Spangled Banner.”

They also thrilled the crowd with renditions of “Red, White and Blue” and “Marching Through Georgia.” The Friesens also contributed to the program.

A huge basket picnic was served, with lemonade, candy and peanuts for free, and thus ended a most pleasant day for Whidbey Island’s newest residents.

The Times concluded with a quote from the program: “It is hoped we may meet again next year in increased numbers to celebrate the Independence of the country now our own, and ever more shall be. So be it.”

New arrivals on Whidbey Island in October of 1911 were Jahn de Rooi, his wife and baby; Jacob Roodzant, his wife and seven children; and Peter Rip.

In 1927, the Times reported that twins had arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold D’Arends; and mayor-elect John Eerkes, councilmen-elect Charles McEachren, Otto Van Dyke and Barney Riksen and treasurer J.M. Pratt were all sworn into office.

In 1906, Oak Harbor began to look like a small town with a blacksmith shop, a hotel, two halls, a livery stable, a phone office, a creamery and 17 homes all clustered on the old Taftson Donation Claim.

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