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Ai indicated by the lettering, this float was entered in a 1906 Fourth of
July parade by the Order of Washington, an organization no longer known in
the city. The picture is owned by W. E. Thomas, Medford businessman who
collects old photographs of the city as a hobby. The three young women, robed
In white, each carried a standard and wore crowns topped with stars, attire
typical of the occasion.
Back in the early 1900's Medford Fire department cooperated with the Fourth of July committee, just as the members are doing this year. This
picture, taken in 1911 by a photographer known now only as "Gregory," shows the men of the department riding in buggies and wagon gaily
decorated with flags and bunting and driving horses draped with the red, white and blue. The picture is the property of Mrs. Claude Thompson,
Central Point, and it originally belonged to her father, John H. Butler, an early-day volunteer fireman in Medford. When the department wai
organized on a paid-employee basis in 1906, there were but four salaried men and the remainder were volunteers.
Medford
Tribune
MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JULY 1, 1958
Parades of the Past
By Olive Starcher
The very young who are growing up in
the "safe and sane" Fourth of July tradition
are in for a big thrill this year, for Medford
will have a fireworks display for the first
time in many years. Time was when the
Fourth meant fireworks, but as the years
went by, firecrackers and roman candles for
use at home gave way before the propaganda
of the safety councils and city and state laws.
Fireworks now are mostly seen in large
demonstrations under rigidly controlled safe
ty conditions, and this is the type planned by
Medford YMCA at the higVi school stadium
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It must have been rather daring for a young woman to drive an automobile In a parade in the days when
cars were a novelty, but Miss Wray Curry did just that in one of Medford's early July Fourth parades. Miss Curry,
sister of Mrs. H. A. Stanley, who lives here on Crater Lake avenue, is shown behind the wheel of a Chalmers
and riding with her is Miss Ivy Boech. Mrs. Stanley believes the picture was taken in 1909, and states that the
parade had just disbanded in front of the Central Fire hall, shown in background, when the photograph was made.
the night of the Fourth. The Medford Fire
department and police are cooperating with
the "Y" on the evening's entertainment, and
funds raised will go to the "Y" camp fund.
To recall the spirit of old time Fourth' of
July celebrations, the Mail Tribune today
prints pictures taken at patriotic celebrations
40 and 50 years ago. In those days there
was always a parade, an eloquent patriotic
speaker and a big picnic, with lots of pink
lemonade.
Medford's celebration Wednesday will
have a little of the old-time flavor, for E. M.
Tucker, builder of the Tucker Sno-Cat, will
display some of his old-time automobiles.
These old high-topped, brass-trimmed vehi
cles were probably used in Fourth of July
parades at the time they were shiny and new.
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Another Frank Hull photograph owned by Mr. Thomas is this one which is inscribed "Jennie
Woodford in Parade." Miss Woodford, now Mrs. Jane Williams of Coquille, is a sister of the late
Ralph Woodford, former city recorder of Medford. It is recalled that Miss Woodford was chosen to
represent the Angel of Liberty in parades because she was blonde, and that a brunette was always
selected to represent the Goddess of Peace.
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Attached to this photograph from the W. E. Thomas collection is an inscription which read
"Log cabin in parade at Jacksonville, Fourth of July, 1899." The picture was made by Frank Hull,
early-day photographer, whose widow now makes her home in Gold Hill. Mrs. Hull worked with
her husbond, who maintained his studio above the Hubbard Brothers store. Mr. Hull opened the
first motion picture theater in Medford.
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Forty-six years ago this White steamer automobile was the "last word" in cars. It is part of the collection of
E. M. Tucker (at right) who drove it from his factory to the main fire hall Tuesday for this picture. Mr. Tucker is
telling Fireman AI Moulton (at left) and Fire Marshal Truman Nelson how he keeps his old ears in working order
His colle-.tion, to be displayed Wednesday at the high school stadium as a part of the "Y" July Fourth observance,
contains a 1916 "White Streak" Buick, a 1914 Dodge, a 1913 Pierce-Arrow, a 1913 EMF, a 1901 Sears "Motor
Buggy" and two 1909 Fords, one a roadster and the other a "bug." (Brainerd photo).
b 12311. (feM
This fourth of July parade picture was made in the days when almost all of the men in Medford wore mus
taches or full beards. Instead of high-stepping majorettes wearing red, white and blue satin uniforms such as
might be found in a parade today, the olden-day parades were led by a marshal on horseback. This picture is
also owned by Mrs. H. A. Stanley, who has many pictures made in the years when every city and hamlet staged
a patriotic celebration on the Fourth. The picture dates back to about 1890, according to Mrs. Stanley.