Jill and I wanted to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our country at an old-fashioned 4th of July gathering like the ones we remembered from our childhood. Our checklist included a place which: was one of the 13 colonies; was one of the 9 locations for the early Capitol; had music in the spirit of the occasion; was one of the more than 10,000 communities around the country reading the Declaration of Independence and Constitution in the public square; had spacious skies and amber waves of grain; was home to historical sites related to the era; recognized our veterans; and, of course, had fireworks! Check, check, and check and we were off to Lancaster County PA.
People: The people who made this 4th of July special were the conductors of the bands and the purveyors of pyrotechnics.
We enjoyed 3 concerts and 2 fireworks displays in 2 days! Our favorite was the March Masters Band that was playing in a gazebo at a village center near Bird-in Hand, PA. The 6 members of this band were former music teachers and their students. The conductor showed us his 4th of July spirit as the band played a variety of Sousa marches and led the audience in a sing along of patriotic songs. We also listened to the Lancaster symphony orchestra playing a piece by a local composer honoring hometown luminaries Thaddeus Stevens, who, in his role as a member of the US House of Representatives advocated for the passing of the 13th and 14th amendments and Lydia Hamilton Smith, a local businesswoman. We were not done yet…our final concert and fireworks was held at the Lion’s Club bandshell in New Holland, PA where we listened to community leaders reading the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, saluted the flag, honored veterans, and tapped our feet to the lively music.
Places: Lancaster County has contributed its fair share to the history of our country. We visited Wheatland, the home of our 15th President, James Buchanan. We also went to the Center for History and Democracy which houses the restored home of Thaddeus Stevens.
Pies: Both sweet and savory pies were served during the early days of our country. Meat pies with thick crusts like chicken pot pie were common as were fruit pies made with local berries. The traditional pie in Lancaster County is a Shoofly Pie, a tribute to its “Pennsylvania Dutch” cuisine, and so named because, as the pie was set in the window to cool, it was necessary to shoo away the flies. We found our pie at an Amish restaurant and bakery. This pie is made with simple ingredients: flour, eggs, brown sugar, and molasses, all likely available when the early settlers arrived in this area.
And do not forget the myth of George Washington’s cherry tree and a delicious cherry pie. Back home in Indiana, I like to make blueberry goat cheese pie!
Happy 250th Anniversary America!
