Independence Day Parade 1942 (Lawrence, MA)

 

The photographs of this collection commemorate the Independence Day parade of 1942 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Mayor James P. Meehan was the chairman of the celebration. Others on the reviewing stand were Alderman and directory of Public Safety, James C. Reardon, Jr., Alderman and Director of Public Health and Charities, Timothy C. Shine, Alderman and Director of Engineering, John W. McCarthy, Alderman and Director of Public Property and Parks, Cornelius J. Roche, John A. O’Hearn, Executive Chairman, and Judge John E. Fenton, Chief Marshall.

Here are the rest of the images:

4th1942

 

 

Independence Day Parade 1916 (Lawrence, MA)

This collection includes a check book with the canceled checks still attached dating from August 12, 1916 to December 15, 1916, balance sheets, bills, and two sheets of paper: one is a statement to the mayor and the other “Received payments from the following firms for flags”.  The bank was the Merchants Trust Company.

Heavy rain postponed the parade to Thursday evening, July 5 starting at 7:50 PM.  The parade was made up of 10,000 men, women, and children “signifying their advocacy of Preparedness”.   $3,000 was spent on the event.  The Chinese of the City provided three floats depicting oriental splendor at a cost of $500.  Their countrymen came from New York and Boston to participate.  The route started at Broadway and wended its way through the City ending at the Lawrence Common.  The reviewing stand was at City Hall.  A Patriotic Fund had been set up and young women from any walks of life had volunteered to sell buttonhole flags during the parade.  The parade was led by Mayor Hurley and reviewed by the mayors of Haverhill, Lowell, and Manchester, NH.  The prizes for the floats were awarded to Betsy Ross Chapter DAR first, Lawrence Gas Co. second, and the Red Cross third.  Honorable mentions went to a Chinese float, Ladies Aux. BPOE, and Monomac Spinning Co.

• 1st Division The two GAR posts with assorted semi-military organizations – Marshal Peter F. Graham
• 2^nd Division Lawrence lodges – Marshal Frank E. Harding
• 3^rd Division Irish societies, German societies, YMHA, and the Gas Company – Marshal Bartholomew Cahil
• 4^th Division School children – Marshal Lawrence J. O’Leary
• 5^th Division French societies – Joseph H. Couture
• 6^th Division the English, the moose, neighborhood women, Chinese carpenters, and Firemen – Marshal James F. Connors
• 7^th Division Italian societies – Marshal Geremia Campopiano
• 8^th Division Foreign societies – Marshal Bernard A. O’Donnell
• 9^th Division Pacific Mills and Pilgrims – Marshal A. L. Dow.
• 10^th Division Employees of mills with floats of business houses – Marshal John J. Cronin
• 11^th Division All citizens not affiliated with any organization are invited to participate with this division
• J. J. Gilday was the pastor.

The significance of preparedness is because the National Guard (Lawrence Militia units F and L of the Ninth and Eighth Infantry, respectively, and Battery C of the Field Artillery) were engaged in the hostilities at the Mexican border – and there was a war raging in Europe.

 

 

 

 

Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System

In 2006 the Lawrence Public Library Special Collections collaborated with NMRLS (Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System) to scan and post images from the Library’s collection.  Topics chosen were streetscape images from downtown Lawrence in the 1923/24 period, Fr. O’Reilly Golden Jubilee Parade, NRA Parade, 1942 Independence Day Parade, the 1962 God & Country Parade, the Spanish American War, and two handbills from the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912.

NMRLS was absorbed into the state library system and all those images are now accessible at the Digital Commonwealth.