Rain and speeches on July 4, 1884

The Jamestown community had a rather odd event planned for the Fourth of July celebration in 1884.

Things started out the evening before with bells, firing of cannon and every conceivable explosive, skyrockets and bonfires. The noisy festivities would have tortured dogs and anyone trying to sleep if it hadn’t been for a rain shower passing over town at about 4 a.m.

“For the space of a few hours, quiet reigned supreme over Jamestown with the exception of the occasional cannonading of heaven’s artillery,” wrote The Jamestown Alert.

The weather was still threatening but not actively raining when activities started on the morning of the Fourth of July.

Writers for the Alert called it a procession rather than a parade.

The Jamestown Cornet Band let the way as people gathered and walked from the area of what is now known as First Avenue and the railroad tracks to the Stutsman County Courthouse.

There wagons and buggies took the people to the grounds of what we now know as the North Dakota State Hospital for the main event of the day.

There the Masonic Lodge, assisted by the Knights Templar, placed the cornerstone for the first building of what would become the State Hospital.

Newspaper accounts don’t mention how long the ceremony took but do mention it rained during the proceedings and everyone was “moistened” by the time they got back to town

Afternoon activities that had been planned for Klaus Park were moved to the Stutsman County Courthouse which was filled to capacity.

It would appear everyone in Jamestown had a good time on July 4, 1884.

“Very little rowdyism was displayed during the day and no accidents occurred to sadden the festivities of the occasion,” wrote the Alert. “… the day was more thoroughly and gloriously celebrated than on any previous anniversary of the day ever before in the history of Jamestown.”

Maybe it was the rain that moistened everyone that made it a wonderful day.

Author Keith Norman can be reached at

www.KeithNormanBooks.com