Newspaper item
From the beginning, Worthington has observed Independence Day with a variety of celebrations: parades, picnics, fireworks and more.
In “New Englanders on the Ohio Frontier: Migration and Settlement of Worthington, Ohio,” Virginia and Robert McCormick write:
“Annual Fourth of July celebrations were always the community’s largest and most boisterous holiday…Worthington pioneers celebrated their first Fourth of July in 1804 by felling seventeen large trees on the public square, one for each state of the union at that time.”
Worthington continued the celebration with toasts and dancing, as evidenced by invitations to “Independence Day Balls,” one in 1813 and another in 1826.
Modern-day Fourth of July revelers are no strangers to parades, and earlier celebrations embraced the tradition as well. A 1911 photo shows parade marchers complete with costumes, horse-drawn carriage and musical instruments standing at rest and facing the photographer; they stand on the then-unpaved High Street, which was known as Main Street.
As different subdivisions were built in Worthington, several became known for their Fourth of July bashes. Colonial Hills held its first festival and bicycle parade in 1945, and Worthington Hills’ first parade was 1972.
And then, of course, are the fireworks. Worthington's celebration takes place each year at Thomas Worthington High School following a Rotary Family Picnic. Grab a picnic blanket and prepare to be dazzled!
