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46-548: In 1912, a group of businessmen formed the Tacoma Carnival Association and created a 5-mile (8.0 km) dirt race course roughly bounded by today's Lakeview Avenue, Steilacoom Boulevard, Gravelly Lake Drive and S.W. 112th Street. This course was reduced in size for each of the next two years and became the final 2-mile (3.2 km) layout in 1914. On July 4 of that year, over 35,000 spectators came out to see racing, Vaudeville acts and fireworks. In 1915,

92-492: A motorcycle given him by Judge O'Donnell. He became an expert rider and mechanic and, a few months short of graduation, opened a garage with a friend, developing a clientele of motorcycle and automobile owners from the Los Angeles area. Murphy began his racing career as a riding mechanic , back in the days when racing cars carried a driver and a "mechanician." He rode in winning driver Eddie O'Donnell 's Duesenberg at

138-773: A "salute to the union", is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base. New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country sponsored by Macy's , with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded in 2009. It generally holds displays in the East River. Other major displays are in Seattle on Lake Union ; in San Diego over Mission Bay ; in Boston on the Charles River ; in Philadelphia over

184-484: A part failure causing it, and crashed through the inside wooden rail. A large piece of the rail was pushed through Murphy’s chest, impaling him and killing him instantly. Murphy was buried at Calvary Cemetery in East Los Angeles, in the O'Donnell family plot. His death made headlines across the country. His funeral was attended by most of the great drivers and racing entrepreneurs, engineers and promoters of

230-423: A picnic or barbecue; many take advantage of the day off and, in some years, a long weekend to gather with family members or friends. Parades are often attended in many towns and cities, some being hours-long, with many floats and participants. Parades are often held in the mid-late morning (before get-togethers), with longer spectacles sometimes extending into the early afternoon. Fireworks displays typically occur in

276-582: A signatory of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe , another Founding Father who was elected president, also died on July 4, 1831, making him the third President who died on the anniversary of independence. The only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day was Calvin Coolidge , who was born on July 4, 1872. Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Per 5 U.S.C.   § 6103 , Independence Day

322-515: A specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority , (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies Jimmy Murphy (racing driver) James Anthony Murphy (September 12, 1894 – September 15, 1924) was an American racing driver who won the 1921 French Grand Prix , the 1922 Indianapolis 500 , and the American Racing Championship in 1922 and 1924. Murphy

368-608: A sprawling ghetto of mostly Irish immigrants and their children who made up the majority of the local labor force. Murphy's mother Margaret died in Needles, CA in 1897 when Jimmy was 3 years old . Murphy's father Mathew died in Jul 1906 in San Francisco, a couple of months after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Jimmy was then an orphan and became in the care of his paternal uncle James Murphy in San Francisco. Jimmy's first cousin

414-525: A team of Duesenbergs sponsored by French immigrant Albert Champion , he became the only American to have won a Grand Prix race in an all-American car, by winning the French Grand Prix at Le Mans . The next time an American driver would win a Grand Prix in an American-built car would be 46 years later, when Dan Gurney won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix . Murphy's mechanic in that race was none other than Ernie Olsen who also rode with Murphy in

460-498: Is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the postal service and federal courts ) are closed on that day. While the legal holiday remains on July 4, if that date happens to be on a Saturday or Sunday, then federal government employees will instead take the day off on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively. Other non-essential that are non-government related may also be closed that day. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending

506-466: Is typically one of the busiest United States travel periods of the year, as many people use what is often a three-day holiday weekend for extended vacation trips. The Philippines celebrates July 4 as its Republic Day to commemorate the day in 1946 when it ceased to be a U.S. territory and the United States officially recognized Philippine Independence . July 4 was intentionally chosen by

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552-464: The COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations of shows. Some local or regional firework sales are limited or prohibited because of dry weather or other specific concerns. On these occasions the public may be prohibited from purchasing or discharging fireworks, but professional displays (such as those at sports events) may still take place. A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called

598-590: The Declaration of Independence , a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by the Committee of Five , which asked Thomas Jefferson to author its first draft. While Jefferson consulted extensively with the other four members of the Committee of Five, he largely wrote the Declaration of Independence in isolation over 17 days between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776, from the second floor he

644-886: The Fourth of July , is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America . The Founding Father delegates of the Second Continental Congress declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain , King George III , and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress voted to approve independence by passing

690-480: The Lee Resolution on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks , parades , barbecues , carnivals , fairs , picnics , concerts , baseball games , family reunions , political speeches , and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of

736-816: The Philadelphia Museum of Art ; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay ; and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival , Detroit, Michigan , hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in North America, over the Detroit River , to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with Windsor, Ontario 's celebration of Canada Day . The first week of July

782-462: The War of 1812 . Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. In addition, local and regional conditions may dictate whether the sale or use of fireworks in an area will be allowed; for example, the global supply chain crisis following

828-440: The 1916 Corona road race , their car achieving an average speed of 85 miles per hour (137 km/h), a truly terrifying speed for those early days. Murphy rode with some of America's greatest drivers of the time, including Ralph DePalma , Harry Hartz , Eddie Rickenbacker , Peter DePaolo and Tommy Milton . After the war, Murphy's career as a driver was spotted, but he showed promise to those who knew "the racing game." Through

874-618: The 1922 Indianapolis 500. Murphy's victory was not a hollow one as he was facing the best teams from England ( Sunbeam ) with young gun Henry Segrave driving a 1921 Grand Prix car and France (Ballot) led by the experienced Jean Chassagne . In 1922, Murphy won the Indianapolis 500 , in the Le Mans winning car, which had been modified for the Indy race and was powered by a Miller engine. He also became National Champion that year. Murphy won

920-409: The Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. By remarkable coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as presidents of the United States , both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not

966-486: The English city of Gloucester , its cathedral rang bells in 2019 and 2020 for the anthem " The Star-Spangled Banner " every July 4 for its links to the anthem , commemorating its status as the birthplace of John Stafford Smith , who composed the tune on which the anthem is based. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to

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1012-638: The Gem of the Ocean "; " God Bless America "; " America the Beautiful "; " My Country, 'Tis of Thee "; " This Land Is Your Land "; " Stars and Stripes Forever "; " Yankee Doodle "; " God Bless the U.S.A. " and " Dixie " (in southern states); " Lift Every Voice and Sing "; and occasionally (but has nominally fallen out of favor), " Hail Columbia ". Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or

1058-527: The Indy 500, and by the last weeks of the season, he had accumulated an unbeatable lead in the points toward the Championship. Although not an accomplished dirt racer, Murphy agreed to appear at a race promoted by a friend, at the Syracuse, New York fairgrounds dirt track on September 15, 1924. As he charged for the lead late in the race on lap 138 of 150, his car slid sideways, possibly hitting oil or

1104-692: The United States because it corresponds to its Independence Day, and this day was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until 1962. In 1964, the name of the July 4 holiday was changed to Republic Day. Rebild National Park in Denmark is said to hold the largest July 4 celebrations outside of the United States. While not an Independence Day celebration by any means, the city of Trois-Rivières , Quebec , Canada celebrates its founding every July 4, having been founded on July 4, 1634. Trois-Rivières

1150-631: The United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States. During the American Revolution , the legal separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain's rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to

1196-624: The airport for use in World War II as the Pacific Naval Advance Base, and the site became Clover Park Technical College in 1962. The best known lap speed at Tacoma Speedway was set in July 1922 during time trials for what would be the track's final race, when the top nine qualifiers all exceeded 103 miles per hour (166 km/h). By way of comparison, Jimmy Murphy's pole speed at the Indianapolis 500 that year

1242-424: The boards was always terrible, and then there was Tacoma.” Speaking about the board tracks of the period, veteran driver and riding mechanic Eddie Miller said: "You used to get hit with some terrific blocks and knots of wood. We all came in with pieces of wood bigger than kitchen matches driven into our face and foreheads. They'd go in, hit the bone and then spread out. Then you had to remove them, of course. Tacoma

1288-566: The celebration. The highest ever were in Salem, Massachusetts , with pyramids composed of as many as forty tiers of barrels. These made some of the tallest bonfires ever recorded. The custom flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries and is still practiced in some New England and northeastern towns. Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs, such as " The Star-Spangled Banner " (the American national anthem ); " Columbia,

1334-424: The dirt track was upgraded to a wood track with turns banked up 18 feet (5.5 m), using 2 million board feet (4,720 m) of lumber and 15 tons (14,000 kg) of nails. At the time of construction, it was one of just eleven wood tracks in the United States. Promoters claimed it would be one of the fastest race tracks, if not the fastest, in the nation. Three major races were held on the brand new track in 1915,

1380-747: The evening, at such places as parks, harbors, off of boats, sporting venues, fairgrounds, public shorelines, or town squares. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag , and many homes and businesses will decorate their properties with miniature American flags. The night before the Fourth was once the focal point of celebrations, marked by raucous gatherings, often incorporating bonfires as their highlight. In New England , towns competed to build towering pyramids, assembled from barrels and casks. They were lit at nightfall to usher in

1426-752: The final Universal Trophy Cup Race, beating Milton, at both Tacoma Speedway and the Uniontown Speedway board track in 1922. In 1923, Murphy placed second in the National Championship, even missing several races to go to Europe and race for Los Angeles race car builder, Harry Miller . He placed third in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza that year, in a race whose Grand Marshal was Benito Mussolini . Mussolini gave him two German Shepherd dogs as Murphy loved dogs. Murphy's success continued in 1924. Murphy finished third in

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1472-518: The infield. Despite the improved facilities, the track lost money and was unable to continue operations after the race on July 4, 1922, which was the only race held that year. The original Tacoma Montamarathon Trophy is currently kept at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum . In 1927, part of the property became Mueller-Harkins Airport, then later, Tacoma Municipal Airport. The U.S. federal government seized

1518-477: The influence of Duesenberg's Number One driver, Tommy Milton, Murphy was given a factory car to drive in the inaugural race at the Beverly Hills Speedway , a superfast, 1.125-mile (1.811 km) high banked, wooden speedway. To everyone (except Milton's) surprise, Murphy won that February 14, 1920 race. He went on to win regularly and became a popular champion on the circuit. In 1921, as part of

1564-511: The most important of which was the 250-mile (400 km) Montamarathon Classic on July 4, won by Glover Ruckstell driving a Mercer . That day also saw the track's first racer fatalities (spectators had been killed in 1912 and 1914), when a car carrying Billy Carlson and his riding mechanic left the track after incurring a punctured tire. Carlson was one of several drivers who had urged the track be paved with creosoted wood blocks instead of split boards, for safety reasons. One other driver died at

1610-409: The most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to

1656-649: The other, from this time forward forever more. Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. Historians have long disputed whether members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that

1702-537: The race course infield. Although World War I put a damper on auto racing across much of the country, and briefly stopped it altogether in October 1918, the sport was not significantly interrupted in Tacoma. As a show of patriotism, in 1918 and 1919 races were run with cars flying the flags of Allied nations . Former-racer-turned-war-hero Eddie Rickenbacker returned in 1919 to serve as a race official. In March 1920,

1748-431: The speedway's grandstands were destroyed in an arson fire. Though the loss was uninsured, funds to rebuild were raised by selling bonds, and new grandstands were constructed in time for racing that summer. The rebuilt facility was a major upgrade from the one that burned down, with 960 feet (290 m) of covered seating, new fencing, pedestrian tunnels, and an automobile bridge over Turn 4 that allowed spectator parking in

1794-534: The time. In a precedent-setting move, the American Automobile Association 's Competition Board awarded the 1924 National Championship posthumously, to Murphy. At the funeral, Fred J. Wagner , Chief Starter for the AAA's Contest Board, said in his eulogy, Sportsmanship, like every other moral quality is not instinctive. It must be acquired. Jimmy Murphy, as no other, possessed the quality of

1840-510: The track in 1917, also due to a puncture. In time, it was realized that the nature of the track's construction was problematic. Other board tracks were constructed with continuous wood surfaces, but in Tacoma the boards were spaced apart to save on materials. The gaps between the boards were filled with gravel, and there were constant problems with flying gravel and splinters, which caused many injuries, flat tires and accidents. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Tommy Milton once said, “Driving on

1886-513: Was 100.491 miles per hour (161.725 km/h). Murphy qualified for the middle of the front row at Tacoma; the pole sitter and presumed record-holder is Tommy Milton, who won at Indianapolis in 1921 and 1923. Barney Oldfield is said to have been clocked at 113.9 miles per hour (183.3 km/h) on the speedway in 1915, but it is unclear if this was a lap speed (unlikely) or if it was over a shorter measured distance. Independence Day (United States) Independence Day , known colloquially as

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1932-633: Was 1906 San Francisco firefighter Battalion Chief Tom J. Murphy (later to become San Francisco's assistant fire chief 1925 and recognized as one of the pioneers of modern firefighting in San Francisco). Murphy lived with his paternal uncle James and wife Annie in their home in San Francisco until late 1907, when Murphy's maternal aunt, Mary Moran and her husband, Judge Martin O'Donnell of Vernon, California , sent for Jimmy to come live with them. In Southern California Murphy attended Huntington Park High School and commuted to and from school on

1978-895: Was also the site of the final battle of the American Revolutionary War that was fought on Quebec soil in June 1776, the Battle of Trois-Rivières , which was also a part of the Continental Army's failed American Invasion of Quebec . Following a defeat at the hands of the British, the Continental Army retreated to Fort Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu , Quebec, and then to Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga , New York, before permanently ceasing their invasion of Quebec in July 1776. In

2024-586: Was born in San Francisco , California , on Minna Street, between 7th and 8th, in September 1894. His father was an immigrant from County Wexford, Ireland and his mother was an immigrant from County Mayo, Ireland and owned a fuel and feed store which fronted on Mission Street behind the family home on Minna. This area of San Francisco was called "South of the Slot" by locals in those days, and comprised

2070-604: Was renting in a three-story private home at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia , now known as the Declaration House, and within walking distance of Independence Hall . Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, removing Jefferson's vigorous denunciation of King George III for importing the slave trade , finally approving it two days later on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail : The second day of July 1776, will be

2116-453: Was worse. You had the splinters and knots and all, but to save on lumber they had spaced out the 2x4s and caulked them with some mixture of tar and crushed rock. When Tacoma began to go it was like a meteor shower." Race promoters often added sideshow attractions and staged exhibitions to help draw paying spectators. One such event in 1916 involved the head-on collision of two locomotives on a mile (1.6 km) of railroad track temporary laid in

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