Sandwich Celebrates the Centennial

On July 4, 1876, communities across the United States celebrated the nation's 100th birthday. Sandwich marked the occasion with one of the largest public celebrations in the town's history.

This remarkable photograph, taken at the corner of Main and Jarves Streets, shows a segment of the Centennial parade posed in the center of town. In the foreground is Sandwich's newly built hook-and-ladder fire truck, constructed by Captain L. B. Nye and local blacksmith John C. C. Ellis. Standing behind it is the Sandwich Brass Band. To the right are costumed participants in the "Antiques and Horribles" parade—a humorous tradition that mocked the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, chartered in 1636 to train officers enrolled in local militia companies across Massachusetts.

The Centennial was more than a birthday party. It was an opportunity for Americans to reflect on the nation's first century and to celebrate its progress after the hardships of the Civil War.

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, this photograph reminds us that every generation has found its own way to honor the nation's founding—and that local communities have always been at the heart of those celebrations.