Since it’s Independence Day weekend, I thought it would be fun to look at how Texans celebrated in the past.

Here we go…

In 1874 the Hibernian Association paraded down Congress Avenue in Austin. The trombone was well represented.

The people turned out to celebrate in Tyler in the 1920s.

The boys of the Border Patrol showed their pride at Marfa in 1928.

The Central Fire Station in Dallas was all decked out c.1890.

The citizens of Orange County listened to suited gentleman make speeches in 1918.

The Battleship Texas was all dressed up for the Fourth in 1929.

At Hereford in Deaf Smith County, folks got together on the courthouse lawn for a picnic.

Same place, fifty years later (1958), the people gathered in Kodacolor to hear speechifying.

In 1973, Willie held his first Fourth of July Picnic at Dripping Springs

Ok…let this blow your mind. All of us of a certain age remember the Bicentennial. You might have had blue carpet, a windsor chair, a Betsy Ross afghan, or all of the above. This image brings back some memories, right?

Well it isn’t from 1976. It’s from now. Some people in their 20s and 30s are embracing a style they call Bicentennial Chic, or Mid-Century Coloniawful. Proof that absolutely everything comes back in style eventually.