Pekin in 1924: a city celebrates its centennial (Part Eleven)
This week we draw near to the conclusion of our series on Pekin’s 1924 Centennial Celebration. Today we present the Saturday, 5 July 1924, Pekin Daily Times report on the celebration’s concluding fireworks display that jointly honored Pekin’s centennial and the nation’s declaration of independence from Britain in 1776. We also share three “appraisal” columns from that issue of the Pekin Daily Times that positively commented on the three-day celebration.
A scene of downtown Pekin during the Centennial Celebration that was held 2-4 July 1924.
Hurtling rockets that pierced the eastern heavens and burst into showers of many-hues stars, fountains of flame, explosives that mounted to the sky and rocked the country side with terrific concussion, spinwheels that lived for an instant of blazing glory, illumined crosses and gushing streams of fire – all this was the super-climax of the three-days celebration of Pekin’s 100th birthday anniversary.
Twenty-five thousand people witnessed the most spectacular fireworks display ever presented in any Central Illinois city. The new addition to Mineral Springs park became one vast expanse of automobiles. Every approach to the park was choked with cars and the open space between the park and the Country club surged with masses of humanity.
Wait Patiently.
Hours before 8:30 o’clock, the time set for the display, vantage places had been taken by motorists who waited patiently for the exhibition of fire. The planks that had provided seats for the Centennial play in the park ravine Wednesday night were utilized as seats for the fireworks and moved to the hillsides.
The west hill of the Country club grounds became the stage for the presentation of living flame. It provided an unbroken view for the throng. Just before the display was touched off motorists became impatient and a concert of honking horns resulted.
Showers of stars from the vaulting rockets dropped in a swampy section of the new addition to the park and the waters of a miniature lake cast back a reflection of the colored fire.
Cheers From Audience.
A huge set piece lettered in fire the inscription: “Pekin Centennial, 1824-1924,” brought cheers from the audience. Another circular set piece was a tribute to the World war veterans and displayed the words: “American Legion.”
An American flag, a pyrotechnic miracle, in red, white and blue fire was heralded with more shrieking rockets and a flaming “Good-Night” was a signal for the thousands of automobiles to stampede for park exits with a consequent traffic jam that made the park a chaos of throbbing motors and anxious dirvers.
The spectacle lasted little more than thirty minutes but it brought to the Centennial thousands a lasting thrill. Its glory dimmed all other Centennial attractions in that it wrote in brilliant flame across the eastern sky the story of Pekin’s achievement in her first one hundred years.
Henry G. Herget Lauds Centennial
Sometimes great men born in small cities or towns have need to go to great cities to conduct nation-wide operations in finance and industrialism. Pekin has had those of its native sons who have progressed to high planes in the business world. To Pekin’s credit, seldom have they forgotten the land of their beginning. Some leave permanently. The ones who continue to be part and parcel of the home city boosting, pulling for, and helping make, are the ones worth while. Pekin has these. And especially are these worthy of mention where residence is maintained, and investments continued along progressive lines.
Only recently returned from New York where he leads a great manufacturing concern that reaches to all corners of the world, but maintaining his residence and interests here, Henry G. Herget, interviewed this morning and asked for a statement about the Centennial celebration concluded last night, said:
“As a lifelong resident of Pekin, obliged to be away during the time arrangements were being made for the Centennial, I feel I am in a position to give an unbiased opinion of the wonderful celebration just terminated.
“Pekin has the very good habit of doing things right and this latest demonstration is the crowning glory of the many held heretofore.
“To the men and women who worked so hard and accomplished so much we all should give unstinted praise.
“The exhibits of relics and antiques were fine and could not be excelled in cities many times the size of Pekin.
“The parade was fine and surpassed every expectation. The weather was ideal. The big crowd of thousands and thousands, the greatest Pekin ever entertained, was wonderful. Our people were most hospitable and on the whole it was a Centennial all the present generation in Pekin can well be proud of.”
A GRACIOUS HOST
Pekin’s Centennial ended last night after three of the greatest merry making and historic observing days in the annals of the city. The outcome of the celebration eclipsed all predictions made by officials in charge, bringing thousands and thousands of people here and attracting nation-wide attention.
Practically every event, every little step as well as the more difficult ones, moved with marked precision. The program was executed without any serious hitch, proving entertaining to the throngs and giving to them something which would linger long in their memories.
Fair weather smiled during the three days. Despite threatening skies two or three times, E. Jupiter Pluvius withheld his rain clouds with the exception of a light shower. This, however, failed to dishearten the crowds.
It is early yet to pronounced accurately how great a success the Centennial was. It will take time to do this. But Pekin has done one thing – it has shown itself a gracious host by providing such royal entertainment it offered on the three days. It is doubtful if at any other time during the 100 years, any greater hospitality was shown. Pekin belonged to the guests as well as its residents during the Centennial period – it was their playground, too.
It is now every city that can stage such a celebration as the one this week. Each citizen should feel prouder of our city, proud of the men and women whose efforts made it possible to achieve such a glorious celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of its founding and resolve that the next century will bring about even more progress.
As We See Life
By Fred S. Austin
IT IS OVER – JUST BEGUN
THE FOURTH is over and the big effort has ended – But Pekin has just begun.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS from now, there’ll be other people looking up – Pekin’s 1924 celebration.
PEOPLE THEN may laugh or jest about what we did – but most likely they’ll say, “Well done!”
THE BATTLE is on, the skirmishing is over, the line’s advancing.
SEE THE BANNERS UNFURL – the banner of progress, civilization and honor. Let’s go on and on – And On!
***
PEKIN HAS STAGED ITS GREATEST ADVERTISEMENT. The world knows we are here. We are. Others will follow us. But it’s the follow up in advertisements that brings home the bacon. “What Pekin is a hundred years from now, WE WILL MAKE IT.” And we’re going to do it too. NOW! ALTOGETHER! WE’VE GOTTEN READY! WE’VE STARTED! GO! GO! GO!
Next week we will conclude our Centennial Celebration series with a post script on John Freeman Craig, a.k.a. “Chief White Eagle,” who presided over the Indian Village in Mineral Springs Park during the celebration.
Local History Program Coordinator at the Pekin Public Library. I oversee the library's local history room collection and write a weekly local history column/blog.
