This is Floyd Wynne with THE VIEW FROM HERE 7/06/04

It was a grand and glorious display.

I’m talking about the fireworks over Lake Ewauna Sunday night.

I don’t believe that there was a parking space available anywhere Sunday night. Klamath Avenue and parts of Main Street were lined with vehicles as was the library parking lot and just about anywhere else in the area.

Our thanks to the Herald and News, the Running Y and the City of Klamath Falls for giving the residents a great display of fireworks.

As you know the fireworks idea was an outgrowth of the bombardment that the British hit Fort McHenry with during the War of 1812.

It’s also a reminder that some 228 years ago Thomas Jefferson along with some assistance by John Adams turned out the Declaration of Independence. It was the trigger that resulted in the American Revolution and ended up with our constitution guaranteeing most of the freedoms we enjoy today.

But....there was not always fireworks in Klamath Falls to celebrate the occasion.

Back in 1957 there were no official fireworks. For several years the Junior Chamber of Commerce had sponsored the fireworks displays by charging a fee of, I think, fifty cents and they held them at the Fairgrounds.

However, when July 4th rolled around in 1957 there was no sponsorship for the fireworks.

On July 23, 1957, Mayor Lawrence Slater and the city Council took action on the issue.

The Herald and News of that date reported it as follows: The youngsters of Klamath Falls and suburbs are assured of a fireworks display next Fourth of July.

“The city council took action at Monday night’s regular session to set aside $500 to be used for a free public fireworks display next Independence Day. The $500, however, will not come from tax monies from the city of Klamath Falls.

“The West Coast Shows which recently played Klamath Falls for a nine day period provided the money in the form of extra license fees to the city. Ordinarily the carnival stays seven days and pays a license fee of $1,500 which is in turn given to the Klamath Basin Roundup Association . This year, the carnival paid an extra $500 which was earmaarked for the free fireworks display next year.

“Mayor Lawrence Slater suggested the action, and the council members agreed unanimously that ‘free fireworks’ was one of the few remaining traditions of the Fourth of July celebration that remained and should be kept for the youngsters.”

So that’s how the city first financed the fireworks display.

That continued for several years, but the cost of the display became almost prohibitive.

The initial fireworks were fired off K Hill, but it caused a few small fires in the area....and subsequently were moved to Upper Klamath Lake.

It is fitting that it has moved to Lake Ewauna where many residents can view them from their homes.

However, future development of the former Modoc Lumber grounds may force the event to move again in the future.

At any rate....our thanks to those who sponsored the Sunday night event. We agree with former Mayor Slater that a fireworks display on July Fourth “should be kept for the youngsters” as a symbol of our freedoms.

This is Floyd Wynne and that’s THE VIEW FROM HERE.