Celebrating...Colonial Style
By Darla Bracken
library courtesy photo
The Friona Public Library, in connection with Friona’s 100th anniversary, will be featuring Founding Families displays. The current display is from the Otis Edward Massey family, loaned to the library by Bessie Holt.
A couple of years ago, one of Friona’s long-time citizens mentioned a practice of celebrating special occasions to me. He must have witnessed it sometime in his childhood, because it evidently had made quite an impression on him. It was on his mind perhaps because of our upcoming Centennial. In fact, it is a tradition that goes back to colonial times and before. In Tennessee, they used this method to celebrate David Crockett’s election to Congress. Early on towns or settlements without a bell would also use this method to warn or announce things to the people living in the area. Blacksmiths practiced the art of ‘shooting anvils’, their early version of fireworks to celebrate special occasions especially Independence Day and Christmas.
The object of the activity first of all was fanfare: to produce a lot of fire and smoke, and a huge bang that could be heard up to 15 miles away. The heavy anvils weighing 100 or more pounds each would be shot into the air sometimes as high as 125 feet! Trouble was that you didn’t know how far or how high they would go and more importantly where they would land. This inherently dangerous “sport” has long since gone by the wayside, perhaps because spectacular fireworks displays, now packed and fired by experts, have taken the place of this early tradition. Although today’s fireworks displays can be controlled, set to music, and orchestrated beyond belief; pyrotechnics is still very dangerous work.
Many blacksmiths were reluctant to use their anvils in such a manner due to its huge importance in their making a living–their livelihood depended upon the tools of their trade. Especially in colonial times, anvils would have been hard to come by. When you think of all the things the blacksmithing trade was responsible for–manufacturing plows, shoeing animals, making tools; a blacksmith shop would have been a necessity even in the smallest of towns. From the early description of Friona in 1906, it consisted of a land office “bungalow”, a few houses, and a blacksmith shop. Blacksmiths certainly played an important role in the settlement and success of any area.
As the land became more and more populated, settlers found new things with which to fill their precious leisure time. It was no small chore to get your dwelling built, to care for your family and livestock, and to get your livelihood started whether it was farming, ranching, homemaking, storekeeping or whatever. When we think of the many hardships these people went through to settle the plains, we cannot help but admire their strength, perseverance and courage. They made it their home and people continue to live here to this day because of their sense of values, their appreciation for the land and their persistence.
Thanks to those of you for your kinds words via email and to the many of you who have expressed interest and appreciation to me in person. I am glad you are enjoying our history. DB
