FUN Facts, brought to you by First United National Bank, is a new weekly feature on exploreClarion.com and exploreVenango.com that will list facts about the area and other relevant topics.

Venango County’s First Fourth of July Celebration Was Held in 1828

(A representation of a fireworks display in the early 1800s)

At Cooperstown on the banks of Sugarcreek — “under the shady vine clad willows” — in 1828 was the first celebration of the Fourth of July in Venango County. The people gathered together from Franklin and all parts of the county and here and “they all partook bountifully of gingerbread that Mrs. Louisa Kingsley had sat up till two o clock to bake,” according to the History of Venango County by J.H. Newton.

New Bethlehem’s Residents Line the Streets for Annual Independence Day Parade in the Late 1800s

The photo above, shows the 200 block of Broad Street in New Bethlehem, during an Independence Day parade between 1880 and 1890. The Confectionary and Bakery pictured in the photo is the present location of Auto Parts Service. The next building is in service and houses the offices of Randy Otte and The Jewelry Shop. Next to that building is the Hamm House, later the Thomas home, and now houses a bank. Also pictured is the original First Baptist Church, located near the sidewalk line and with only its small belfry visible, and the A. V. Marsh General Store, later the H. S. Williams Paint and Wallpaper Store and presently the location of the Dinger Building. Further down the road was the Andrews Theater later known as the Arcadia Theatre.

This photo is from the Redbank Valley Historical Society’s new A Pictorial History of Redbank Valley with 400 pictures on 200 pages. Books can be purchased at www.redbankren.org or Tom’s Riverside, Evermoore’s Restaurant, and Redbank Valley Public Library.

St. Joseph’s 4th of July Celebration is the Oldest in Clarion County

St. Joseph’s 4th of July Celebration in Lucinda is Clarion County’s oldest Independence Day celebration. The festival, now in it’s 79th year, dates back to the 1930s. Over the decades, the event has grown far beyond the congregation, and many attendees come back year after year to enjoy the festival they loved from childhood.

Over $280 Million Worth of Fireworks Were Imported into the U.S. in 2017

Over $280 million worth of fireworks were imported into the United States in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the imported fireworks sold across the U.S., 96% — or $268 Million worth of fireworks — originated in China. Spain comes in a distant second at just over $5 million.

Less than 1% of the fireworks purchased in the United States are actually made in the U.S., according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.

More Fun Fourth of July Facts from the U.S. Census Bureau

FUN Facts is brought to you by First United National Bank — The FUN Bank! Stop at one of their offices in Fryburg, New Bethlehem, Oil City, Franklin, Clarion, or Cranberry and allow First United National Bank make you one of their satisfied customers. For more information visit Fun-Bank.com.