Submitted to Ad Astra Radio by John Duerksen
When approaching this 250th anniversary of the United States establishment, It would be good to look back to the Bi Centennial celebration back in 1976. The McPherson JC’s was still a functioning organization, and decided that it would be a tremendous thing to put on a massive fireworks display. They began to raise money to enable that effort by holding fund raising events, as well as collecting aluminum cans. The efforts allowed us to put on a modest display that was overseen by pyrotechnics that supplied the fireworks, and land members were trained in lighting them. There were mortars ranging from 6″ down to 2″. They were lit with flares, and being within arms reach of the mortar, the blast was deafening and the pressure was definitely felt. Things have progressed immensely since the very first public fireworks display in McPherson.
