Twelve score, five years, and four days ago per the dating of this newspaper issue, a group of English colonists including printer Benjamin Franklin, came together at Philadelphia and affixed their signatures to what might as well have been their death warrant, had it not been successful.

In this document, known today as the Declaration of Independence, they drew on English philosophy and history, together with the common law to lay out a list of ways in which the then King of England George III had usurped his lawful prerogatives to the colonies detriment.

For more on this theme and a complete reproduction of said document, see page six this week.

Back to the present, the scene at Thorp this past weekend celebrated the signing at Philadelphia July 4, 1776 with vivid color up on the north side, as crowds turned out to see fireworks in red, white, and blue— but also green and orange. The fire danger was “low,”with Jaimie Stratton and crew doing the official show. An unofficial fireworks show just across the North Washington Street proceeded this, though who did that one, we don’t know. In any case, below are some of the fireworks taken on manual camera setting, plus shutter speed and aperture details for trying to duplicate the shot. Happy Independence America!

The Thorp preshow from across the road – tripod

F 5.6, 3/10 of a second – handheld

F20, 8 seconds – tripod

F22, 8 seconds – tripod