4th of July in Taylor Arizona

It's kind of hard to see everyone, but we are all there. (Minus Jeff of course.) We'll just have Great Grandpa Washburn add him in later (hee hee.)

It is amazing how time flies. Taken last year at our home in Taylor, Arizona, this was quite the experience for some of those family members that had never experienced a true "Taylor 4th of July". The whole weekend is packed with activities. Fireworks, rodeos, BBQ's, and patriotic ceremonies. But my favorite as well as my children's, and my niece's and nephews, is "The Firing of the Anvil".

Taylor has many traditions, "The Firing of the Anvil", is one of them. Many come home to share with their posterity what they experienced in their childhood. My family got to experience that tradition last year bright and early.

Here is a brief history lesson about "The Firing of the Anvil" tradition. Played in the 1830's by the Nauvoo Legion Band, the large "Jennings Drum" traveled to Utah in 1847 on the back of Brigham Young's wagon. Arriving in the 1880's in Taylor with Cyrus Jennings whom it was given to, the Drum was played at dawn every Fourth of July before "The Firing of the Anvil". The Anvil, a survivor of the 1847 Mormon Battalion, was brought to Taylor in 1890 by blacksmith Joseph Smith Hancock. Mormon pioneers did not have a cannon to fire on July 4th, so the Standfords and Hancocks improvised a celebratory gunpowder charge beneath the venerable old anvil, bouncing it 20 feet into the air.

Long before the sun begins to peak over the horizon, a town that once slumbered is now wide awake and full of energy and excitement due to a few loud booms. What started out as a small train of cars, trucks, and ATVs, is now a full blown procession of every type of vehicle full of children, young adults, parents, and grandparents, all following behind the old truck that carries the anvil and a flat bed that hauls the local "Jennings band". While the band plays old patriotic favorites, the growing crowd cheers on the next person igniting the anvil. The sound is so loud, most smart ones wear ear plugs as the sound can be heard from miles away.

Last year, around 5am, we loaded all of the kids that were now awake (they all camped out in the backyard) into the back of the Polaris Ranger with their blankets and took off following the sound of the explosions. They all thought we were crazy at first, but soon found out, just as we did, what a fun tradition this really was. They all had a blast. However by noon, we were all so tired that we debated on doing it the next year. I am certain it will be a memory they will never forget.

This year we did decide to wake early again. Only this time we shared the 4th of July Celebration with Ed's side of the family. They too were in for a real treat. It was funny to watch every ones faces as the rolled out of bed. No one believed us when we tried to tell them how loud the explosion really was.

Again we followed the sound of the explosions and soon caught up to the procession. This year was especially exciting because Ed was asked to ignite the anvil a couple of times. He was not expecting it and therefore was not equipped with ear plugs, nor was I prepared because I left the camera at home. It was a lot of fun for us to watch Ed be apart of a tradition that has carried on for decades.